/pic302117.jpg)
Game Info
Year
700
Collection
Your Tier
Loading…
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
The most common rule set in games sold commercially as Mancala is for this game of Kalah. Mancala is actually a whole family of games. Kalah was invented in 1940 by an American, William Champion Jr.. He started selling the game in 1944, patented the rules in the 1950's, and founded the Kalah Game Co. in 1958.
The game is played on a board of two rows, each consisting of six round pits. The rows have a large store at either end called the Kalah. A player owns the six pits closest to them and the Kalah on their right side.
The game is started with four (4) seeds in each pit. A player takes all the seeds from one of their pits, and then they are distributed one by one, counterclockwise, in the pits and the player's own Kalah, but not into the opponent's store (Kalah). If the last seed is dropped into an opponent's pit or a non-empty pit of the player, the move ends without anything being captured. If the last seed falls into the player's Kalah, they must move again. If the last seed is put into an empty pit owned by the player, they capture all contents of the opposite pit together with the capturing piece and puts them in their Kalah. If the opposite pit is empty, nothing is captured. A capture ends the move.
The game ends when one player no longer has any seeds in any of their holes. The remaining pieces are captured by their adversary. The player who has captured the most pieces is declared the winner.
Variants:
Beginners may start with 3 seeds in each pit, but the game can also be played with 5 or 6 seeds in each pit. William Champion Jr. recommended the expert game with 6 in each pit.
In the Philippines Version (called Sungka locally) the game is often played with small shells, there are 7 pits on each side as well as the Home and the game is started with 7 shells in each pit.
Featured Videos
Ask a Rules Question
All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video O4gMWrgab40
UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 5:48:26 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88416 · mention_pk 232979
Click to watch at 5:48:26 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fantastic
- Fantastic
- Good game
Cons
- Fiddly
- Complex
- Difficult to learn
- Too many things to track
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror
- Eldritch Horror
- Frostpunk: The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- iconography — The game has a lot of iconography that needs to be learned and understood.
- Track management — The game involves managing tracks for player actions and progress.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is just a really solid deck builder.
- It's one of those games that if you're going to bring something to a table that's got a lot of new players, I think it's a fantastic choice.
- It's probably going to take you about 15 minutes to set up.
- But it's a game that feels substantial and it feels like you've accomplished something.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MOmBOx1LEJU
The Dungeon Dive Guide at 40:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81539 · mention_pk 203107
Click to watch at 40:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Strong sword and sorcery theme
- Designed for solo play
- Easy to learn system
- Expansion adds detailed city exploration
Cons
- Host has not played it yet, but has read through.
Thematic elements
- Lone hero adventures in a dark and dangerous world.
- Conan-style sword and sorcery world
- Sword and sorcery adventure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- exploration — while you are generating your hex map with different terrain and things.
- Hex Map Generation — this does have some relatively simple but but uh good enough rules for creating your hex map and all of your different uh points of interest as you are exploring.
- Point of Interest Discovery — So we have our points of interest that you can discover while you're exploring your hex map.
- Solo Play Focus — this is tailor made or focused on solo play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is one of the best tools for hex crawling that I know of.
- It just works so effortlessly.
- This little snap box here has everything that you would need to have a little solo hex crawl.
- So just a really really neat little pocket uh hex crawl.
- This isn't a game in and of itself. You will need a game. You will need a system.
- This is one of my favorite subgenres of the tabletop hobby.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bfwQXgJ58TM
it's live live show Discussion at 35:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 78879 · mention_pk 192220
Click to watch at 35:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- The game was enjoyable when played.
Cons
- Has not played the new edition.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- hello and welcome to the it's live live show
- if you want to ask questions it's very easy to do because we will be answering questions later
- our sponsor is board game arena
- the happiest camel is a camel that's wild the camel that's living their own best life akimbo that's a and Yolo and running around the desert with whatever number ups they feel like having because they get to choose their wild
- the best camel is the superior of the camels the bactrian camel
- three two one Nisha yes exactly well done points
- I will say I do really like Everdell yeah and I really like that aspect of it where you are able to take actions on the other turns as well it keeps you engaged
- my favorite game is always situational
- traditionally historically my answer to this has been heroscape
- Magic the Gathering is probably my other pick
- The rulebook was difficult to understand, making the host feel like the writer didn't care if the player understood how to play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video RfvNy24ZER0
Top List at 15:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 69480 · mention_pk 166004
Click to watch at 15:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Charming and enjoyable.
- Interesting decisions to be made, especially trading off dice usage.
- Balances racing to the end with visiting opportunities.
- Modular board offers variety.
- Feels like a Stefan Feld game.
- The dice selection feels more engaging than deck building.
- Equipment cards feel powerful and are worth acquiring.
Cons
- Might be polarizing for some Stefan Feld fans due to its less complex nature compared to his heavier designs.
- Can feel rigid with straight-line movement if equipment cards aren't utilized.
- Some may find the point-salad nature overwhelming.
- Potential for clouds encroaching on the board to cause exhaustion and waste turns.
