LUDOS Africa Collection

The LUDOS Collection was born to preserve games of the past, for the generations of the future. The second volume, LUDOS Africa features four, 2-player ancient strategy games from Mali (Yoté), Ghana (Oware), Nigeria (Dara) and Madagascar (Fanorona). 2900+ backers supported this project on Kickstarter.

Yoté – Mali
History: Yoté is a jump and capture game that emerged from the bustling marketplaces of West Africa, from the nomadic Fulani people over 200 years ago. How to play: Control a caravan of 12 camels, and capture all of your opponent’s pieces to win.

Oware – Ghana
History: Oware is a member of the mancala family of games. While its exact origin is debated, one popular belief is that it emerged from the Ashanti people of Ghana. How to play: Sow seeds tactically and harvest 25 pieces from your opponent’s plots to win.

Dara – Nigeria
History: Dara is a traditional positional game from West Africa that was passed down through oral tradition and played by the Dakarkari people of Nigeria. How to play: Control Control 12 animal spirits, form lines of 3 and capture 10 of opponent’s pieces to win.

Fanorona – Madagascar
History: Fanorona, the national game of Madagascar dates back to the 17th century. In traditional Malagsy culture, this war game held ritualistic and even divinatory significance. How to play: Control a troop of 22 lemurs and drive off your opponent’s pieces to win.