How to play Mahjong 3D

Mahjong 3D is Mahjong Solitaire built from stone. The rules and the layouts are the same; the board is drawn as real three-dimensional blocks that you can tilt and turn, so you can see exactly which tiles sit on top of which.

A Mahjong 3D game: the Turtle layout built from marble tiles, seen from above at an angle — The Turtle in marble. Shadows show how high each stack is.

The goal

Take every tile off the board in matching pairs. It's the same puzzle as Mahjong Solitaire, with the same layouts and the same leaderboards, so a Turtle won in 3D counts on the Turtle's leaderboard.

The rules

Two tiles can be taken together when they're identical and both are free. A tile is free when nothing lies on top of it, even partly, and its left or right side is open.

The ends of a row are free; a tile with another on top of it isn't.

Depth is where 3D helps. On a flat board it can be hard to tell whether a tile is covered by the one above it; in 3D the layers stand apart and cast shadows, and you can tilt the board to look underneath an overhang.

The tiles

The stones carry the same 42 kinds of tile as the flat game: three suits, the winds, the dragons, the peacock, flowers and seasons. Each tile matches only its identical twin.

Bamboo, 2 to 9 10 points a tile
Dots, 1 to 9 10 points a tile
Characters, 1 to 9 10 points a tile
Dragons and the peacock 20 points a tile
Winds 40 points a tile
Flowers 40 points a tile
Seasons 40 points a tile

Playing on Mahjong Haus

Choose Mahjong 3D in the settings (the gear in the top bar), then a layout and a background.
Choose a stone and a face. The Stone and Face card has two lists: the stone the tiles are cut from (such as ivory, onyx or marble) and the set of face art printed on them. Dark stones get pale, glowing faces so they stay easy to read.
Take a pair. Tap a free tile, then its twin.
Look around. Press and hold on the board, then drag, to tilt it or turn it a little. Pinch, or use the mouse wheel, to zoom. A quick tap always picks a tile, so a shaky finger won't turn the board by mistake.
Use the tools under the board: undo and redo, a hint, shuffle, the demo, and pause.

Scoring

Scoring is the same as in Mahjong Solitaire: points for every tile, pace and speed bonuses for quick play, finish bonuses for clearing the board inside five minutes, including a no-shuffle bonus that hints and shuffles reduce. See how scoring works.

Tips

Tilt to check a tile. If you're not sure whether a tile is covered, tilt the board: a tile that's partly under another shows it from the side.
Pick a stone you can read quickly. Light stones with dark faces are easiest at a glance; dark stones look striking but take a moment longer to read.
All the Solitaire strategy applies. Open up tall stacks and long rows early, and think about where the third and fourth tiles of a kind are before taking a pair.

Questions

Is Mahjong 3D harder than the flat game?: No, the rules are identical. Many players find it easier, because the layers are easier to see.
Why does my phone feel slower in 3D?: 3D takes more work to draw. If your phone struggles, the flat Mahjong Solitaire plays the same layouts.
Does a 3D win count on the leaderboard?: Yes. Mahjong 3D shares Mahjong Solitaire's leaderboards, layout by layout.