Those unfamiliar with Nintendo’s storied past may not remember that they started out as a humble playing card maker, branching out into several other forms of interesting stuff (like a love hotel chain…) before they finally turned into the videogame developer we all know and love.
However, Nintendo, in a hat tip back to its roots, is releasing a mahjong set. And not just any mahjong set. One labelled the Yakuman Hauou or Thirty-two thousand Phoenix set. The set comes with specially crafted mahjong chips with the Nintendo logo on it, and if you want they also sell a Yakuman mat so you can strike it big with your hands.
Those interested in learning more about this deeply engrossing game should note that they’re selling the Japanese variant, which includes little point sticks. This is as opposed to the Chinese variants which have extra, bonus tiles and also have slightly different rule sets to incorporate them into the game.
The Yakuman Hauou can be yours for the measly price of 18,900 yen ($190) from November 29th. The mat will run an extra 5,250 yen ($53)
 
Those who want to get into how crazy Japanese mahjong is should check out some of the cool and Godlike stuff from a master such as Akagi.
Published: Nov 13, 2013 04:00 pm