Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000

Last updated: January 15, 2026

Overview

Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 is a casual card and tile matching game released in April 2000 by Sierra On-Line as part of their long-running Hoyle series of classic game compilations¹². The game combines two beloved genres of puzzle gaming—traditional solitaire card games and the tile-matching gameplay of Mahjong—into a single comprehensive package designed for solo or multiplayer entertainment³⁴.

Published under the Sierra Attractions label, this title represents Sierra’s continued commitment to the casual gaming market during a period when the company was primarily known for its adventure game franchises⁵. The game was released simultaneously for both IBM PC and Macintosh platforms, distributed on CD-ROM media¹⁵. It formed part of the broader Hoyle Series, which had been delivering computerized versions of classic card and board games since the late 1980s⁵.

The Mahjong component of the game features traditional rules along with variant modes including Memory Tiles and Gravity Tiles, offering players multiple ways to enjoy the classic tile-matching experience³. With 60 different board configurations available and two distinct tile styles, the game provided substantial replay value for fans of the genre³.

Game Info

Developer: Sierra On-Line¹² Designer: Unknown Publisher: Sierra On-Line / Sierra Attractions¹⁵ Engine: Unknown Platforms: Windows, Macintosh¹³ Release Year: 2000²⁴ Series: Hoyle Series⁵ Protagonist: N/A Sierra Lineage: Sierra Attractions

Story Summary

As a collection of classic card and tile games, Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 does not feature a traditional narrative or story mode³. The game instead focuses entirely on gameplay mechanics, allowing players to enjoy various forms of solitaire card games and Mahjong tile matching without narrative context³.

The Hoyle series has traditionally been about recreating authentic casino and parlor game experiences rather than adventure gaming⁵. This title continues that tradition by presenting the games in their purest forms, emphasizing strategic thinking and pattern recognition over storytelling³.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 utilizes a mouse-driven interface, allowing players to select, drag, and place cards or tiles with simple point-and-click controls³. The interface was designed to be intuitive and accessible to players of all skill levels, reflecting Sierra’s goal of appealing to the casual gaming market³.

Structure and Progression

The game offers two primary gameplay modes:

• Solitaire: Traditional card game variations featuring standard solitaire rules and mechanics
• Mahjong Tiles: Tile-matching gameplay with multiple rule variants³

Within the Mahjong component, players can choose between:

• Traditional Rules: Classic Mahjong solitaire where players remove matching pairs of tiles until the board is cleared³
• Memory Tiles: A variation emphasizing memory skills³
• Gravity Tiles: A variant mode with modified tile behavior³

Puzzles and Mechanics

The Mahjong gameplay follows the classic rules of turning over two tiles at a time to remove a matching pair until the board is empty or no further matches can be made³. Players must carefully consider their moves, as removing certain tiles may block access to others needed for completion³.

The game features 60 different board configurations in the classic rules version, providing substantial variety in layout and challenge³. Two distinct tile styles are available, allowing players to customize their visual experience³.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary critical reception for Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 appears to have been limited, as the game was positioned as a budget casual title rather than a major release⁴⁶. Professional reviews from major gaming publications at the time of release are not well documented in available sources.

GameFAQs user ratings indicate the game received a “Good” overall assessment based on 2 user ratings⁴. The game was classified within the board games and puzzles genre categories¹⁵.

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective coverage of Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 remains sparse, reflecting the game’s status as a minor release in Sierra’s catalog⁴⁶.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 60% (limited reviews)³
• GameFAQs: “Good” (2 user ratings)⁴
• Kanobu: 1.0 (limited user reviews)⁷

The limited critical coverage suggests the game was viewed primarily as a functional casual gaming product rather than a landmark title worthy of extensive analysis³⁴.

Development

Origins

Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 was developed as part of Sierra On-Line’s ongoing Hoyle series of classic game compilations⁵. The Hoyle brand had been established in the late 1980s and continued through the 1990s as Sierra’s primary vehicle for casual card and board game releases⁵.

By 2000, Sierra was publishing these titles under their Sierra Attractions label, which handled the company’s casual and family-oriented gaming products⁵. The development was handled internally by Sierra On-Line, Inc.³¹

Production

Development details for Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 are not extensively documented in available sources¹³. The game was completed and released in April 2000, with Sierra Chest documenting a release date of April 5, 2000⁵, while other sources indicate April 22, 2000⁴⁶⁸.

