Games like mancala are distributed around the Indian Ocean, and many variants are found from Africa to Island Southeast Asia. While the archaeology of subsistence is quite robust, the archaeology of games like mancala and its variations is less explored. Play helps us make social connections and can help with concepts like numeracy. This paper will explore some preliminary archaeological evidence for games in the Banda Sea region, with implications for social networks – an important strategy for managing risk in a highly variable environment.