Àiyé

About this board game

Àiyé is a mancala-inspired strategy game for 2–4 players, with playtime of about 60 minutes. In this civilization, collective strength and harmony guide a powerful society, while leaders harness the natural forces of the sun and moon to fulfill their destiny.

At the heart of Àiyé is a fresh take on one of the earliest board game mechanisms: mancala sowing. Players develop a personal mancala made from card columns, expanding and improving it throughout the game to create new possibilities and combinations.

Each turn follows three steps:

1. Sow: Pick up all the energy seeds from one space below a column, then place one seed into each space below the following columns.
2. Column Activation: The final column receiving a seed activates its ability.
3. Village: Spend energy seeds to summon characters and gain masks.

Column cards give your tableau varied abilities. They can help you gain energy seeds, move cards or seeds, and block other players’ columns, making the choice of where to sow central to your plans. As your card layout grows, each sowing can unlock more useful combinations.

Mask cards provide another route to success by awarding end-game points according to different scoring conditions. You will need to manage your cards, energy, and sowing choices carefully while developing a civilization built around cooperation and balance.

The game ends when a player gains their fourth Mask card, or when a player has 18 cards in their play area at the end of a round. The player who handles their cards and sowings most effectively becomes the leader who guides the community toward a bright future.