Ark Nova: Naming a (Domestic) Goat the Greatest of All Time

Choose a variety of animals and sponsors to create a zoo focused on conservation and education with Ark Nova.
My initial solo plays of Ark Nova may have been a major learning experience with such low scores, yet I was determined to improve! The idea of creating a zoo through careful planning and selection was a lot of fun, and I felt like I was getting closer to figuring out how to… Not have a negative score. Progress! Ha ha! Back to a land full of animals.
Game Overview
Game Name: Ark Nova
Publication Year: 2021
Designer: Mathias Wigge
Artists: S. Bieker, L. Billiau, D. Lohausen, & C. Tisch
Publishers: Capstone Games & Feuerland Spiele
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
With just 5 actions to choose from, there is a lot more depth to the choices than it might appear! Upgrading these action cards is also a main part of figuring out how to do well. Animals and sponsors only make up a piece of the puzzle, and a successful zoo takes a lot of planning.
First Play
November 29, 2024
Complexity
4
Latest Play
December 1, 2024
Expansions
2
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
8
Play Time
50 Minutes
High Score
5
Game Area
46" x 26"
Low Score
-43
Making Strides
All of my initial plays were about experimenting with all sorts of choices and strategies. That’s always a fun part of discovering a new game: Figuring everything out!
As this next play began to unfold, things made a lot more sense. I felt like I had a better grasp on choosing cards and leaning my zoo in one direction or the other.
But look closely and you’re going to have a laugh if you followed along with my initial plays and biggest pitfall…
Not everything worked out, yet I enjoyed how the solo mode forced me to make the best decisions I could.
A Most Pleasant Zoo
So cool! I had a few empty enclosures, yet some of these came from conservation projects that released animals into the wild. Also, I had sea turtles. Just the best!
I started to make better choices about kiosks and income, too. Generating enough income to afford more animals can be tough early on, and striking that balance was great.
It was unfortunate when I ended some plays with a mountain of cash that went unspent. Another lesson!
Choosing the conservation project bonuses was also pretty neat, as I thoroughly enjoyed the ongoing income abilities.
(Domestic) Petting Zoo
My very first play involved me setting up a petting zoo and not doing much else, so I steered clear of anything related to these animals for every other play. Until this one…
That’s right! In my very first victory, a petting zoo was in my zoo. Surprise twist! Ha ha! Maybe my success was in the fact that it only housed goats. (Domestic) goats.
I don’t think a petting zoo has any major bearing on a win, but I was delighted about my shift in fortune.
So much to discover in this one! I only barely held on for a victory, too, so there is certainly much more to learn.
Conservation Expert
Things might have gone even better if I got a little luckier with the cards, yet I managed to support a good amount of conservation projects! Look at all of those reptiles. Nice!
Immediately after I won, I reset to see if I could reliably hold on for another victory. Not even close. Ha ha!
Supporting projects is certainly a key element to success, but I find myself pulled in all sorts of different directions. Often, it’s too late to switch my strategy in the later game.
But this bodes well: I don’t like winning often, and now I can reward myself by adding in Ark Nova: Marine Worlds!
Merging Complexity and a Short Play Time
For me, one of the biggest strengths of this game is how well it creates such a layered, complex set of decisions without taking hours upon hours to play. I’m only starting to figure out some of the core strategies, yet I don’t mind the losses! My philosophy is that solo games shouldn’t be too easy to beat, but there should be some indications of improvement.
In just around an hour, I can work in a full play where I have a chance to practice and get better. And the fact that I don’t find this overwhelming is kind of surprising! Going into my first few plays, it seemed like it would be a lot to take in. The rules made sense pretty quickly, and now it’s down to figuring out how to build a successful sort of zoo. Awesome!
Session Overview
Play Number: 7 & 8
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Outcome: 5, -23 (1 Win & 1 Loss)
I did it! Well, once. Ha! I had some good ideas in my second play, but didn’t have a central strategy. At least I know I can win at this point, which is all I was hoping for. Such a wonderful game! It’s definitely a bit different with how complex and connected the choices can be, yet I’m having a great time coming up with little stories. I guess my mistake with a (petting) zoo was corrected by a (domestic) goat solving my parentheses issue? Ha!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
10
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
10
+ Pros (Positives)
- Although the visual style mainly involves stock images, there are still plenty of animals and other sights to enjoy.
- Working out how to set up a turn with lots of bonuses is quite satisfying and worth the time to optimize choices.
- Every zoo feels like it has a little story to tell, which isn’t all that important, but certainly adds to the fun factor.
- Not much management is required with the base game solo mode, and it’s an excellent place to start playing.
- Wins aren’t guaranteed, even with lots of experience, and the puzzle of making the most of each turn changes.
- It’s usually pretty clear about how successful a zoo is moving along from looking at the cards, tiles, and cubes.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The available cards can feel a little dependent on luck at times, although it’s still fun even during a clear loss.
- Some iconography is easy to miss on sponsor cards, but this improves with more play experience.
- Understanding the ideal sequence of events can take some time to figure out over the course of many plays.
- A slight disconnect can happen with not needing to track exactly where animals reside in the zoo enclosures.
Victory Conditions
Score 0+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 18%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game at the beginner difficulty level.
Win at least 1 game with every map (1/10).
Continue the Conversation
Do you enjoy playing Ark Nova solo? Is the base game solo mode your preferred way to play, or do you use another variant? I’m enjoying the way this acts as a timer and requires limited overhead. That certainly helps me with focusing on learning what works… And what doesn’t! I’m excited to keep playing in the future, especially with the expansion!
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