Boost Your Focus: A Daily Dose of Brain Training with Our New Mahjong Puzzle!

🀄 Brain Mahjong Puzzle - Coming Mid-May 2026!

Hiroshi Studio's brain-training puzzle game "Brain Mahjong Puzzle - Mahjong Solitaire & Shisen-Sho" is launching for Android in mid-May 2026. With 97 Mahjong Solitaire layouts and 60 Shisen-Sho layouts, daily brain training has never been more fun. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hiroshistudio.brain_mahjong&pli=1

Hello everyone, Hiroshi Studio here! We're thrilled to announce that our latest creation, the Android puzzle game "Brain Training Mahjong Puzzle - Mahjong Solitaire & Sichuan Province," is finally ready to make its way to your devices!

Our previous app, "SakuraMap," was a niche but heartwarming journey to find cherry blossom spots across Japan. After developing it, we felt a strong desire to create something more broadly appealing, easily enjoyable, and perfect for daily play. That's why we decided to dive into the world of Mahjong puzzles.

Mahjong tile puzzles, with their beautiful aesthetics and deep gameplay, are beloved by all generations. And as the name "Brain Training" suggests, they're fantastic for sharpening your focus and cognitive skills. Today, I want to candidly share the passion we poured into this game and some behind-the-scenes insights into its development. Please read on!

Mahjong Solitaire & Sichuan Province: Two Classics, One App

The biggest appeal of our game is undoubtedly the ability to enjoy two distinct Mahjong tile puzzles – Mahjong Solitaire and Sichuan Province (Shisen-sho) – all within a single app.

Mahjong Solitaire is the classic game where you clear pairs of identical tiles from a three-dimensional stack. The rules are simple: you can only select tiles that aren't covered by others and have at least one side open. But don't let that simplicity fool you; it's surprisingly deep! Your choice of which tiles to clear first can dramatically alter the game's progression, making foresight crucial. We've included a whopping 97 unique layouts, split into three difficulty levels (Easy, Normal, Hard), ensuring you'll never get bored.

Then there's Sichuan Province, a brain-teasing puzzle where you match pairs of identical tiles laid out flat. The catch? You can only clear them if a line connecting the two tiles can be drawn with a maximum of two turns. While Mahjong Solitaire sharpens spatial awareness, Sichuan Province tests your logical thinking and keen observation. Initially, you might find it surprisingly easy, as the outer perimeter of the board can be used as a path. But as the difficulty ramps up, it becomes a true test of wits! This mode features 60 different layouts, also with three difficulty levels, perfect for intensely boosting your concentration.

Both modes, despite their straightforward rules, are incredibly immersive. They're the perfect puzzles to efficiently activate your brain and enhance focus during those small pockets of free time throughout your day.

"Never Say Die": The Secret to Our "Guaranteed Clear" Boards

If you've played Mahjong puzzles before, you've probably experienced that crushing feeling: "I'm so close to clearing, but there are no more matches left!" or "Was this board even solvable from the start?" That kind of frustration can be a major stressor.

As a puzzle game enthusiast myself, I was determined to eliminate this "dead-end" stress. So, we developed and implemented a unique algorithm that generates only boards that are guaranteed to be solvable right to the very last tile.

This was a significant point of pride for us. Simply arranging tiles randomly often leads to unsolvable configurations. To avoid this, I took a "reverse-playback" approach: instead of setting tiles and hoping for the best, we create the board by reversing the steps of a successful clear. This means we start from an empty board and work backward, strategically placing tiles. This method guarantees that every single board can be fully cleared.

No more worrying about getting stuck; you can simply focus on the puzzle at hand. We believe this stress-free environment is essential for maximizing your concentration.

Five Modes to Ignite Your Focus

While the "Normal" mode offers plenty of brain training enjoyment, we've also included four additional variations designed to further stimulate your focus and strategic thinking:

• Time Attack: A thrilling mode where you have just 10 seconds to clear the next pair. It's a true test of quick judgment and intense focus.
• 1-Bend (Sichuan Province only): Limits connections to only one turn, significantly upping the difficulty in Sichuan Province. This demands advanced strategic thinking to find the most efficient paths.
• No Perimeter (Sichuan Province only): A challenging variant where the outer edge of the board cannot be used as a path. This restriction forces even more complex problem-solving.
• Chain (Sichuan Province only): Earn bonus scores for clearing tiles consecutively. This mode adds a layer of strategy as you plan for optimal combo opportunities.

Switching between these modes offers a refreshing change of pace and keeps the puzzles feeling new and exciting. Time Attack and 1-Bend, in particular, are perfect for short bursts of high-intensity focus.

Designed for Everyone: From Seniors to Kids

True to its "Brain Training" moniker, we deeply wanted this game to be comfortable and enjoyable for seniors. Therefore, we placed a strong emphasis on accessibility:

• Large, high-contrast tiles: Easy to see and clearly distinguish, even for those with presbyopia.
• Simple tap-based controls: No complicated gestures; just tap to select tiles.
• Relaxed Normal mode: No time limits, allowing players to think at their own pace.
• Hint function: If you get stuck, tap the 💡 button in the top-right corner, and two matching tiles will light up to guide you. This further ensures you won't get stuck! (There's a slight score reduction, but that's a small price for peace of mind!)

