All Games > Strategy Games > BAO
Community Hub
BAO
BAO is a brilliant mancala type boardgame from East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania). Like Chess and Go, Bao leaves nothing to chance. 100% strategy = 200% fun. Think many turns ahead and you will become a true BAO master!
All Reviews:
2 user reviews - Need more user reviews to generate a score
Release Date:
Oct 16, 2020
Developer:
Publisher:
VMS Media

Sign in to add this item to your wishlist, follow it, or mark it as ignored

Curator Review

Informational
By Made with Heathen May 30, 2022

“A brilliant mancala type boardgame from East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania).”

Is this game relevant to you?

Sign in to see reasons why you may or may not like this based on your games, friends, and curators you follow.


Sign In or Open in Steam
Features
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔
Includes 6 Steam Achievements
View
all 6

Buy BAO

$6.99
Add to Cart
 

About This Game

BAO (of the Swahili people)

Bao is a boardgame in the mancala family of boardgames (games with seeds and pits).

There are many simple mancala type games out there but none of those are as mesmerizing as Bao. This game focuses solely on the full unrestrained, unadulterated, and arguably most beautiful version of Bao: Bao la Kiswahili (‘Bao of the Swahili people’).

Basics of the game: your goal is to rid your opponent’s front row of seeds, or to put your opponent in a position where they are unable to make any moves (stalemate). You do so by placing, sowing, and stealing seeds.


  • BAO provides unparalleled diversity and complexity, not a single game is ever the same.
  • The online game mode provides masters and novices alike with a platform to meet their match, test their skills, challenge friends and duel other BAO adversaries.
  • Besides providing a comprehensive Tutorial, BAO keeps track of all of the different rules. You can’t accidentally mess up a move, making learning the game a blast.
  • BAO gives you the option of super human seed sowing speeds, making tirelessly long moves a thing of the past.
  • Don’t want to play online? BAO also provides a carefully crafted AI to test your skills before you head into the ring.
  • The AI knows what move to make before you can say “Bao la Kiswahili”, couple that with the fast sowing, and even the lengthier games are usually no more than 20 minutes.

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • OS *: Windows 8 or 10
    • Processor: Intel Core 2 duo
    • Memory: 2024 MB RAM
    • Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
    • Storage: 560 MB available space
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
    Minimum:
    • OS: MountainLion or newer
    • Memory: 2024 MB RAM
    • Storage: 560 MB available space
    Minimum:
    • OS: Debian, Ubuntu, SteamOS
    • Processor: Intel Core 2 duo
    • Memory: 2024 MB RAM
    • Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
    • Storage: 560 MB available space
View all

What Curators Say

5 Curators have reviewed this product. Click here to see them.

Customer reviews

Review Type


Purchase Type


Language


Customize
Date Range
To view reviews within a date range, please click and drag a selection on a graph above or click on a specific bar.

Show graph



Playtime
Filter reviews by the user's playtime when the review was written:



No minimum to No maximum
Display As:
Show graph
 
 Hide graph
 
Filters
Excluding Off-topic Review Activity
Playtime:
There are no more reviews that match the filters set above
Adjust the filters above to see other reviews
Loading reviews...