Shanghai (video game)#Development and legacy

{{Infobox video game

| title = Shanghai

| image = Shanghai video game cover.jpg

| developer = Activision
HAL Laboratory (Game Boy)
Sunsoft (arcade)
Sega (Master System)

| publisher = Activision
Sunsoft (arcade)

| series = Shanghai

| engine =

| programmer = Brodie Lockard

| composer = Tomotsune Maeno (PCE)

| platforms = Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Arcade, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, FM Towns, Game Boy, Mac, MSX, NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801, NES, Master System, PC Engine, Sharp X1, X68000, TRS-80 Color Computer, TurboGrafx-16, Lynx

| released = July 1986

| genre = Mahjong solitaire

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

}}

Shanghai is a computerized version of mahjong solitaire published by Activision in 1986 for the Amiga, Atari ST, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, classic Mac OS, Apple IIGS, and Master System. Shanghai was originally programmed by Brodie Lockard. It was released as an arcade video game by Sunsoft in 1988.

==Gameplay==

The game uses a full set of 144 mahjong tiles, divided as follows:

Dots (1 through 9)
Bamboos (1 through 9)
Characters (1 through 9)
Winds (north, east, south, west)
Dragons (red, green, white)
Seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter)
Flowers (bamboo, plum, orchid, chrysanthemum)

There are four of every tile except for the seasons and flowers, which have only one tile each.

The object of the game is to remove all the tiles from the board by matching pairs, but only tiles with at least one free vertical edge may be matched on a turn. Any two seasons can form a pair, as can any two flowers. The game ends if no legal moves can be made.

After winning a game, a portion of the screen collapses to reveal a dragon blinking an eye. The Macintosh and Master System versions show an animated dragon spitting fire.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

|AMI = true

|AST = true

|C64 = true

|LYNX = true

|SMS = true

|Allgame_LYNX = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last1=Knight |first1=Kyle |title=Shanghai (Atari Lynx) – Review |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=388&tab=review |website=AllGame |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114131934/www.allgame.com/game.php?id=388&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2021}}

|Allgame_SMS = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last1=Sutyak |first1=Jonathan |title=Shanghai (Sega Master System) – Review |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12071&tab=review |work=All Game Guide |year=1998 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115044630/www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12071&tab=review |archive-date=November 15, 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2021}}

|ASM_AMI = 36/60{{cite magazine |title=Denk(-)mal |magazine=Aktueller Software Markt |date=March 1987 |pages=66–7 |url=https://archive.org/details/asm_magazine-1987-03/page/n65/mode/2up?view=theater |lang=de}}

|ASM_AST = 36/60

|CVG_LYNX = 84%

|CVG_SMS = 81%{{cite journal |title=Complete Games Guide |journal=Computer and Video Games |date=October 16, 1989 |issue=Complete Guide to Consoles |pages=46–77 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/9/98/CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf#page=46}}

|Dragon_AMI = {{Rating|5|5}}

|Dragon_LYNX = {{Rating|5|5}}

|IGN_LYNX = 10/10

|rev1 = Commodore User

|rev1_C64 = 7/10{{cite magazine |last1=Hetherington |first1=Tony |title=Shanghai |magazine=Commodore User |date=March 1987 |page=50 |url=http://amr.abime.net/amr_popup_picture.php?src=cu_amiga/magscans/cu_1987_03/050.jpg&c=14764}}

|rev2 = Mean Machines

|rev2_SMS = 48%{{cite magazine |title=Mean Machines |magazine=Computer and Video Games |issue=87 |date=January 1989 |pages=140–1 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-087/page/n139/mode/2up?view=theater}}

}}

Shanghai sold more than 500,000 copies by 1991.{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=79 | title=A Good Deal, Better / Activision's Shanghai II | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=February 1991 | accessdate=November 17, 2013 | author=Emrich, Alan | pages=10}} In Japan, Game Machine listed Sunsoft's version of Shanghai on their May 1, 1988, issue as being the fourth most-successful table arcade unit of the month;{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 – テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=331|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=May 1, 1988|page=23|lang=ja}} it ended the year as Japan's ninth highest-grossing arcade conversion kit of 1988.{{cite magazine |title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '88 / "Game of the Year '88" By Game Machine |magazine=Game Machine |issue=348 |publisher=Amusement Press, Inc. |date=January 15, 1989 |pages=10–1, 26 |lang=ja |url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19890115p.pdf#page=6}}

In 1996, Computer Gaming World declared Shanghai the 146th-best computer game ever released.{{cite magazine | author=Staff | title=150 Best (and 50 Worst) Games of All Time | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1996 | issue=148 | pages=63–65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 94, 98}}

