Mancala is an ancient African game that has two key elements of a good, enduring game: the rules are simple to learn, but it is a hard game to master.
On the Mancala 'board', each player has 6 small trays plus one larger tray - the Mancala - at one end. At the beginning of the game, each of the small trays has 4 stones.
The basic idea of the default game is that players take turns to select one of their own small trays, take the stones in this tray, and distribute the stones into other trays, by dropping them one at a time into these trays, moving in an anticlockwise direction. If the final stone is dropped into an empty small tray belonging to the player, this stone and the ones in the opposite small tray are moved into the player's Mancala.
The objective of the default game is to have the highest number of stones in total in all of your own trays (the 6 small ones plus your own Mancala) when the game ends - which occurs when one player has no stones left in any of the 6 small trays.
A key feature of this Mancala game is that you can choose to play with a number of rule variations, not just the default described above. These variations include whether remaining stones are added to your total or your opponent's total - and the choice here makes a huge difference to your strategy. Other variations are concerned with when the game ends and with what happens if you drop a stone in your own empty tray and your opponent's tray is also empty.
Please note that this is only for two human players - an electronic board that provides guidance and carries out the moves you make. You cannot play against the system.
Full Help facility.
Also available from i.compactfun.com if you cannot download from the Android Market. Versions for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Nokia, Windows PCs and Macs also available from there.