Thematic elements
- racing
Comparison games
- The Quest for El Dorado
- Footprints
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Rolling — Players roll six dice at the start of their turn, which correspond to independent resources and movement points.
- Modular Board — The game features a modular map made of different terrain types.
- Movement Allowance — Dice determine how far players can move in a straight line, with equipment cards allowing for turns.
- Resource Management — Dice rolls determine resources needed for equipment cards and compass tokens.
- Set Collection — Players collect sets of animal cards, maps, and Yak tiles for points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- If you're going into this game wanting control um you know best player winning that kind of experience then you're simply not going to get it
- this one hasn't aged well
- the luck factor is simply too much
- it is competing directly with some other games that I think are simply better
- I felt like this game was like neck and neck the whole way I played it and everyone played equally but it worked out in the favor just by happen stance
- I want I want that's probably the best way to say it
- I do find it a little bit more um a little bit more laborious than being just selecting a dice and moving it that way
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 2tV5zkqk8gQ
Before You Play Top 50 List at 39:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 37228 · mention_pk 111782
Click to watch at 39:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- very tight euro with distinct scoring parameters
- stressful, crunchy decision-making
Cons
- hard to describe and teach
- scaling can vary with player count
Thematic elements
- stone/brick/wood and religious or civic structures
- Dry European euro with tower-like scoring
- dry Euro with heavy tactical play
Comparison games
- Lorenzo Il Magnifico
- A Feast for Odin
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area_control_and_resource_management — Control areas to optimize resources and scoring parameters.
- grid_action_selection — Place tokens on a grid to activate actions and resolve overlapping effects.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's been a long time coming. We've been trying to do this for several years now.
- This is not law; it's just our top 50 games right now.
- The way we came up with our top 50 is Pub Meeple, a head-to-head ranking site.
- Yes, it's nostalgic and still incredibly strong as a game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0VWlPUe1XR4
The Command Zone Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2756 · mention_pk 94172
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong EDH and Commander hooks via new planeswalkers and artifact support; a broad suite of artifact synergy cards expands commander options
- Energy counters add a fresh resource layer that enables powerful play patterns without immediately tapping into traditional mana pools
- Masterpiece Inventions provide exciting chase rares and a dramatic aesthetic upgrade, with potential for significant financial and collecting impact
- Vehicles and the crew mechanic introduce dynamic combat options and new themes for artifact decks
- New card design space for commanders and decks built around artifacts, tokens, and proliferating effects
Cons
- Masterpiece/Inventions presence can depress or destabilize the prices of standard-set cards, increasing volatility and potentially reducing accessibility
- Some artifacts or energy-focused cards may be powerful in EDH or certain formats but underwhelming in others, leading to uneven value across formats
- The Masterpiece cycle could become overcrowded with premium cards, diluting the impact of regular set cards for some players
Thematic elements
- invention, engineering, artifact-centric gameplay, energy as a resource, and the social dynamics of a technocratic world
- Kaladesh is a steam-powered fantasy world built around invention, artifacts, and a vibrant culture of artisans and inventors. The set centers on machinery, ornate artifacts, and a society that celebrates ingenuity and innovation.
- worldbuilding-driven with strong emphasis on the inventors and the artifacts that shape daily life; occasional hints of political intrigue via the Consulate
Comparison games
- Intet, the Dreamer
- Panharmonicon
- Felden, etc. (artifact-focused interactions)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- crew — To turn a vehicle into a creature, you must tap enough power from your creatures to meet the crew cost. Once crewed, the vehicle becomes a creature until end of turn, enabling attacks or interactions that leverage vehicle bodies as threats or engines.
- energy counters — A new resource separate from mana that players accumulate and spend to activate abilities. Energy counters persist through phases and turns and can be proliferated. Cards often generate energy or require it to perform powerful effects, creating a new axis of resource management alongside mana.
- fabricate — A creature entering the battlefield offers a choice: put X +1/+1 counters on the creature or create X colorless Servo artifact creature tokens. This hybrid tribal/tokens mechanic scales the creature either as a pump or as board presence, enabling flexible early- to mid-game board development and synergy with artifacts.
- masterpiece series inventions — A premium foil cycle known as the Masterpiece series, rebranded as inventions for Kaladesh. Each set will feature 30 artifact-centric premium cards, many reprints of EDH staples alongside new or set-tied artifacts. These are highly sought-after chase rares that influence box-opening value and the secondary market.
- vehicles — A new card type that is an artifact with the vehicle subtype. Vehicles have a separate power/toughness and a crew cost that makes them creatures after you tap other creatures to crew them.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the Masterpiece series inventions are nutty and the art is ridiculous
- this is insane i think this is insane it's just so much value
- I think it's insane, it's just so much value in these cards
- Sky Sovereign console flagship is ridiculous and stylish
- this card seems insanely powerful in Uncle Carl and ay
- this card is going to be bonkers in EDH
- Maro's outline explains the reasoning behind masterpieces; the math is interesting
- Mih's dynamic commentary on energy counters and their potential
- pan harmonicon is that thing we will see come up again and again
- Intet the Dreamer is a good comparison point for recursive artifact strategies
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6