# Shanghai Mahjong — user reviews

> 408 indexed App Store user reviews of Shanghai Mahjong by MobileAge LLC, rated 4.30/5 from 245 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-mahjong/id283619399/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-mahjong/id283619399.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 163 · 4★ 37 · 3★ 22 · 2★ 10 · 1★ 13

## What do users think of Shanghai Mahjong?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Classic mahjong game with many options
- 🚀 Ad-free experience
- 👍 Variety of tile sets and backgrounds
- 👍 Challenging gameplay
- 👍 Great for brain training
- 👍 Relaxing and enjoyable

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔇 No sound or music
- 🔍 Blurry tiles on larger screens
- 📱 Not optimized for larger devices
- 🤖 Forced integration with Game Center

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Tiles not responding correctly
- Incorrect highlighting of available matches
- Game freezing or crashing on certain iOS versions

**Most requested features**

- New tile sets and layouts
- Ability to reset game progress
- Option to disable achievements/leaderboard notifications
- Improved tile visibility on larger screens

## Newest reviews (16 of 408)

### 3/5 — Impossible without reshuffle

*2026-05-12, version 2.0.2*

Nice layout and plenty of games.  However far too many are impossible to finish without a reshuffle.  Loosing its appeal real quick.

### 3/5 — Christmas tiles please !!!!!!!!!!!

*2025-05-30, version 2.0.2*

Need christmas tiles

### 3/5 — Shanghai Mahjong

*2025-05-17, version 2.0.2*

I can’t seem to find a way to reset all the playing times back to zero so that I could start again with my own times rather than the ones that are there help

### 4/5 — No sound

*2024-08-10, version 2.0.2*

After the latest update to iOS, the sound no longer works in this app. I've force closed the app and restarted my phone, but still no sound

### 4/5 — Needs optimization

*2023-11-11, version 2.0.2*

I’ve had this game for God knows how long, I still play it every once in a while, though I believe that it’s long due for optimization as i believe it hasn’t gotten any since the iPhone 4 came out… thank you!

### 3/5 — Crashes constantly on 17.1

*2023-10-31, version 2.0.2*

I used to love this game, but as of iOS 17.1 it crashes about every third game.

I’m beginning to look for an alternative.

### 5/5 — Android?

*2022-12-31, version 2.0.2*

Do you have this same game for android? This is one of my favorite.

### 5/5 — My favourite!!

*2022-10-07, version 2.0.2*

This mahjong game is the best. So many boards and tiles to choose from!  Love the quotes at the end as well. Best of all? No commercials!!!

### 5/5 — Price?

*2022-08-23, version 2.0.2*

How much does this game cost please?

### 5/5 — Keeps me in the Game!

*2022-08-05, version 2.0.2*

This game is a great way to keep the mind sharp, plus it keep you in the Game!  I’m 77 years old. I started playing this game on my computer 10 years ago, and I loved it!  Tonight I played it, as I usually do these days, on my basic iPad 7 and I scored over 105 million points — placing me at 341 in the world! Not bad for a senior! Thank you MobileAge!

### 5/5 — Love it!❤️

*2022-07-19, version 2.0.2*

This has the BEST variety of tiles, layouts and background of any Mahjong game on here!
Awesome 👏🏻

### 2/5 — Continually freezes

*2022-05-29, version 2.0.2*

Freezes constantly. Using on a shuffle. The you have to start over.

### 5/5 — Excellent in almost every way

*2021-10-06, version 2.0.2*

I’ve used this app for several years. What appeals to me are:
- its beautiful tile sets
- its unique scoring system, which challenges me to beat my previous high scores, among other things 
- its large set of layouts

It also has an optional alternate form of gameplay which uses wind direction to produce a very different and interesting play experience.

My one complaint: it uses gestures as an alternate way to carry out certain menu functions. These can be accidentally triggered by, for instance, unintentionally dragging my thumb on the screen for a fraction of a second. I’d prefer that the game offer a setting to turn these gestures off.

Highly recommended.

### 5/5 — Favorite

*2021-07-19, version 2.0.2*

I’ve had this app for many years, and it’s my all time favorite Shanghai Mahjong app.

### 2/5 — Love this game but . .

*2021-06-29, version 2.0.2*

I love this game. I've had it for years. Now, I'll be playing and will go out to read a messge, an email, take a break while I go do something or just press new game, and my screen comes up black. I can't get rid of it until I reboot my iPad. Today, the black screen comes up after I've played 3 or 4 games. Darn. The game has 5 stars but with this problem, I am giving it 2.

### 5/5 — Best game

*2021-04-27, version 2.0.2*

Thanks for the update.  I had purchased a new iPad to keep this game when next iOS update is available.  I have had the game forever and play it everyday.  If you're looking for Mahjong, look no further.  This is the best.

Updated April, 2021:  I have played this game for years and love it.  I am enjoying all the new set ups.  They are a good add.  Thank you again for the updates!

