# Ark Nova

Ark Nova is a board game for 1–4 players. It plays in 90–150 minutes and is meant for ages 14 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 2. It is rated 8.1 out of 10 by 299 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $59.96 (United States).

- **Players:** 1–4 (best with 2)
- **Playing time:** 90–150 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 14+
- **Complexity:** 3.8 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2021
- **Categories:** Card Game, Animals, Environmental
- **Mechanics:** Solo / Solitaire Game, Income, Track Movement, End Game Bonuses, Race, Open Drafting, Tile Placement, Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, Grid Coverage, Contracts, Set Collection, Hexagon Grid, Events, Tags, Variable Set-up, Increase Value of Unchosen Resources
- **Ludoya rating:** 8.1 out of 10, from 299 reviews
- **Owned by:** 702 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 6,051
- **Unique players:** 2,184

**Designers:** Mathias Wigge

**Artists:** Loïc Billiau, Dennis Lohausen, Steffen Bieker

**Publishers:** Feuerland Spiele

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cardhaus Games | 59.96 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/ark-nova-dinged-dented-20-off-at-checkout/ |
| Gamers Guild AZ | 63.99 $ | https://gamersguildaz.com/products/ark-nova |
| Miniature Market | 63.99 $ | https://www.miniaturemarket.com/csgfs5100.html |
| Atomic Empire | 63.99 $ | https://www.atomicempire.com/Item/309450 |
| 401 Games | 75.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/ark-nova |
| Mathom | 57.2 € | https://mathom.es/es/otros-juegos-de-tablero/48636-ark-nova-8436578815265.html |
| Element Games | 62.09 £ | https://elementgames.co.uk/board-games/ark-nova |
| World of Board Games | 329 kr | https://www.worldofboardgames.com/fairy-ring |
| Zatu Games | 44.25 £ | https://zatu.com/products/ark-nova |
| Milan Spiele | 55.7 € | https://www.milan-spiele.de/arche-nova-p-30146.html |
| La Gameria | 58.5 € | https://gameria.es/juegos-de-mesa/ark-nova-10795.html |
| ingeni BCN | 58.5 € | https://www.ingeniobcn.com/juegos-de-tablero/jt-estrategia/ark-nova/ |
| Dungeon Marvels | 58.5 € | https://dungeonmarvels.com/ark-nova-castellano-63222.html |
| Zacatrus | 58.5 € | https://zacatrus.es/ark-nova.html |
| Magia de Tinta | 58.95 € | https://www.magiadetinta.com/es/juegos/6137-ark-nova-8436578815265.html |
| Spelexperten | 679 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/strategispel/ark-nova.html |
| Svet deskovych her | 1475 Kč | https://www.svet-deskovych-her.cz/produkty/9686/ark-nova |
| Good Games | 99.34 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/ark-nova |
| Dragons Lair | 695 kr | https://dragonslair.se/products/ark-nova |
| Uplay | 64.99 € | https://www.uplay.it/it/gioco-da-tavolo-arche-nova.html |
| Jugar x Jugar | 65 € | https://www.jugarxjugar.com/shop/estrategia/6448-ark-nova-preventa-8436578815265.html |
| Mono de Juegos | 65 € | https://www.monodejuegos.shop/juego-de-mesa/ark-nova/ |
| Homoludicus Granollers | 65 € | https://homoludicus-granollers.org/ark-nova |
| Gameology | 104.95 $ | https://www.gameology.com.au/products/ark-nova-board-game |
| Travelling Man | 56.99 £ | https://travellingman.com/products/ark-nova |
| TLAMA games | 1629 Kč | https://www.tlamagames.com/deskove-hry/archa-nova/ |
| Spielezar | 62.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/brettspiele/ark-nova-en |
| Alphaspel | 759 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/150641-ark-nova-en |
| Fantasiapelit | 69 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_217686 |
| Games Empire | 111.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/ark-nova |
| Nordisk Spil | 539 kr | https://nordiskspil.dk/products/ark-nova |
| Get Your Fun | 79.99 € | https://www.getyourfun.it/04702-ark-nova-giochi-gestionali.html |
| Game Ninja | 899 kr | https://www.gameninja.no/produkt/ark-nova/ |
| Nexus | 12495 kr | https://nexus.is/vara/ark-nova/ |

## Expansions

- [Ark Nova: Marine Worlds](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-aquarius)
- [Ark Nova: Zoo Map Pack 1](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-zoo-map-pack-1)
- [Ark Nova: Zoo Map Pack 2](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-zoo-map-pack-2)
- [Ark Nova: Promotion Team & Capybara Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-dice-tower-promo)
- [Ark Nova: 3Dition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-3dition)
- [Ark Nova: Board Game Arena Maps](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-board-game-arena-maps)
- [Ark Nova: 3D Colored Arcade Promo Building & Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova-3d-colored-arcade-promo-building-and-card)

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## Upcoming events featuring this game

- Ark Nova — 2026-09-26 — Barcelona

## Rules questions

### Do animals have to be next to water/rock or match special-enclosure requirements to be placed?

You must meet all enclosure conditions printed on the Animal card (minimum enclosure size, any water/rock adjacency, and whether it can/should go into a special enclosure); flip or mark the enclosure when placed and execute the animal’s immediate effects (Rulebook p10–11). If you later move animals into a newly built special enclosure, follow the errata rule about flipping the smallest occupied enclosure that meets the requirements (FAQ p1).

### What exactly counts as a kiosk being "adjacent" for income, and how much do kiosks pay?

Each break you get 1 money per unique building, special enclosure, occupied standard enclosure, and pavilion that shares at least one side with that kiosk (an empty standard enclosure gives no income) (Rulebook p18). Kiosks must also obey build-placement rules (including the 3-space minimum distance between kiosks) when you place them (Rulebook p9).

### When does a break happen and how do the Break track and X-tokens work?

Advance the Break token whenever actions specify; when it reaches the last space you finish your current action and trigger a break where hand limits, worker returns, display replenishment and income are resolved, then the Break token is returned to the start (Rulebook p6, p17–18). You gain an X-token when you move the Break token to the last space, and X-tokens may be spent before performing an action to increase its strength (Rulebook p6–7).

### How does Snapping and the reputation/display range work when taking cards?

On the Cards action you always advance the Break token then draw per the action table or, if your slot strength is high enough, you may 'snap' to take exactly one card from the display regardless of reputation (Rulebook p8). If your Cards action is upgraded you may draw within your reputation range (and snap from a lower strength), and your Reputation track determines which folders in the display are within range (Rulebook p8).

### Can I gain a third partner zoo (or build on upgrade spaces) from a bonus tile or map ability even if I haven't upgraded Association/Build?

No — requirements printed on your zoo map (e.g., needing an upgraded Association or Build action to take a 3rd partner zoo or to build on upgrade-icon spaces) always apply, regardless of whether the effect comes from a Bonus tile or other source (FAQ p1–p2; Rulebook p6, p13).

### Can I play Sponsor cards from the display if I get a bonus that says I may play a Sponsor?

No — you may only play Sponsor cards from your hand unless an action specifically allows playing from the display; when you do play from the display you must pay the folder cost and the card must be within your reputation range (Rulebook p16; FAQ p1).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ark-nova)
- [Ark Nova in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/ark-nova)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/342942)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._