GIGAMIC Qawale Mini | Mensa Select | Travel-Friendly Wooden Abstract Strategy Board Game for Kids and Adults | Compact Stone Stacking Game | Learn in only 1 Minute | Ages 8+ | 2 Players | 15 Min

This is one of the best games ever! I bring it on every family trip and we usually end up playing it in the mornings over a cup of coffee. It’s very easy to learn, which makes it great for all ages and quick setup gameplay. The only downside is that if you have bigger hands, the mini version can feel a bit small and slightly fiddly, which can get a little frustrating during play. Other than that, it’s really well designed and fun for casual or competitive games. We also have a house rule that whoever knocks over a stack instantly loses, which adds a fun and chaotic twist to the game. It’s become a family favorite for trips and downtime together. Overall, a fantastic travel-friendly game that’s simple, engaging, and easy to bring anywhere.

Nice and compact, fun to play, and great quality. May be a tad difficult for big hands.

Everyone in the family loves this game and can play!

Good gave for two players. Didn’t like that the description did not say it’s not the full size game

Simple, challenging, and fun

I have wanted to pick up Qawale for a while but never got around to it. When I saw that it was offered in a "mini" travel version, I had to order it. The game is an abstract game along the lines of tic tac toe or connect four. The object is to get four of your own "stones" in a row either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. You do this by putting your stone onto any existing stack on the board (you can NOT put it on an empty space) and then moving the entire stack. You can move as many spaces as you like but can only go as many spaces as there are stones since, for each move you make, you are leaving the bottom stone behind. Moves can only be horizontal or vertical but NEVER diagonal. The game ends when one player gets four in a row OR a player runs out of stones which results in a draw. That is the basic gist of the game. It is easy to learn, but is challenging as well. With games only taking a few minutes each, you can easily play multiple times in a row or even have players switching off should you have more than two people and no one will be sitting around bored when they're not playing. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the components. The box is small so it's easy to toss in a backpack or purse for travel but it's very heavy duty cardboard so it won't get damaged. The stones are all made of wood and have great tactile feel. The most shocking this was the the board was made of solid wood as well. They could easily have gone with a cheaper material, but it was a great upgrade. The only thing I would change are the feet under the board. They are made of wood as well and don't do anything to hold the board from sliding around the table. I will most likely put some rubber pads there so not that big of a deal. There is also a small drawstring bag to hold all of the stones. If you are looking for a great game to travel with or to teach to a non-gamer friend/family member, Qawale Mini is a great choice. It's super portable, easy to teach with few rules but still requires some strategy and thought. It's nice to have a simple game that has real depth to it but is very quick to play.

Quality and Packaging: Right off the bat, the box and all the materials are of exceptional quality. I've played some of the other games made by this designer, like quoridor, and I'm very happy with this addition. The game is a more compact size but not a small pocket sized game so it can be more effort to travel with. It’s like the size of a bigger hard back book or smaller text book Gameplay: Qawale is simple and easy to set up, offering a lot of fun. My wife and I will enjoy playing this on trips after the kids go to sleep. This game is very simple, with clear instructions printed on the back. It’s almost like checkers in a way but has a bit more of a strategic element. The game goes pretty quickly, and I have not yet figured out a good strategy for it, which makes it fun. There’s a strategic element to it, but also the way pieces move is unlike most other games, making it engaging if you’re into more games, but also simple like checkers. Materials and Experience: With the quality materials, it's very satisfying to play. Everything has a slight weight and tactile feel to it. A lot of care was put into the making of this game, and I recommend this along with many of the other games by this designer, such as Corridor. Overall, Qawale is a high-quality, strategic, and engaging game that's perfect for quick and enjoyable gameplay sessions. Highly recommended!

This is a fun game. It's an abstract game much like chess, checkers, go, connect four, and many others. Two players only, but there are three colors of stones to choose from. The goal is to get four of your color in a row (diagonally counts as well). You do this by placing one of your wooden "stones" on top of another, then moving the stack orthogonally (left/right, up/down, NOT diagonally). As you move, you leave the bottom stone of the pile in place making a trail and changing the board. You move as many spaces as there are stones in your pile. Though this was the "mini" version, it's a great size, about 8"x8". The components are all wood, including the board. Finishing on the pieces is great; they are well stained, sealed, and sanded, nice and colorful, very smooth and pleasant to handle. Really impressed with the quality, as this could easily have been made from plastic and would not be nearly as satisfying. The only thing I'm not sure about is how to pronounce the name. Other than that it's fantastic for abstract game fans.