Pro Mahjong Kiwame III is one of those SNES deep cuts that somehow makes slapping down tiles feel intense. The moment you boot it up, you're hit with that classic mahjong setup—clean grid, smooth animations, and just enough Japanese text to remind you this wasn't exactly a western release. At first, I kept second-guessing my discards, but the CPU doesn't mess around; you'll start recognizing patterns fast or get steamrolled by old men in the single-player mode.

What I love is how it nails that balance between methodical play and sudden "oh crap" moments when someone calls riichi. The music's low-key, just some chill shamisen plucking, until someone wins and the game hits you with this triumphant fanfare like you just conquered a kingdom. And yeah, it's mahjong—so if you're not already into tile games, the learning curve might feel steep. But after a few rounds, even the scoring starts making a weird kind of sense. Perfect for late-night sessions when you want something strategic but don't feel like button mashing.