=Critical reviews=

Computer Gaming World in December 1986 published varying opinions. Gregg Williams stated, "I couldn't believe [Activision] had wasted their resources on putting it out",{{cite news | title=Hacker II | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=December 1986 | author=Williams, Gregg | pages=18}} while Charles Ardai called it "probably the best game of the year".{{cite news | title=Year in Review | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=December 1986 | last=Ardai | first=Charles | authorlink=Charles Ardai | pages=20}} Roy Wagner reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "on the C64, the patterns and stacks are hard to discern (soon your eyes match the screen). On the Amiga the display is outstanding with the pieces actually looking very much like colorful, ivory tiles".{{cite magazine |last=Wagner |first=Roy |title=Commodore Key |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=January–February 1987 |volume=1 |issue=34 |pages=39}} Info gave the Amiga version four-plus stars out of five, stating "this program ought to be illegal. It is impossible to play 'just one game'". Describing gameplay as "swift and deceptively simple", the magazine warned "plan on spending a LOT of time with this one".{{Cite magazine |last1=Dunnington |first1=Benn |last2=Brown |first2=Mark R. |last3=Malcolm |first3=Tom |date=January–February 1987 |title=Amiga Gallery |url=https://archive.org/stream/info-magazine-13/Info_Issue_13_1987_Jan-Feb#page/n89/mode/2up |magazine=Info |pages=90–95}} It gave the Commodore 64 version three-plus stars out of five, describing Shanghai as "fanatically addictive". While criticizing the user interface and graphics, the magazine concluded that the players will find it hard to quit.{{Cite magazine |last1=Dunnington |first1=Benn |last2=Brown |first2=Mark R. |last3=Malcolm |first3=Tom |date=January–February 1987 |title=64/128 Gallery |url=https://archive.org/stream/info-magazine-13/Info_Issue_13_1987_Jan-Feb#page/n13/mode/2up |magazine=Info |pages=14–21}} Compute! reviewed the game favorably, reporting that "our Shanghai mania is of such proportions that I am beginning to fear for our health".{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1987-02-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_081_1987_Feb#page/n33/mode/2up | title=Shanghai | work=Compute! | date=February 1987 | accessdate=November 9, 2013 | author=Bobo, Ervin | pages=32}} In 1988, Dragon gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.{{cite journal|title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|journal=Dragon|issue=138|date=October 1988|pages=70–75|url=https://annarchive.com/files/Drmg138.pdf#page=72}}

=Atari Lynx=

Dragon magazine gave the Atari Lynx version 5 stars in their May 1992 issue.{{cite journal |title=The Role of Computers |last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk |journal=Dragon |issue=181 |date=May 1992|pages=57–62}} Robert Jung of IGN gave the game a score of 10 out of 10 in his review.{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/07/shanghai |website=IGN |date=July 6, 1999 |accessdate=March 28, 2018 |author=Jung, Robert A. |title=An excellent version of Shanghai, preserving all of the charm of the original game – and more.}} Computer and Video Games magazine reviewed the game in their March 1991 issue giving an 84% score.{{cite magazine |title=Bytesize Atari Lynx |magazine=CVG Magazine |issue=112 |date=March 1991 |page=71 |url=https://archive.org/stream/cvg-magazine-112/ |accessdate=March 28, 2018}}

Reviews

Jeux & Stratégie #44{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/jeux-et-strategie-44/page/84/mode/2up | title=Jeux & stratégie 44 | date=April 1987}}

Legacy

A sequel, Shanghai II, was released by Sun Electronics (Sunsoft) for Japanese arcades in March 1989. It was Japan's twelfth highest-grossing arcade conversion kit of 1992.{{cite magazine |title=Overseas Readers Column: "SF II", "Exhaust Note" Top Videos '92 |magazine=Game Machine |issue=441 |publisher=Amusement Press, Inc. |date=January 1–15, 1993 |page=36 |lang=ja |url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19930101p.pdf#page=19}} The game was ported to various platforms, for example, PC Engine CD and Game Gear.{{cite magazine |author1=MG |title=Power Tests - Shanghai II |journal=Power Play |date=1990 |issue=9/90 |page=122 |publisher=Markt+Technik |language=German}}{{cite magazine |last1=Amann |first1=Hans-Joachim |title=Konsolen - Shanghai II |journal=Aktueller Software Markt |date=August 1991 |volume=6 |issue=9 |page=122 |url=https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1991.09/page/n123/mode/1up?view=theater |language=German}}

Shanghai II: Dragon's Eye was published in 1990 for MS-DOS.{{Cite magazine

|date=August 1994

|title=These Just In

|department=Now Playing

|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=121

|magazine=Computer Gaming World

|pages=152–156}} Ports were released for Macintosh, Apple IIGS, FM Towns, MSX, PC-98, Sharp X68000, Windows, Sega Genesis, and Super NES. The Genesis version was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in the PAL regions on November 27, 2009, and in North America on January 11, 2010, which was later delisted at the end of 2013.

Other sequels include:

Shanghai III – released by Sunsoft for arcades in 1993. In Japan, it was the fifth highest-grossing arcade printed circuit board (PCB) software in 1994,{{cite magazine |title=Best Videos '94: "Puyo Puyo", "Ridge Racer" DX |magazine=Game Machine |issue=487 |publisher=Amusement Press, Inc. |date=January 1–15, 1995 |page=36 |lang=ja |url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19950101p.pdf#page=19}} and sixth in 1995.{{cite magazine|title="Virtua Fighter 2" and "Virtua Cop" Top Videos|magazine=Game Machine|issue=511|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=February 1, 1996|page=22|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19960201p.pdf#page=12}}
Shanghai: Triple-Threat
Shanghai: Great Moments
Shanghai: True Valor

References

External links

{{atarimania|id=33217}}
[http://www.mobygames.com/game/shanghai Shanghai] at MobyGames
[https://archive.org/details/1987-02-compute-magazine/page/n33/mode/2up Review] in Compute!
[https://archive.org/details/1987-12-anticmagazine/page/n69/mode/2up Review] in Antic
[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1988-03/page/n137/mode/2up Review] in The Rainbow
[https://archive.org/details/Page6-42-Feb90/page/40/mode/2up Review] in Page 6