The Ludarium Academy · Masterclass · Free

Where the Tracks Cross

An unofficial Ark Nova course

Learn Ark Nova and teach it in one sitting, then play every action card, project, and sponsor with the crossing of the two tracks in mind.

Free, one short lesson at a time. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy

Ark Nova setup: the game board with the appeal and conservation tracks running toward each other, the 6-card display, the reputation and break tracks, the association board with base projects below, and your zoo map with 7 tokens, a kiosk, an empty 3-space enclosure, 1 worker, 25 money, and Animals in action slot 1.Free printable teach sheetSetup, a turn, scoring, and three tips on one page.

Six levels, 22 lessons

Start with lesson one

  1. Level 0 · Learn to play

    Volunteer

    After this level: Set up, teach, and finish a full game by the book, and read any animal, sponsor, or project card at a glance.

    1. 01How to Play Ark Nova
    2. 02How to Teach Ark Nova
    3. 03How to Read Ark Nova Cards: Animals, Sponsors, and Projects

  2. Level 1 · Beginner

    Keeper

    After this level: Dodge the common first-game traps, run your action row like a schedule, read the gap between your tracks, and lay out a zoo map that pays.

    1. 04Your First Three Games of Ark Nova: Mistakes and Fixes
    2. 05Ark Nova Action Cards: Rotation, Strength, and Upgrades
    3. 06Ark Nova Scoring: Appeal, Conservation, and the Crossing
    4. 07Building Your Ark Nova Zoo Map: Enclosures, Kiosks, and Bonuses

  3. Level 2 · Intermediate

    Curator

    After this level: Work conservation projects for points and bonuses, fund your zoo with sponsors and kiosks, and use reputation and your hand to see more of the display.

    1. 08Ark Nova Conservation Projects: Levels, Bonuses, and Races
    2. 09Ark Nova Sponsors and Money: Building an Economy
    3. 10Ark Nova Reputation: The Display, Universities, and Range
    4. 11Ark Nova Hand Management: What to Keep, Draw, and Snap

  4. Level 3 · Advanced

    Director

    After this level: Open with a plan for the first break, price any animal in gap closed per money and action, pick an advanced map, and time the crossing.

    1. 12Ark Nova Openings: A Plan for the First Break
    2. 13Pricing Ark Nova Animals: Gap Closed per Money and Action
    3. 14Ark Nova Advanced Zoo Maps: Choosing and Playing Them
    4. 15Ark Nova Endgame: Timing the Crossing

  5. Level 4 · Tournament ready

    Ranger

    After this level: Control the break, win the two-player race, steer your Final Scoring card, and drill the row in solo games.

    1. 16Ark Nova Break Timing: Who Gains When the Break Comes
    2. 17Two-Player Ark Nova Strategy: Winning the Duel
    3. 18Ark Nova Final Scoring Cards: Choosing and Steering Yours
    4. 19Solo Ark Nova as Practice: 27 Turns to Sharpen Your Row

  6. Level 5 · The championship path

    Steward

    After this level: Read every rival zoo at a four-player table, play ranked games online with a clock, and follow a practice plan toward WBC or a world championship qualifier.

    1. 20Competitive Ark Nova: Reading Opponents and Tournaments
    2. 21Ark Nova Online: Ranked Play, Clocks, and Reviewing Games
    3. 22A Practice Plan for Tournament Ark Nova

Every lesson is free to read here, any time. Sign up and they also arrive by email, one at a time, so the course keeps you learning between game nights.

Who it is for

  • New players who want the rules clear before the first enclosure goes down.
  • Hosts teaching Ark Nova to a group that has never opened the box.
  • Players who finish games but keep landing short of where their tracks cross.
  • Competitive players eyeing the online ladders, WBC, or the world championship qualifiers.
Players
1 to 4
Play time
90 to 150 minutes
Ages
Ages 14 and up
Rules as of
Ark Nova rulebook, English version 2.0 (Feuerland Spiele and Capstone Games), with the official Glossary, Icon Overview, and FAQ from Capstone's Ark Nova page

Questions

How does scoring work in Ark Nova?

Your appeal counter climbs one track while your conservation counter climbs toward it from the other end. At the end, add your appeal to the small number printed on your conservation space. Each conservation point counts for 2 appeal up to 10 points, then 3 each after that.

When does Ark Nova end?

When any player's appeal and conservation counters sit in the same scoring area or pass each other. If that happens at the end of your turn, every other player takes one more turn and you do not. If it happens during a break, everyone takes one more turn.

How do the action cards work in Ark Nova?

You have five action cards in slots numbered 1 to 5, and the slot number is the action's strength. After you use a card, it moves to slot 1 and the cards that were to its left slide one slot right. Actions you leave alone never lose strength and usually climb while they wait.

Which zoo map should you use in your first game?

Map A. All four copies are identical and give a generous start. Move to Map 0 after your first game, then to the advanced maps 1 to 8, which each have their own special ability.

Can you play Ark Nova solo?

Yes. The rulebook has solo rules: there is no Break token, a solo tile times the breaks, and you start at 20 appeal. You win with at least 100 points. Starting at 10 or 0 appeal makes it harder.

Is there an Ark Nova world championship?

Yes. Feuerland Spiele has announced a world championship in Berlin on July 9 and 10, 2027, for four qualified players. Seats come from a World Series of Board Gaming event, the Ark Nova Digital app, and Board Game Arena.

Teach sheet · PDF · Rules as described in the Ark Nova rulebook, English version 2.0 (Feuerland Spiele and Capstone Games), with the official Glossary, Icon Overview, and FAQ from Capstone's Ark Nova page; official rules.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with Feuerland Spiele or Capstone Games. Ark Nova is a trademark of Feuerland Spiele.