Ark Nova
Design a modern zoo, manage five shifting action cards and balance appeal with conservation in a large card-driven strategy game.
Build a modern zoo through animal cards, enclosures, sponsors, association work and conservation projects while managing five action cards that continually change strength.
Appeal and conservation advance on separate tracks and eventually cross. That structure rewards both a functioning economic engine and meaningful conservation progress rather than one-dimensional point accumulation.
Why We Love It
Ark Nova makes action timing part of the engine itself. The five action cards become stronger as they slide to the right, so choosing one action also changes the strength of future actions.
About Ark Nova
Build a modern zoo through animal cards, enclosures, sponsors, association work and conservation projects while managing five action cards that continually change strength.
Appeal and conservation advance on separate tracks and eventually cross. That structure rewards both a functioning economic engine and meaningful conservation progress rather than one-dimensional point accumulation.
Game at a Glance
Build the Zoo
Add enclosures, animals and special buildings to expand your map.
Manage Five Actions
Use cards for Animals, Build, Association, Sponsors and Cards at changing strength.
Develop Synergies
Combine tags, sponsors and animal effects into a stronger engine.
Balance Two Tracks
Grow appeal while pushing conservation until the scoring markers cross.
What is Ark Nova?
Ark Nova is Mathias Wigge’s zoo-management game. Players build enclosures, accommodate animals, recruit sponsors and support conservation projects.
Capstone lists it for 1–4 players and 90–150 minutes.
How the game works
Each player manages five action cards: Build, Animals, Cards, Association and Sponsors. The strength of an action depends on the slot its card currently occupies; after use, that card shifts and changes the relative strength of the others.
Zoo cards improve appeal and reputation, while conservation projects create a second major scoring axis.
The decisions that define it
Action timing is the signature puzzle. Using an action now can be weaker than waiting for it to reach a stronger slot, but delaying can cost tempo or access to a card another player wants.
Successful plans also need to balance immediate zoo appeal with conservation progress rather than optimizing only one track.
Who is it for?
Choose Ark Nova if your group wants a longer card-heavy strategy game with substantial planning and a personal zoo board.
For a shorter engine, compare Wingspan; for another large card economy, compare Terraforming Mars.
Ark Nova expansions
Focused Ark Nova rules
Action strength & X-tokens · Break rules · Association action
Compare Ark Nova
Ark Nova vs Wingspan · Ark Nova vs Everdell · Ark Nova vs Terraforming Mars
Publisher sources & scope
Checked September 15, 2026. This is a researched base-game hub; use the publisher rulebook for exact card and faction interactions.