Mancala

What Mancala is and where the game comes from

Mancala is a traditional African indoor board game, also called Congkak or Sowing in some places. The listing says the name comes from the Arabic word naqala, meaning "to move".

The game has many regional names and rulesets. The listing gives Oware for Ghana, Nigeria and the Caribbean, Ayoayo for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Bao for Tanzania, Kenya and East Africa, and Omweso for Uganda. The app is a digital version of this game for people who want to play it on a phone or tablet.

Playing matches on one device or online

A two-player offline mode lets two people take turns on the same device. The listing also offers an online multiplayer option for playing against friends over the internet.

The developer describes the game's aim as collecting more beans in your own Mancala than your opponent. The listing says the app includes exclusive boards for multiplayer play, and that the boards are beautiful.

Learning the rules and strategy with tutorials

The app includes self-learning tutorials that walk through how the game is played. The listing also describes mini games that are meant to teach strategy, so you can practise specific moves before playing a full match.

These tutorials are built into the app and need no separate lesson material. They suit someone who is new to the game as well as someone who wants to study different approaches.

Board designs and the Christmas theme

The app offers several board designs, and the listing says some boards are exclusive to the app. A seasonal Christmas theme adds new Christmas boards on top of the standard ones.