Finding which one is the best is not a trivial task so, why not try to build your own zoo with Ark Nova and show your friends how great it could be? Instead, success is down to increasing your zoo’s appeal points by introducing the most charismatic creatures and netting conservation points through conservation projects. The calculation is pretty straightforward although the rulebook may not result very clear at first glance. Everyone whose played really enjoys both the challenge of three tracks for advancement; as well as, the mechanic to execute a turn. One last point of note: each player can only have one association worker per slot on the association board.

Ark Nova - Capstone Games Ark Nova - Capstone Games

However, this ain’t Wingspan: a lot of the powers can feel samey pretty quickly and the lack of innovation often means those moments where they genuinely turn the tide of gameplay feel few and far between.It is always a good idea to try to move up on the conservation track, as the flipping of one of your cards to side 2, the pink side, will significantly upgrade it. Players have five cards showing five different possible actions (as in Terraforming Mars), which include building enclosures, playing animals, playing sponsor cards, taking cards from the central board, or taking actions on the association board by using workers. If I am playing on Map A then I usually go for the bonus giving a move up the conservation track in each income phase.

Ark Nova | Board Games | Zatu Games UK Ark Nova | Board Games | Zatu Games UK

In addition, the game includes 4 maps marked as “MAP0” for intermediate games and each of these 8 maps show a different asymmetric map on their other side (MAP1-8) for a more experienced player. If this card is upgraded, you are also able to draw cards from the same face-up cards depending on your reputation.

Creating the perfect environment and plopping down bears, foxes, deer, hawks and salmon into their new ecosystems is an addictive little loop and the animals’ various scoring patterns ensure it’s still thinky enough to satisfy more cerebral contestants. This could be releasing animals to the wild or achieving certain conservation goals or just donating to the cause.

Ark Nova board game review: whip-smart strategy with an enchanting - T3 Ark Nova board game review: whip-smart strategy with an

As a testament to the game, almost everyone I’ve played with has wanted to own the game after the first play. But after you’ve upgraded your Cards action and as your zoo gains reputation points from partner universities, covering the map and releasing animals into the wild, you’ll increasingly be able to draft a wider range of cards from the common pool. As you will soon find, playing this action is the main way to draw new cards but it will move your tracker two spaces closer to trigger a break. This tension, coupled with the fact every game contains a different combination of conservation and objective cards, always makes each playthrough of Ark Nova feel fresh and engaging.

It is always a good idea to sponsor a conservation project at a low level early in the game, ideally one that you aren’t planning on concentrating on later in the game.

Ark Nova | Board Games | Gathering Games Ark Nova | Board Games | Gathering Games

The New York Times Wirecutter praised the game as "remarkably elegant", complimenting its turns as fast-paced and commenting positively on the "sprawl and scale", despite acknowledging that the latter decreases accessibility for new players; the length and theme were also critiqued. Strength 2 allows players to place one of their association workers to gain 2 reputation point while strength 3 and 4 allows a player to get one partner zoo or university. When building, each player populates their zoo mat with enclosures made up of differing numbers of hex tiles.Cards allows you to draw new cards; Build to build new enclosures and buildings; Animals to play animals; Association to place workers to partner with zoos and universities and engage in conservation projects; and Sponsors to sponsor projects or gain money. At the end of each action, the exhausted action slot is moved to the far left and others are shifted right, increasing their strength. I have been driven to it by its beautiful graphics and game mechanics but, most important, as it allows you to build a zoo! The one flaw in Ark Nova, which not everyone will consider as such, is that it has very little interaction between players.