Shanghai

Shanghai was among the first games released for the IIGS.

Originally developed by Brodie Lockard, a physically disabled programmer on the Macintosh, the game was ported to almost every other platform conceivable including the 8-bit Apple II, Amiga and Atari ST.

Shanghai was the first western computer game to showcase Mah Jongg, the ancient oriental puzzle board game. Mah Jongg is a simple but addictive concept; simply match the same patterned tiles (or special tiles that compliment each other, such as Winter and Summer) on the board, once you've done so, you remove them, the aim being to remove all tiles. Each new game the tiles are randomly placed offering virtually unlimited game play by ensuring no two games are ever the same. The trick to matching the pieces is that you can only use tiles that aren't completely surrounded by other tiles or underneath other tiles.

It could be said the IIGS version was something of a showcase for an emerging new concept in gaming, a simple stress-free puzzle game played entirely by the mouse with some nice colour graphics. A+ magazine christened fans of such games 'Mouse Potatoes'.