- BGG rank
- BGG #5,792
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Kokeshi
- 1–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,757
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Àiyé
2023
Rules assistance for Àiyé
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Àiyé
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Àiyé is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Igor Knop and André Teruya and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
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About the game
The collective is stronger than the individual. In the civilization of Àiyé (pronounced ah-ee-EH), these words hold true. They prioritize harmony amongst their people, resulting in a strong and powerful society. With the help of the natural elements, their leaders will harness the power of the sun and moon to lead the Àiyé civilization to fulfill their destiny. Àiyé brings a fresh look at one of the first board game mechanisms, the mancala. On each turn, players sow seeds on a mancala of card columns, activating abilities of the last sowed column. During the game, players will expand and improve their columns, building a unique mancala full of possibilities and combinations. Each player's turn is divided in 3 steps: Sow, Column Activation and Village. Sowing is the mancala motor that allows players to choose which column is activated. To Sow, players pick up all energy seeds from one space below a column and adds one seed to each space below the following columns. In the Village, energy seeds may be spent to summon up characters and gain masks. Cards grant columns different abilities like gaining energy seeds, moving cards or seeds, and blocking other players' columns. Mask cards also reward points at the end of the game based on different scoring conditions. The game ends when a player gains the fourth Mask card or if a player has 18 cards in their play area at the end of the round. Whoever manages their cards and sowings best is the winner who will lead the community to a bright future.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Grok Games
- Moon Saga Workshop
Questions and answers
Àiyé supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Àiyé is 30–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Àiyé for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Àiyé has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Àiyé belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Àiyé are: Igor Knop and André Teruya. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Àiyé as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.