Jantei Monogatari (1991)

Platforms: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
Genres: Quiz/Trivia

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A laid-back detective adventure where you uncover clues by winning mahjong matches against quirky suspects.

chillstrategicmahjongmysteryslow-pacedjapaneseinvestigative

About

Jantei Monogatari is a hybrid of a traditional-style Japanese adventure game and a regular mahjong game. The player takes the role of the unnamed private investigator, and moves from place to place via menus, talking to different characters. The investigation happens through playing mahjong with each suspect: win and they'll tell you a bit more of what they know. At first, the investigator can only speak with the three girls in the photo, but as he wins games of mahjong against them, he gains information and experience that allow him to find new clues and talk to more suspects. The investigator will need to play against a dozen different opponents in his attempt to find out what happened to the kidnapped girl.

Screenshots

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More by Sega Sammy Holdings

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.