The term "Shanghai" refers to the classic solitaire mahjong layout style popularized in computer games during the 1980s. "Dragons" highlights the prominent dragon tile set and the game’s Asian-inspired, fiery visual theme—often featuring red, green, and white dragons along with serpentine decorations.
The game includes special "Dragon" tiles and themed artwork, adding visual flair to the traditional mahjong set (which typically features suits like circles, bamboos, characters, and honor tiles like winds and dragons).
You can play Mahjongg Shanghai Dragons for free on the PCH Games website (pch.com/games) without downloading software, though an account is required to save progress and earn rewards. It runs in a web browser using Flash or HTML5 (depending on the version) and is compatible with desktop computers.