Ark Nova

Ark Nova is a zoo-building board game designed by Mathias Wigge, first published in German by Feuerland Spiele in 2021 and in an English edition by Capstone Games in 2022. The game is for one to four players, each of whom develops a modern zoo across a personal board by constructing animal enclosures, playing cards representing real animal species, and undertaking conservation projects that fund work in the wild. A central mechanic uses five action cards whose effect strength shifts as the game proceeds, so that a player's options change as they use and reset each action, requiring constant reassessment of when to expand enclosures, chase visitor appeal, build reputation, or commit resources to conservation. Considered a heavier engine-building strategy game, Ark Nova rewards careful long-term planning of a zoo's layout and species mix alongside short-term tactical use of its shifting action cards, and it drew wide attention within the hobby board game community following its release.