2021 · Animals
Ark Nova
Players plan and operate a modern, scientifically managed zoo, building enclosures, housing animals, and supporting conservation projects worldwide. Gameplay centers on a personal tableau and five action cards whose effects depend on their slot: draw new zoo cards, construct enclosures and facilities, place animals, send association workers on tasks, and play sponsor cards or fundraise. A large deck of animal, specialist, special enclosure, sponsor, and conservation cards provides unique abilities to boost appeal and scientific reputation. Players balance income, appeal, and conservation points to make their zoo successful and advance global conservation efforts.
- Players
- 1–4 best 2
- Playing time
- 90–150 min
- Age
- 14+
- Complexity
- 3.8 / 5
About the game
- Design
- Publisher
Expansions
See them in Ludoya
Photos from Ludoya tables
All photos in Ludoya
Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 4,932
- Plays logged
- 1,875
- Players
- 2h
- Average play
- 748
- In collections
- 111
- On wishlists
8.3/10
from 320 Ludoya reviews
By player count
zim zhang6.0 The unbalanced unique cards and odd interactions ruined the experience for me. I admit the game integrates its systems skillfully, but the cards—the core of any card game—are its downfall: poorly designed UI, lack of variety, and effects that barely connect to the animal names. Combined with other shortcomings in the components, I can't give it more than a 6/10.
No plays logged
Garfield2.0 Not yet sure if I should buy this. It's very thematic but unfortunately a multiplayer solitaire. It took us 2:45h to finish a 3player game! Beside it's not a very complicated game, but you easily can forget something because you have to keep an eye on so many things. The chance that you play it 100% correctly is about 0,001% [c] Theme: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Gameplay: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]A good amount of choices but it's getting repetitive --> Interaction: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]I would say almost zero --> Artwork: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very nice cards --> Luck: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Random cards --> Strategy: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Not many possibilities --> Components: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Ok, nothing special --> Play duration: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Far too long --> Easy to teach: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]A lot to explain --> Rules quality: <!-- size 7]not read --> Setup time: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]A lot to setup --> No downtime: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Not much downtime --> Replay value: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Random cards --> [/c]
No plays logged
Mestremuten7.0 Rating: 4/5 Production value: 2/4 Is the game in my collection/Love to have?: 1/1
Played it 7 times
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
After I use an action card, do I leave it in the same slot?
No. After completing the action, move that card to slot 1 and shift the cards that were to its left one slot to the right. (Rulebook, p. 8)
When a break is triggered, does it happen immediately?
Finish your current turn first, then everyone resolves the break. Players discard down to their hand limit, refresh workers and the card display, and collect income, including income from kiosks. (Rulebook, pp. 7, 18–19)
Can I take any card from the display, even if it’s outside my reputation range?
Only if you snap: with an unupgraded Cards action, snapping requires strength 5; with an upgraded Cards action, it requires strength 3. Otherwise, when drawing from the display with the upgraded Cards action, you may take only cards within your reputation range. (Rulebook, p. 9)
Can I do more than one task with the Association action?
With the unupgraded action, perform exactly one task. After upgrading it, you may perform different tasks whose total strength does not exceed your action strength; each task also needs the required active worker or workers. (Rulebook, pp. 14–16)
Can I build several enclosures with one Build action?
With the unupgraded Build action, build exactly one building, up to the action’s strength in size. After upgrading it, you may build multiple different buildings, as long as their total size is no greater than the action strength. (Rulebook, p. 10)
How do I know when the game ends, and how are victory points calculated?
The game ends when a player’s Appeal and Conservation counters meet or pass one another in the same scoring area; that player finishes their turn, then everyone else takes one more turn. For scoring, subtract the lowest Appeal value in your Conservation counter’s scoring area from your Appeal value; the result is your victory points. (Rulebook, p. 19)
Official score sheet
Ark Nova score sheet
Every scoring category, from the Ludoya kit. On your phone the totals add up by themselves.
Free, on web, Android and iOS
Play Ark Nova with Ludoya
- Keep it in your collectionTrack your copy and its expansions, lend it to friends, or put it on your wishlist and get told when the price drops.Add it to your collection
- Log every playScores, winners, timers and photos, then your stats: win rate, favourite player count, best score.Log a play
- Settle rules questionsAsk anything about the rules and get an answer from the rulebook, with the page to check it on.Ask the rules assistant
- Find people to play it withClubs, game nights and events near you that bring this game to the table.See events
Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.