Mancalero

From the Devs

Mancalero is Mancala rebuilt as a roguelike. The familiar ancient board game,  six pits, sow and score — now layered with special marbles, blessings and curses, builds, combo multipliers, boss fights, and a Bazaar that reshapes every run.

Sow marbles across the board to score points and deal damage. Master the pits, read the board, make numbers go up on scoring, drive your opponent's HP to zero and become the Mancalero!

Build your pouch of special marbles — each with its own effect when sown. Lightning chains. Fire burns enemy marbles. Glass scales points rapidly then shatters. The deeper you go, the stranger your collection gets.

Every marble you score deals damage. Master the pits, chain your combos, and drive your opponent's HP to zero before they outlast you, or score more marbles in your Mancala pit before one side runs out!

Spend your winnings on new marbles, powerful Blessings, and Embroidery patches that bend the rules in your favour.

Each table ends with a Boss that changes how the game is played — not always just a harder fight, but a different one. Learn them or lose to them. If you win, however, you may receive a curse!

The right marble synergies can produce scores that were never supposed to exist. Find the combos. Push the multipliers. See how high the numbers go!

GAME CONTENTS

• 8 full Tables — each with 2 matches and a boss encounter

• 15+ marble types, including Glass, Lightning, Multiply, Thief, Boomerang, Blackhole and more

• 10+ Blessings to collect

•  Set Bonuses — hidden synergies between your Blessings and marbles

• Embroidery Patches — shop upgrades that modify prices, slots, and scoring

• Endless Mode — unlocked after clearing Table 8,

• Different pouch types to start your run with that affect your starting marbles and upgrades — some requiring unlock conditions

 STARTING TIPS

• Your Kalah is the large pit on the right — landing a marble there earns a free extra turn. Build around it.

• Combos multiply your score. Landing specials (Multiply, Gold, Lightning) back-to-back is stronger than spreading them out.

• Pay attention to how your opponent plays, mistakes and habits can be exploited and punished

• The Beginner's Pouch starts you with two Embroidery Patches already equipped — a strong choice to push for endless once unlocked.

• Check the Compendium to track what you've discovered and learn how each marble type works.

 FAQ

Is progress saved between runs? Unlocks (such as new Pouch types) persist across runs. Score history is also saved locally.

What is Endless Mode? After clearing Table 8, you continue facing versions of previous enemies and bosses with progressive scaling. 

Is there controller or mobile support? Yes! The game runs on Mouse and Keyboard and also has support for controllers. SteamDeck support and verification are on the docket.

Developer Note

Mancalero is being built solo. Once the playtest and demo are released, and if you try them, please share your thoughts! I read every comment.

Trailer Music Disclosure:

Music: "Solecism", "Skyscraper Samba", "Simulacra" by Scott Buckley — CC-BY 4.0.