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Shills for Apple using your Data

*2024-04-15, version 2.0.2*

This game will share almost all
Data with Apple. Read the Game Center Privacy and data utilization articles. They are on every Apple device. This game will attempt you to sign into Game Center almost every time you open it. This turned me off any and all games that go through Game Center -Arcade. It is your decision what you will share. There are many other games that protect your privacy and data.

### 1/5 — Game centre

*2022-12-13, version 2.0.2*

Why have we been forced into joining game centre. I don’t need it, don’t want it, but can no longer play without it That makes me angry. Used to love this game

### 1/5 — Keine Anpassung für das aktuelle iPad (Mini 6)

*2022-05-11, version 2.0.2*

Ich wünsche mir etwas mehr Flexibilität der Entwickler. Hin und wieder mal ein Update vorzunehmen, hat noch niemandem geschadet. 

Wäre sogar bereit einem kleinen Obolus zu zahlen. Aber so ist das Ganze ein Trauerspiel.

### 1/5 — Terrible upgrades

*2021-11-23, version 2.0.2*

I do not like the upgrades with negative messages after completed game nor do I appreciate being forced to close two screens every time the program opens because I do not want to complete the avatar image & connect online! Give me options to
Opt out! 👎👎👎👎👎
Game is no fun with this garbage!

### 1/5 — No stars, no longer works or supported

*2021-02-18, version 2.0.2*

Apple should test and remove apps which do not work and have had no attempt to fix them in years.

A real shame in this case as this was an excellent game, in its day.

### 1/5 — With new OS, this stopped working...

*2020-11-23, version 2.0.2*

Hey, I actually purchased this years ago, to avoid Adverts, and have usually played this every day, enjoying the challenge (5 stars), but with the latest OS update - WHOOPS! - doesn’t even open. I was concerned this would happen as the Developer last updated the game two years ago - DEVELOPER, we need your help in UPDATING this app to work with the freshest OS!  Signed, Paying Customer.

### 1/5 — Broken

*2020-11-12, version 2.0.2*

Stopped working - no updates for 2 years.

### 1/5 — Funktioniert leider nicht mehr

*2020-11-11, version 2.0.2*

und muss dringend aktualisiert werden

### 1/5 — Bad, bad, bad

*2020-10-28, version 2.0.2*

Took a while for it to soak in, but there are only 5 or 6 games and this ap just cycles thru the same 5 or 6 games. If you play only every 3rd or 4th day you don’t even realize it. I will have find another developer’s Shanghai.

### 1/5 — What the !!!

*2020-03-29, version 2.0.2*

Used to love this game and then....

Win a game and this is the uplifting message I get:

Hard times are behind you.
Impossible ones lie just ahead.

Very uplifting message.  Guess I’ll delete this game and download another with more positive messages.

Guess with a pandemic hitting hard I’m in no mood for garbage saying.  So long, not nice to know you

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Time well wasted!

*2026-03-31, version 2.0.2*

This game is a great way to keep the mind alert — even though I’m not from Alert Bay; plus it keeps me in the Game!  I’m going on 81 and usually scoring over 111 million points per game ;)

### 5/5 — Safe Mmahjong

*2026-02-04, version 2.0.2*

The only free one I found that does not sale your data to third parties so that they know where you are at all the time.

### 5/5 — 🙂

*2026-01-28, version 2.0.2*

Mention spéciale aux messages de fortune cookie à la fin de la partie (12eme degré : j’adore)

### 5/5 — The best

*2026-01-21, version 2.0.2*

This is by far the best Mahjong app available. Great graphics. Traditional play. Very fun to play. No ads.

### 5/5 — Simply the best

*2026-01-15, version 2.0.2*

I’ve been playing some version of this game since my Mac 128 days. This one is simply the best for the iOS. Multiple tile sets, easy play options, great scoring method. Well worth the low low price.

### 5/5 — Love this game!

*2025-11-02, version 2.0.2*

Classic mah jong game with more options than I will ever use but I’m glad they’re there. Best of all, I was given the option to purchase the game so it is truly ad free!

### 5/5 — Best Mahjong ever

*2025-01-30, version 2.0.2*

I’ve had this game on my phone for years and still love it

### 5/5 — Omg

*2024-10-20*

I played it for the past few years and it gets harder and harder as you go. I just played the hardest one ever took me like two hours to figure it out and I’m really good at this so this this app really is fantastic for training your brain.  I highly recommend this game for seniors can be super frustrating at time, but there is an answer. There’s always an answer.
Thanks for a great app

### 5/5 — Best app still in use

*2024-01-27, version 2.0.2*

I have used this app every morning to wake up my brain since 2016. All others put to much stuff into theirs. This one is simple allow change background and tile pictures. I have kept my 2nd addition I pad going just for this purpose

### 5/5 — Heather

*2023-05-08, version 2.0.2*

Most enjoyable game I have at the moment. Never boring.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-13.*