Istanbul vs MIND MGMT Assistant
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Istanbul
Compete as a merchant to collect rubies by trading goods and managing assistants across a bustling bazaar. Strategically move your merchant and assistants through various locations, each offering unique actions. Plan your moves carefully to outmaneuver opponents and achieve victory in this acclaimed board game adaptation.
- 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
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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
MIND MGMT Assistant
This companion app allows you to play the MIND MGMT board game solo or cooperatively with friends. It acts as the Recruiter, guiding players to find the Recruiter before time runs out. A physical copy of the board game is required to use this application.
- Solo board game play
- Cooperative multiplayer
- Acts as the Recruiter
- Requires physical board game
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You need the MIND MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game" board game to use this app. This assistant app will play as the Recruiter, allowing you to play the MIND MGMT board game solo, or co-operatively with your friends as you try to find the Recruiter before it's too late.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: MIND MGMT Assistant at Free against Istanbul's $2.79. MIND MGMT Assistant also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Istanbul's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
MIND MGMT Assistant is free to download; Istanbul costs $2.79 up front. Istanbul sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MIND MGMT Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.
Istanbul holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Istanbul has 458 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Istanbul's written reviews are positive against 67% of MIND MGMT Assistant's.
Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, MIND MGMT Assistant every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Istanbul | MIND MGMT Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.79 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (458 ratings) — better | 4.2 (21 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 458 — better | 21 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #78 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 451 MB | 221 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Acram Digital | Jason Cormier |
Customer experience
Istanbul
MIND MGMT Assistant
Bugs and requests
Istanbul
Reported bugs
4 issues- Certain cards/tiles not working as intended
- Game crashing or freezing during play
- Online/multiplayer functionality issues
- Tutorial getting stuck or not working properly
Requested features
4 requests- 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
MIND MGMT Assistant
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Istanbul
- Mocha & Baksheesh$5.99
MIND MGMT Assistant
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Istanbul free?
Is MIND MGMT Assistant free?
Which has better reviews, Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant?
Do Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant have ads?
Which is updated more often, Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant?
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