# Istanbul: Digital Edition — Classic strategy board game > Digital adaptation of the award-winning Istanbul board game for strategic ruby collection. (iPhone/iPad app by Acram Digital.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Acram Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257) - Category: Games, Entertainment, Board, Strategy - Price: $6.99 with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.70/5 from 452 App Store ratings · 151 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 451 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2018-07-30 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606/reviews.md ## What is Istanbul? The official digital adaptation of one of the best board games in history – Istanbul. Istanbul is, without a doubt, one of the best board games to have ever been published. The long list of its awards and honors speaks for itself: 2015 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee 2014 Swiss Gamers Award Winner 2014 Meeples' Choice Nominee 2014 Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner 2014 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee 2014 Hra roku Nominee 2014 Gouden Ludo Winner 2014 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee In our 2018 digital version we have maintained all of the features that made Istanbul the fan favorite that it is, but also expanded upon it with a number of tools and features only available on the digital platform. We maintained the authentic board game feeling with the convenience you can expect from an electronic device. So what is the game about? Can you be the first merchant to collect a certain number of rubies? • Run, collect and trade goods across the bazaar • Take control over your assistants • Increase your wheelbarrow capacity • Acquire special abilities to increase the advantage over your competitors • Buy rubies or trade goods for them In Istanbul, you lead a group of one merchant and his four assistants through 16 locations in the bazaar. In each such a location, you can carry out a specific action. The challenge, however, is that to take an action, you must move your merchant and an assistant there, then leave the assistant behind to handle all the details while you focus on larger matters. If you want to use that assistant again later, your merchant must return to that location to pick him up. Thus, you must plan ahead carefully to avoid being left with no assistants and thus unable to do anything… What can you expect? • Official Istanbul game - 100% original rules • Adaptation of TOP 100 board game of all time by BGG ranking • Play with AI, with friends or both • Great artwork by Andreas Resch • Languages: English, German, Dutch, Polish, French, Korean, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, Spanish • Pass and play mode • Cross-platform online multiplayer with synchronous and asynchronous modes • Opponents' last moves replay • 3 levels of difficulty AIs with individual strategies • Preset or random generated game boards • Atmospheric music and sounds • Unique, original board game experience • Intuitive gameplay • Colorblind mode • Over 70 achievements • iPhone X support ## Key features - Collect rubies by trading goods - Manage merchant and assistants - Explore 16 bazaar locations - Increase wheelbarrow capacity - Acquire special abilities - Play against AI or friends - Cross-platform online multiplayer ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $6.99. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Mocha & Baksheesh | $5.99 | one-time | ## What do users think of Istanbul? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Great digital implementation - 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals - 🕹️ Smooth gameplay - 🤖 Challenging AI opponents - 🕹️ Well-designed user interface **Cons** - 🐛 Bugs with specific cards/tiles (e.g. 'sell any goods', mosque tile costs) - 🐛 Crashes and freezes, especially on older devices - 🐛 Issues with online/multiplayer functionality - 🔋 Battery drain on some devices **Commonly reported bugs** - Certain cards/tiles not working as intended - Game crashing or freezing during play - Online/multiplayer functionality issues - Tutorial getting stuck or not working properly **Most requested features** - Add the Mocha & Baksheesh and Letters & Seals expansions - Implement a companion tool to randomize the board setup - Add push notifications for online game turns - Support for more languages ## Recent user reviews (10 of 151) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Good game, please fix BUG *2026-08-08, version 1.2.6* The game is really fun. However, during gameplay, the image may experience ghosting issues. When playing online with friends, those who create rooms often get stuck, and the game crashes after clicking replay. Timely fixes and updates are needed. ### 5/5 — 文字が小さい *2026-05-28* 1人で遊べるし、数人でも遊べるし、 さすが評価の高いボードゲームだけはあって面白いし、暇な時に没頭できていい。 しかし、カード説明の文字があまりにも小さく、読めないので、何となくで、理解するしかない ### 5/5 — One of the classics, near perfect! *2026-04-28, version 1.2.5* No complaints, I enjoy the game. Good adaptation! I wish the expansions were there too ### 5/5 — Beautifully executed! *2026-04-26, version 1.2.4* I’ve not yet played the physical version, but this digital one is great! ### 4/5 — Buggy update *2026-04-06, version 1.2.4* The latest update I was forced to get for Istanbul has some annoying bugs. The tiles/game board no longer fills the screen like it used to. The red & green and blue & yellow upgrade tiles are also very small on the screen in this upgrade. The player bar on the right is not centered top to bottom when starting a new game. Wish I could go back to the old version which didn’t have any of these problems. ### 4/5 — Mostly good *2026-04-06, version 1.2.4* Everything adapts great the only Issue I have is with the baksheesh tile glitching sometimes in the expansion. Have to restart the game otherwise great game, still worth the money. ### 5/5 — Big