Ark Nova v1.0.5

Dire Wolf Digital

About this app

Ark Nova solves the problem of finding a engaging and challenging board game experience on mobile devices, benefiting fans of strategic planning and conservation who are looking for a premium, ad-free experience. Compared to other Game Board category apps, Ark Nova stands out with its excellent user rating and lack of in-app purchases, but may fall short in terms of accessibility due to its paid model. The app's high rating and limited but positive download numbers suggest a dedicated user base. With its focus on planning, building, and conserving, Ark Nova offers a unique blend of strategy and management that sets it apart from more casual board game apps.

Pros

With a user rating of 4.8/5, Ark Nova demonstrates exceptional quality and user satisfaction, indicating a well-designed and engaging game experience.
The app's paid model, without ads or in-app purchases, provides a distraction-free experience that respects users' time and attention, aligning with the expectations of its target audience.
Dire Wolf Digital's reputation as a developer and the app's excellent rating suggest a commitment to updates and support, which is crucial for a game that requires strategic depth and potentially regular content additions.
The lack of permissions requested by the app is a significant advantage, as it ensures users' data privacy and security, making it an attractive option for those concerned about data collection.
Ark Nova's offline capability, implied by its lack of permissions and paid model, makes it an excellent choice for players who want to enjoy their games without internet connectivity.

Cons

The paid model, while offering a premium experience, might limit the app's accessibility to a wider audience, potentially excluding players who prefer free-to-play options or are hesitant to pay upfront for a game.
The relatively low download numbers, despite the excellent rating, might indicate limited visibility or marketing reach, which could impact the app's community and multiplayer aspects, if any.
There is a potential concern regarding the long-term support and updates for the game, as the developer's commitment to maintaining and expanding the game's content and features over time is crucial for its longevity and player retention.
The app's requirement for Android 10 might exclude users with older devices, limiting its compatibility and potential user base.

Best for: The ideal user for Ark Nova is a strategic thinker and board game enthusiast, likely an adult with some experience in planning and management games, who values premium, ad-free experiences and is willing to pay for high-quality content, and has a device compatible with Android 10 or later.

Developer Description

Plan, Build, Conserve

In Ark Nova, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo. With the ultimate goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment, you will build enclosures, accommodate animals, and support conservation projects all over the world. Specialists and unique buildings will help you in achieving this goal.

At the heart of Ark Nova are 255 cards featuring animals, specialists, unique enclosures, and conservation projects, each with a particular ability. Use them to increase the appeal and scientific reputation of your zoo and to collect conservation points. Each player has a set of action cards, which you will use and upgrade to carry out your plans.

Each player has a set of five action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. The cards are:

BUILD: Allows you to build standard or special enclosures, kiosks, and pavilions.

ANIMALS: Allows you to accommodate animals in your zoo.

CARDS: Allows you to gain new zoo cards (animals, sponsors, and conservation project cards).

ASSOCIATION: Allows your association workers to carry out different tasks.

SPONSORS: Allows you to play a sponsor card in your zoo or to raise money.

With high replayability and rich components, Ark Nova provides a remarkable gaming experience that will bring the game to the table again and again.

Privacy

Given that Ark Nova requests no permissions, the risk of data collection or privacy breaches appears to be minimal, making it a safe choice for users concerned about data privacy. However, as with any app, it's advisable to monitor the app's updates and any future permission requests. Users should also ensure they download the app from trusted sources to avoid potential security risks.

Tips

To get the most out of Ark Nova, users should start by exploring the game's tutorial or introductory levels to understand its mechanics and strategies. Regularly saving progress is also advisable, especially since the game can be played offline. For optimal performance, closing other resource-intensive apps while playing Ark Nova can help ensure a smooth gaming experience.

Version Information

Version: 1.0.5
Downloads: 5K+
Updated on: Sep 17, 2025
Released: Jun 11, 2025
Requires: Android 10

Statistics

Google Play Rating History

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Ark Nova - Google Play Rankings

Rank	Country	Category	List	Change
				—

No ranking data available yet. Rankings are updated daily.

#12 in Top Paid Board in United States

#11

Kingdomino - The Board Game

#12

Ark Nova

#13

Everdell

#2 in Top Paid Board in South Korea

MONOPOLY

Ark Nova

Rummikub

#4 in Top Paid Board in France

Dune: Imperium Digital

Ark Nova

Root Board Game

#6 in Top Paid Board in Japan

詰将棋

Ark Nova

Carcassonne: Tiles & Tactics

Ark Nova users say on Google Play

★★★★★

Jun Liang Tan

*Updated review to 5 stars on 4 Nov I can confirm that the developers have fixed the network connectivity issue and the game works flawlessly now. Really impressed by the responsiveness by the developers to address the issue -------------- Unable to play online due to frequent disconnections. This would not be a big issue if me and my players can reconnect.

★★★★

Akid Akram

3 feedbacks: 1. the rotation and confirmation button when building enclosure is not responsive, it immediately hover to the other spaces. I had to tried several times to get it on the correct spaces. hopefully can fix that on the update. 2. When an action is impossible, the game should prompt us on why it is not possible. 3. whenever we gain reputation or appeal, the score window should auto open so that we can see our marker move and see which effect we had triggered.

★★★

Rattenus Rattoonus

The buttons are sooooo small, even on my fold phone. The action cards/icons are soooo tiny when they could have just expanded to twice the size it to fit the bar they are in. All the icons are also soooooo small. Oh gosh. There's so much wasted space... CGE's Through the Ages is the gold standard. DireWolf, pls modify your UI to fit mobile. Let the players choose the large UI for 4:3 aspect ratio pls. Why is the UI size locked to different aspect ratios...

★★

Joshua Gouge

I'd planned on not purchasing anymore of these games because none of them fit the screen of my phone. I figured I'd try this newer game, simply getting a refund if it also didn't fit. I started the game and was extremely happy I was still seeing the game fit the screen perfectly... I turned off the game and the reasonable time to get a refund pass me by. I turned on the game today, happy it seemed to still fit. That is, up until the 2nd scene of the tutorial, and also during every game.