# Mancala. — Mancala (Kalah) ancient game.

> Ancient Mancala (Kalah) board game with strategic marble-moving gameplay. (iPhone/iPad app by Sergey Skosyrev.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Sergey Skosyrev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141722489)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Board, Trivia
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 36,514 App Store ratings · 533 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.4 · 85 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-03-19
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740/reviews.md

## What is Mancala.?

Mancala (also known as Kalah) is an ancient board game. 

Pick up marbles from any of bottom holes and move them counter-clockwise. If your move ends at your home hole (right one) you can move again. 

The game ends when all six holes on either side are empty. The winner is the player with the most marbles in home hole.

## Key features

- Ancient board game gameplay
- Counter-clockwise marble movement
- Strategic home hole collection
- Simple rules, deep strategy
- Single-player game

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Features | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 150 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 350 diamonds | $9.99 | one-time |
| 750 diamonds | $19.99 | one-time |
| Avalanche Advanced Features | $4.99 | one-time |
| 90 diamonds | $2.99 | one-time |
| 180 diamonds | $6.99 | one-time |
| 55 diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 145 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #71 in Top Free · Trivia (US App Store)
- #109 in Top Grossing · Trivia (US App Store)

## What do users think of Mancala.?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Well-built app
- 👍 Enjoyable to play
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great to learn
- 👍 Fast gameplay for practice
- 👍 Challenging puzzles
- 👍 Engaging game
- 👍 Relaxing and addictive
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Reminds of childhood memories

**Cons**

- 🐛 AI too easy to beat
- 💰 Paid version required for more features
- 💰 Hints/diamonds cost money
- 🤔 Confusing rules and gameplay
- 🤔 Predictable AI patterns
- 🤔 Limited single-player modes
- 🤔 No method to earn in-game currency

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Hint button not working properly
- Peg solitaire mode has unsolvable levels

**Most requested features**

- Multiplayer mode
- Difficulty settings for AI
- Earn in-game currency through gameplay
- More single-player modes and puzzles
- Clearer in-app instructions and rules

## Recent user reviews (10 of 533)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Mandala an 8000 year old game

*2026-08-16, version 5.2*

How good is that? Playing a game which is arguable 8000 years old on your phone!

### 5/5 — 10/10

*2026-08-12, version 5.2*

Love it

### 5/5 — Amazing game

*2026-08-12, version 5.2*

This was so much fun and got the monkey with symbols in my head thinking. Such a fun game

### 1/5 — Game isn’t right

*2026-08-11, version 5.2*

When I play a large hole and it wraps round to the opponents cache, it drops a seed in there. According to the rules I know, you never drop a seed in the opposing cache…

### 5/5 — I really like it

*2026-08-07, version 5.2*

No ads ! It is Amazing ! I love this app

### 5/5 — Mancala

*2026-08-06, version 5.2*

The Mancala game is good and I’m the best♎️

### 5/5 — Great game!

*2026-08-06, version 5.2*

Mancala is an very enjoyable and good workout for your brain. Even better is the fact that you aren’t bombarded with ads. I am delighted to have found this game to download, careful though, you will lose track of time.

### 5/5 — Fun

*2026-08-04, version 5.2*

This game is really fun and once you get into it it’s actually really fun I would recommend playing it’s good for time and just all around playing😁

### 1/5 — Waste of money

*2026-07-30, version 5.2*

Purchased this game so I could get options of difficulty. 1. The bot patterns are predictable on the hardest level. 2. The “hint” button is greyed out and I can’t use it! I love using hints on some games to better my skills and learn what to do in that play. Waste of money. I want a refund.

### 5/5 — Great game

*2026-07-28, version 5.2*

Tons of options, love it

## Frequently asked questions about Mancala.

### What is Mancala?

Mancala, also known as Kalah, is an ancient strategy board game. The objective is to collect the most marbles in your home hole by strategically moving marbles counter-clockwise from your six pits.

### How do you play Mancala?

Players pick up marbles from any of their bottom holes and move them counter-clockwise. Landing your last marble in your home hole grants you an extra turn. The game concludes when all holes on one side are empty, and the player with the most marbles in their home hole wins.

### Is this game free to play?

The application is free to download and play. It also offers in-app purchases, allowing for optional enhancements or content.

### What devices is Mancala compatible with?

This application is designed for mobile devices. Specific compatibility details regarding operating systems (like iOS or Android) and versions are typically found in the app store listing.

### What are the benefits of playing Mancala?

Playing Mancala can enhance strategic thinking, planning, and foresight. Its simple rules make it accessible, while the gameplay offers depth for those who enjoy strategic challenges.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.2 — 2026-07-05

Internal improvements to enhance compatibility.

### 5.1 — 2025-01-21

Minor fixes.

### 5.0 — 2023-03-12

100 new stone chain puzzles.

### 4.9 — 2022-12-12

100 new stone chain puzzles.

### 4.8 — 2022-06-25

New game feature: Stone Chain

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## More apps by Sergey Skosyrev

- [Canasta.](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canasta/id911258778)
- [42 Dominoes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/42-dominoes/id1080108922)
- [Board Lines](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-lines/id6471580933)
- [Snake, etc.](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snake-etc/id6747918975)
- [Break Out Able](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/break-out-able/id6753308501)

All apps by Sergey Skosyrev: https://appshunter.io/developer/1141722489

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*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 2026-08-26.*