Sanctuary: An Ark Nova Game is a standalone game. A listing that says “Ark Nova” in the subtitle can be confusing when you are looking at expansions, extra maps or promo tiles. The publisher currently lists a Kiosk promo tile for Sanctuary and downloadable solo challenges. It does not list a boxed Sanctuary expansion on the product materials checked October 3, 2026. Here is what each extra actually does and which Ark Nova products belong to the other game.
What do you need to play?
| Product | Used with | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Sanctuary base game | Nothing else required | Zoo maps, 135 unique tiles, four action cards and solo rules |
| Sanctuary Kiosk promo tile | Sanctuary | One extra building tile that scores from adjacent Petting Zoo animals |
| Sanctuary solo challenge sheets | Sanctuary solo game | Optional printable milestones and restrictions; no extra boxed components |
| Ark Nova: Marine Worlds and Zoo Map Packs | Ark Nova base game | New Ark Nova content; not Sanctuary tile modules |
The two games share designer Mathias Wigge, a zoo theme and action cards of changing strength. Sanctuary has four action cards and a tile-placement zoo; Ark Nova uses five actions and a card-driven zoo economy. Treating one game’s add-on as a component of the other would require rules the publisher has not provided. Their ordinary published instructions keep the products separate.
How the Kiosk promo works
Capstone’s Kiosk listing says this tile must be placed next to at least one Petting Zoo animal already in your zoo. At final scoring it awards two points for every Petting Zoo animal directly adjacent to it. You still follow the normal legal-placement rules and any conditions printed on the tile. “Adjacent” is narrower than “connected”: animals several tiles away in the same petting-zoo group do not add Kiosk points.
Example: three Petting Zoo animals form one connected group, which scores 18 under the ordinary group rule. If the Kiosk touches only two of those animals, its additional adjacency condition contributes four points. It does not multiply the group’s 18, and the third animal gives no Kiosk points simply because it belongs to the same group.
The timing matters. Since the Kiosk requires a Petting Zoo animal already in the zoo, reserve a legal neighboring space for it when planning the group. A tile completely surrounded by other tiles can still help the base-game petting-zoo score but leave no place for the Kiosk. Conversely, placing a building merely for its potential Kiosk points can block a better animal or conservation icon. Compare the actual tile you have with the layout you can complete before game end.
Does the Kiosk come in the base box?
Capstone labels it a separate promo tile and says pre-order customers received it. That historical offer does not establish what a current retailer includes. Check the exact product listing or box contents before assuming a copy has the promo. If yours does not, the 135-tile core game is complete without it. Availability and promotional bundles can change; the publisher’s base-game page and promo listing are the useful places to check.
Are the solo challenges expansions?
No physical expansion is needed for them. The Feuerland downloads currently include English Basic 1, Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 sheets. They layer new goals onto the existing solo mode. A milestone counts only after a solo win, and the sheets may scale targets for 18-, 15- or 12-marker difficulty. They are valuable if you already know the solo turn procedure and want goals beyond simply finishing in time.
Which Ark Nova products are compatible?
Marine Worlds and the Zoo Map Packs extend Ark Nova. Sanctuary’s four-action tile game has its own map, display and conservation objective system. Capstone presents Sanctuary as its own product, not as an add-on requiring Ark Nova. If a future Sanctuary expansion is announced, check its product-specific rulebook rather than assuming compatibility from the shared title.
Quick decision for an owner
If you own only Sanctuary, play the base rules and try a different set of five objectives or the other side of the map for variety. The free solo challenges extend one-player goals. The Kiosk is a small extra if you particularly enjoy arranging Petting Zoo animals. If you want the much larger Ark Nova experience, that is a separate game purchase with a different expansion line; see the Ark Nova expansion overview for those products.
Continue with Sanctuary’s rules, strategy and scoring. Sources: Capstone base game, Kiosk listing, and Feuerland solo downloads, checked October 3, 2026. Current inventory or future releases may differ.