Development Credits: Specific development credits for individual team members are not documented in available research sources¹³.

Technical Achievements

The game utilized standard Windows and Macintosh development practices of the era³⁵. The title featured support for multiplayer gaming, with offline support for 1-2 players and online capability for 2 players³.

Technical Specifications

CD-ROM Version:³⁵

• Media: CD-ROM
• Input: Mouse
• Players: 1-2 offline, 2 online
• Business Model: Commercial
• Rating: TP (Teen to Pending)³

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	April 5, 2000	IBM PC	Initial release5
1.0	April 5, 2000	Macintosh	Initial release5
Standard	April 22, 2000	PC/Mac	Standard edition84

Technical Issues

No specific technical issues or bugs are documented in available research sources for this title³⁴.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The retail package included multiple game demos, providing additional value for purchasers⁵:

  • 3-D Ultra Cool Pool: Chameleon Ball demo⁵
  • 3-D Ultra Cool Pool: Eightball demo⁵
  • 3-D Ultra Radio Control Racers Demo⁵
  • Acrophobia Demo⁵
  • Hoyle Casino 4 Demo⁵
  • Hoyle Word Games 1 Demo⁵
  • Trophy Buck demo⁵
  • You Don’t Know Jack Offline demo⁵

• The game’s UPC code was 0-20626-76981-8⁵

• The retail packaging was a flip-top box containing a PC/Mac hybrid CD-ROM for the US market⁵

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

Specific sales figures for Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 are not documented in available sources¹³. The game was part of Sierra’s broader casual gaming strategy during the late 1990s and early 2000s⁵.

Collections

The game was released as a standalone title and is documented in the Sierra Chest database with box ID 3079⁵. It was part of the broader Hoyle Series of games published by Sierra⁵.

Fan Projects

No significant fan projects, remakes, or modifications are documented for this title¹³.

Related Publications

No official hint books or strategy guides specific to this title are documented in available research sources, though the retail package included the standard game manual⁵.

Critical Perspective

Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 represents a minor but consistent entry in Sierra’s long-running Hoyle series of casual gaming products⁵. While Sierra is predominantly remembered for its pioneering adventure games, the Hoyle brand demonstrated the company’s interest in the broader gaming market and served as a reliable revenue stream throughout the 1990s⁵.

The game’s combination of solitaire and Mahjong reflected the growing interest in casual puzzle games that would eventually dominate the market in subsequent decades³. Though not innovative, the title served its purpose as a competent digital recreation of classic parlor games³. The lack of extensive critical coverage and retrospective analysis suggests the game fulfilled its role as a budget entertainment product without achieving significant cultural impact beyond its immediate audience⁴⁶.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Not currently available on major digital storefronts

Download / Preservation

• Sierra Chest – Box Art Gallery⁵

Manuals & Extras

• No digital manual currently documented

Series Continuity

Hoyle Solitaire And Mahjong Tiles 2000 was released as part of Sierra’s extensive Hoyle Series, which began in 1989 with Hoyle: Official Book of Games Volume 1⁵. The series has included numerous compilations of card games, board games, casino games, and word games over the years⁵. This title specifically focuses on solitaire variations and Mahjong tile games, combining two popular casual gaming genres into a single package³.

The game was released during a period when Sierra was producing multiple Hoyle titles, including Hoyle Casino 4 and Hoyle Word Games 1, both of which were featured as demos on the game disc⁵.

• Previous: 1999 - Hoyle Casino
• Next: 2000 - Hoyle Casino

References

Footnotes

1. AG.ru – Hoyle Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles 2000 – developer, publisher, platform, genre information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

2. Game-OST.ru – Hoyle Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles 2000 – release year, developer, publisher ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. MobyGames – Hoyle Mahjong Tiles – gameplay description, technical specifications, ratings, platforms ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³²

4. GameFAQs – Hoyle Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles – release date, developer, publisher, user ratings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

5. Sierra Chest – Hoyle Solitaire & Mahjong Tiles 2 – release date, platforms, packaging details, included demos, UPC, series information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³ ↩³⁴ ↩³⁵ ↩³⁶

6. Metacritic – Hoyle Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles – release date, developer, publisher ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

7. Kanobu – user ratings ↩

8. Bonanza – Product Listing – release date, publisher, platforms, media format ↩ ↩²