Pro Mahjong Tsuwamono - Renka Han is one of those SNES deep cuts that makes you realize how much weird, niche stuff slipped through the cracks back in the day. It’s mahjong, yeah, but with this oddly intense samurai aesthetic—like someone decided to cross a tile-matching game with a Kurosawa film.

First thing you’ll notice? The tiles have this weight to them, a satisfying clack when you place them. The AI doesn’t mess around either—I lost my first few rounds embarrassingly fast before figuring out the rhythm. There’s a campaign mode where you play against these scowling warlords, and the music shifts to this tense shamisen track that makes every discard feel like life or death.

If you’re into retro mahjong games, this one’s got personality for days. Just don’t expect it to go easy on you.