Ark Nova

Ark Nova

AnimalsCard GameEnvironmental
Players
1-4
Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
2 players
Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
150 min
AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
14+
ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
3.8 / 5
Year
2021

About the game

In Ark Nova, you design and manage a modern, scientifically run zoo, building enclosures, housing animals, and funding conservation projects around the world. Each player uses a set of five action cards whose power shifts depending on where it sits in their hand. With over 250 unique cards depicting animals, sponsors, and specialists, no two games play out the same way. The goal is to build the most successful and reputable zoo.

Hobbli's Notes

Ark Nova has become a modern heavyweight favorite for its clever engine-building and huge card variety. The zoo-management theme is unusually well integrated into the mechanics, and the solo mode is genuinely excellent. It runs long for a card-based game, and interaction is mostly indirect, but the depth and variability keep it endlessly replayable.

What we like

  • Enormous card variety creates a huge amount of replayability.
  • Excellent solo mode for a game of this depth.
  • Strong thematic integration between zoo management and mechanics.
  • Rewarding long-term engine building.

Keep in mind

  • Long playtime for a card-driven game.
  • Mostly indirect interaction can feel solitaire-like for some groups.
  • Dense iconography creates a steep initial learning curve.

Who it's for

Strategy gamers who enjoy engine-building euros with a thematic hook, best played by 1 to 4 adults or older teens, especially strong at two players.

Mechanics

ContractsEnd Game BonusesEventsGrid / MapHand ManagementIncomeIncrease Value of Unchosen ResourcesDraftingRaceSet CollectionSolo / Solitaire GameTagsTile PlacementTrack MovementVariable Player PowersVariable Set-up

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