Ultimately, these features have made the game accessible and intuitive for a wide range of players, from young children to adults. It’s a hidden charm that the whole family can enjoy together.

The Sweet Story Behind Our "Fruit & Sweets" Tiles

Another feature we poured our hearts into is the "tile design toggle." Beyond the authentic Mahjong tiles, we’ve also created adorable "Fruit & Sweets" themed tiles.

This idea sprang from our desire to make the game more appealing to children and those unfamiliar with traditional Mahjong tiles. We categorized them thematically: Manzu (characters) became fruits, Pinzu (circles) became sweets, Souzu (bamboo) became juices, and Honor tiles became celebratory items. We personally designed all 34 unique tile patterns in SVG format!

During development, brainstorming which fruits would be Manzu or which sweets would fit Pinzu felt like being in a dessert paradise (laughs). These unique tile designs are a small, special touch from Hiroshi Studio that we hope you’ll enjoy. And with three background patterns—"Deep Green (Japanese style)," "Cream," and "Night Sky (Dark Mode)"—you can customize the look to suit your mood.

Beyond Tiles: Customize Your Experience

In addition to the tile designs and backgrounds, we've packed the game with other thoughtful settings to make your play even more comfortable and personalized.

One feature that’s subtly convenient is the "Zoom Functionality." You can pinch to zoom the game board from 50% to 200%. This is especially useful in Sichuan Province's "Hard" mode, where tiles can be densely packed, making it hard to grasp the entire layout. Zooming out gives you an overview, while zooming in lets you focus on specific areas, expanding your strategic options. The "Reset to 100%" button on the AppBar is a small but welcome convenience.

Of course, you can toggle BGM and hints on/off. We also implemented multi-language support (Japanese and English), which automatically switches based on your phone's language settings. This was achieved using Flutter's standard internationalization features (arb files + flutter_localizations). We dream of reaching a global audience, so we're considering future iOS releases and expanding to languages like Chinese and Korean.

Play Freely, Stress-Free: Our Ad Policy and Free-to-Play Promise

"Such a rich experience, and it's free?" You might be wondering. Yes, "Brain Training Mahjong Puzzle" is completely free to play!

As an individual developer, ad revenue is essential for us to continue creating apps. However, our top priority is never compromising your "play experience."

• There are absolutely no ads that pop up during active gameplay, disrupting your concentration.
• Ads are only displayed between stages or when selecting game modes – in natural breaks in play.
• And of course, there are no in-app purchases whatsoever.

We want you to enjoy the puzzles at your own pace, completely stress-free. This philosophy drives our ad policy. Feel confident and dive deep into brain training!

Developer's Corner: Our Flutter Journey, 3D Tiles, and Tech Stack

Now, for a little peek into the technical side. We chose Flutter, Google's cross-platform framework, for development. Using the Dart language, it allows us to target both Android and iOS (with future plans for the latter).

One area where we particularly struggled and ultimately perfected was the "3D representation of the tiles." Initially, the tiles looked rather flat. We felt they lacked the visual depth of competing apps. To enhance the realism of stacked tiles, we boosted the layer offset (creating a stair-like incline), and added shadows and highlights, simulating a light source from the top-left. This significantly improved the visual quality, giving each tile a sense of presence and drawing players further into the game world.

Key packages we utilized include "flutter_localizations" for multi-language support, "audioplayers" for BGM, "shared_preferences" for saving settings, "in_app_review" for review prompts, and "google_mobile_ads" for displaying ads. And as mentioned earlier, the "Fruit & Sweets" tile designs are rendered using the "flutter_svg" package for SVG display. It's clear that a lot of technology and ingenuity went into this project!

While currently an Android-only release, we are seriously considering an iOS version in the future. We value user feedback as we strive to grow this into a long-loved app, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts!

Conclusion: Boost Your Concentration with "Brain Training Mahjong Puzzle" Today!

Today, I've shared a deep dive into the charm of Hiroshi Studio's latest work, "Brain Training Mahjong Puzzle - Mahjong Solitaire & Sichuan Province," along with our development philosophy and behind-the-scenes stories.

With its "guaranteed clear" stress-free design, two classic puzzles (Mahjong Solitaire and Sichuan Province), a user-friendly UI for seniors, and a variety of modes and customization options to broaden your play, we truly believe this game will contribute to enhancing your concentration, thinking skills, and overall mood.

In our busy daily lives, it can be hard to find time to truly focus. But by dedicating just 10 minutes a day to immerse yourself in this Mahjong puzzle, you can activate your brain and boost your daily performance.

It's completely free, so please search for "Brain Training Mahjong Puzzle" on the Google Play Store and download it today. Hiroshi Studio will continue developing apps to bring a little joy and stimulation to your everyday life.

Thank you so much for reading to the end!

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🀄 Brain Mahjong Puzzle - Mahjong Solitaire & Shisen-Sho

97 Mahjong Solitaire Layouts + 60 Shisen-Sho Layouts
Endless brain training with a wide variety of stages!

📅 Coming Mid-May 2026 on Google Play

Stay tuned at Hiroshi Studio Blog for updates

Thank you for reading! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hiroshistudio.brain_mahjong&pli=1