Fun *2026-04-02, version 1.2.4* This is my favorite game to play on my phone!! ### 5/5 — Amazing App *2026-03-11, version 1.2.2* I love this game, this app does it justice. Can’t recommend this developer more highly. Check out Concordia and Stone Age, more great games given the same care and attention to detail by Acram, they are all great to play against AI as well 👌🏻 ### 5/5 — Replay Perfect! *2026-03-02, version 1.2.2* The game is fast enough, and varied enough, that I play this multiple times a day, for years and years and years. Love it. ### 5/5 — Wirklich sehr abwechslungsreich *2026-01-16* Kannte das Original-Brettspiel nur dem Namen nach – nach ein paar Runden gehen die Regeln und Sonderfähigkeiten in Fleisch und Blut über. ## Frequently asked questions about Istanbul ### What is Istanbul: Digital Edition? This is the official digital adaptation of the highly acclaimed Istanbul board game. Players take on the role of merchants aiming to be the first to collect a set number of rubies by strategically trading goods and managing their assistants across a bazaar. ### What are the key features of the game? Key features include collecting rubies through trading, managing a merchant and four assistants, utilizing actions at 16 different bazaar locations, increasing wheelbarrow capacity, acquiring special abilities, and playing against AI or other players. ### How is the game monetized? The application is free to download and play, but it does offer in-app purchases. It also includes advertisements, indicating a 'free with in-app purchases' monetization model. ### What platforms is Istanbul: Digital Edition available on? The game is available on iPhone and supports cross-platform online multiplayer, allowing players to compete with others regardless of their device. It also features a pass and play mode for local multiplayer. ### Who is this game for? This game is designed for fans of classic strategy board games, particularly those who enjoy economic simulation, resource management, and competitive multiplayer experiences. It's suitable for players looking for a deep strategic challenge. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.2.6 — 2026-08-04 Fixed incorrect cost calculation for the Guild Card that allows players to buy Rubies at half price. Fixed a desynchronization issue that could occur when undoing or replaying Guild Card actions. ### 1.2.5 — 2026-04-28 [Fix] Fixed how free actions after placing a Barrier are handled. This includes issues with Mosques and Police Station place tiles, as well as returning to the Tavern after performing such an action. [Fix] Fixed an issue with calculating how far a player can move using the Movement tile ability gained in the Tavern. [Fix] Fixed an issue with unlocking the "What's worth more?" achievement. ### 1.2.4 — 2026-03-31 [QoL] Improved how left and right screen areas behave on mobile devices, ensuring the notch no longer affects gameplay or causes visual artifacts. [Fix] When using the 'Carry out the Tea House action and receive double the Lira' Guild Card action, red tile upgrades no longer cause an issue where Lira is not doubled. [Fix] Baksheesh Goods costs now reset properly, preventing 'not enough Goods' errors when performing actions. [Fix] Board now loads correctly when starting a game on the Mocha & Baksheesh layout. [Fix] Coffee is no longer lost when going back while choosing a card on the Caravansary or Guild Hall tile. [Fix] Bonus and Guild Card detail views can now be closed in online games properly. [Fix] AI no longer attempts to play invalid Bonus Cards after performing Guild Card actions. [Fix] Improved animation behavior in online games on iOS and macOS. ### 1.2.2 — 2026-02-28 Mocha & Baksheesh expansion ### 1.2.1 — 2025-06-26 [Feature] Added rules to the Rulebook for the upcoming Mocha & Baksheesh expansion. [QoL] Added animations to locations and backgrounds. [QoL] Moved the tutorial from the bottom of the rules section into its own dedicated tab. [QoL] Added feedback category selection to the feedback form. [Engine] Updated the game engine and improved overall performance of the app. [Fix] Fixed issues causing music crashes. ## Apps similar to Istanbul | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Isle of Skye](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isle-of-skye/id1326879265) | 2.9 (59) | $3.99 | Games | | [D&D Lords of Waterdeep](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/d-and-d-lords-of-waterdeep/id648019675) | 3.2 (456) | $7.99 | Games | | [Through the Ages](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/through-the-ages/id966245474) | 4.9 (5,140) | $9.99 | Games | | [Reiner Knizia Yellow & Yangtze](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reiner-knizia-yellow-and-yangtze/id1439244350) | 4.3 (50) | $9.99 | Games | | [Viticulture](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viticulture/id1467248737) | 3.7 (93) | $8.99 | Games | | [Sagrada](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sagrada/id1439244077) | 4.7 (969) | $9.99 | Games | ## More apps by Acram Digital - [Steam: Rails to Riches](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steam-rails-to-riches/id1016459121) - [Eight-Minute Empire](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eight-minute-empire/id1164894268) - [Tokaido™](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tokaido/id1215230801) - [Charterstone: Digital Edition](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charterstone-digital-edition/id1457338857) - [Concordia: Digital Edition](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concordia-digital-edition/id1536417255) All apps by Acram Digital: https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257 ## Related topics [terra mystica](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/terra-mystica) · [istanbul](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/istanbul) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*