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The FroGames Card
You take the seeds from a column. You scatter them one by one to the right. The last column you touch activates. Everyone watches what you've just triggered. And you already know you'll do better next round.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
When the world's oldest game meets modern cards
Àiyé (pronounced: ah-ee-EH) was designed by Igor Knop and André Teruya, with art by Ammon Anderson, Luis Francisco, and Leon Lima. Published in 2023 by Grok Games, it takes the mancala mechanism—sowing seeds in holes arranged in a row—and brings it into the territory of constructible cards. Each game is a civilization growing around the sun and moon.
On your turn, you sow energies along card columns, activating one at the end of sowing. These cards do things: generate new energies, move seeds, block opponents, earn you masks. Masks give points at the end of the game and are also the victory condition. But the core is sowing: where you collect, where you deposit, what you activate. Each turn is a geometric puzzle with cascading consequences.
What they say abroad
The game is simple to learn but offers remarkable strategic depth. Whoever masters the timing of sowing wins.
— FroGames
"Àiyé transforms the oldest mechanism in gaming into something fresh, tactical, and endlessly replayable."
Àiyé transforms the oldest mechanism in gaming into something fresh, tactical, and endlessly replayable.
— Grok Games
Àiyé
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat you build
The columns that make everything go round
Character Cards
Each card has an ability that activates when sowing ends on that column. Some generate seeds, others move them, others block opponent columns. Build your engine.
Masks
Mask cards give you points at the end of the game based on different conditions: color sets, number of cards, longer columns. Getting 4 immediately ends the game.
Energy Seeds
They are the currency of the game. You use them to play new cards in the Village, but you must sow them on the columns to activate them. Managing them is everything.
Blocking Actions
Some cards allow you to temporarily block opponent columns, forcing the other player to sow elsewhere. Small annoyances that change plans.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to PlayThe rules in four steps▼
How to Play
The Flow of Each Turn
Three short phases. Sow, activate, build. Then pass to the next player.
Take all energy seeds from a space under one of your columns. Place one in each subsequent column to the right, in a clockwise direction. The last column where you place a seed will be the one that activates.
The column where you placed the last seed activates. Resolve all its cards from bottom to top: generate seeds, move cards, block opponent columns, draw cards, etc.
If you have enough seeds, you can spend them to play a Character card under one of your columns (expanding it) or to acquire a Mask from the common supply. Masks grant points and victory conditions.
Check if anyone has won: 4 Masks or 18 cards in play end the game. Otherwise, pass the turn. The game flows quickly until someone triggers the endgame.
⏱️Your First GameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The First Columns
Everyone starts with a base column and a handful of seeds. You take a seed, sow it, activate the final column. The first activations generate more seeds. It seems simple. It is. For now.
The First Village
Spend seeds to play a new card under an existing column. Each card adds an ability. You start to see chains: if I sow here, I activate this, which gives me seeds to activate this other one. It's not working yet, but you glimpse the engine.
The First Combos
Someone has built a long column and when they activate it, three things happen in sequence. The others stop to watch. You realize you need to do the same, but with different cards. The game bifurcates: everyone builds their own ecosystem.
The Race for Masks
Two Masks remain for victory. One of you already has three. The others try to block them or race faster. Sowing is no longer just for activation: it's for denying spaces, breaking chains, taking the last Mask before the other player does.
End of Game
Someone plays the fourth Mask and the game ends. Or someone reaches 18 cards in play and everything is counted: points from Masks, from cards, from conditions. The one who built best wins. And you're already thinking about what you'd do differently next time.
🐸Good to Know FirstThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to Know First
Three things to know
The first game seems random
Until you understand that each column needs to be built with a purpose, the cards will all seem the same. It takes a couple of games to see the synergies. Don't be discouraged: it's part of the learning curve.
Downtime increases with players
At 2 players, it's fast and tactical. At 4, you have to wait three turns before playing again, and if someone falls into analysis paralysis, the game slows down. Better with 2-3 players if you want a sustained pace.
It's not a classic mancala
If you expect Oware or Kalah, you'll be surprised. Mancala here is just the activation engine: the real game is building the right card columns and chaining abilities. It's a modern strategic hybrid.
🏆Victory and DefeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Two victory conditions: race for Masks or maximum expansion. The one with the most points wins.
Victory
- Get 4 Masks: the game ends immediately, and you count points
- Reach a total of 18 cards (Characters + Masks) in your tableau by the end of the round
- If no one triggers the end, victory is by points: Masks give fixed points and bonus conditions, some cards give extra points
Fatal Mistakes
- Build columns without synergy: beautiful but unrelated cards don't make combos, and you lose against someone with a coherent engine
- Ignore the Masks: even if you're not aiming for the fourth, you need them for points. Those who neglect them almost always lose
- Sow without a plan: each sowing activates a column, so every turn counts. Sowing randomly is giving away the turn
Àiyé is an evolved mancala that makes you feel smart when you see the combo, and makes you want to play again immediately when you lose. Perfect for those who love geometric puzzles and hate long downtime.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Àiyé
What mechanics does Àiyé use?
Mancala (seed sowing and column activation), hand management (manage cards in hand for the Village), deck/pool building (build your tableau of columns) and set collection (Masks reward sets of colors and conditions). It is a modern strategic abstract game.
How long does a game really last?
For 2 players, 30-40 minutes once you know the cards. For 3-4 players, it extends to 50-60 minutes, even longer if someone thinks a lot. The rules are quick, but decisions slow down the pace.
Is it a game for beginners or experts?
The rules are simple (ideal for gateway games), but the tactical depth is high. Suitable for players who want something more cerebral without heavy rulebooks. It is neither a party game nor a children's game.
Do you need to know traditional mancala to play?
No. The mechanism is explained in 2 minutes and no prior experience is needed. Those who already know mancala will recognize the engine, but Àiyé is something different: here the focus is on cards and combos, not just on sowing.
What language is this edition in?
English edition. The cards have text and symbols, and the rulebook is in English. There are no official Italian editions at the moment. The text on the cards is essential for playing, a basic knowledge of English is required.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Àiyé is an abstract strategy game for 2-4 players, 30-60 minutes, ages 14+. Designed by Igor Knop and André Teruya, published by Grok Games, Àiyé combines the mancala mechanism (seed sowing) with card column building and cascading combos. Each turn you sow energy to activate columns, each column has abilities that generate resources, move cards, or block opponents. Masks grant points and victory conditions. A gateway game with high tactical depth, perfect for those who love geometric puzzles and engines that grow game after game. Available on FroGames.it.
Earth
Frequently Asked Questions
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