Ark Nova

Set up the main game board and the association board. Place the break token on the designated space on the break track according to the number of players. Shuffle the nine bonus tiles and place one face-up on each of the four designated spaces on the main board, leaving the first two spaces empty. Shuffle the zoo cards to form a face-down deck and place it on the main board. Deal six zoo cards face-up to the display area. Place the two organizers with all tokens and tiles in the general reserve. Place one partner zoo token from each continent and one university token of each type on the designated spaces on the association board. Shuffle the main conservation project cards and place them face-down next to the association board. Deal three face-up main conservation project cards below the association board (four for a 4-player game). Place player tokens on the leftmost spaces of the Appeal, Conservation, and Reputation tracks. Each player chooses a zoo map (Map A is recommended for first games) and receives a set of five action cards, four association workers, 25 coins, and two end-game scoring cards. Each player draws eight zoo cards, keeps four, and discards the rest. Place seven cubes from your personal supply on the leftmost spaces of your zoo map's bonus track. Place your four association workers on the designated spaces on your zoo map. Place your coins on your zoo map's notepad.

The objective of Ark Nova is to build the most successful zoo. Success is measured by two main tracks: Appeal and Conservation. Players start with their Appeal and Conservation markers at opposite ends of their respective tracks on the main board. The goal is to advance these markers towards each other until they cross. Once the markers cross, the game end is triggered, and final scoring begins. Players also earn points from end-game scoring cards and other sources to determine the ultimate winner.

Ark Nova does not have a fixed number of rounds. Instead, players take turns performing actions until the game end is triggered. On your turn, you must choose one of your five action cards from your player board to perform. Each action card has a power level (1-5) indicated by its position on your player board. To perform an action, slide the chosen card to position 1 on your player board, and slide all other cards one position to the right. The power of the action is determined by the position from which the card was played. You can increase the power of an action by spending X-tokens. After performing the action, you may trigger additional effects or bonuses. The game continues with the next player in clockwise order. A 'break' occurs when the break token reaches the end of its track, triggering specific clean-up and income phases for all players.

The game ends when any player's Appeal and Conservation markers cross paths on the main board. The current player finishes their turn, and all other players get one final turn. Then, final scoring begins. Players calculate their final score by subtracting their Appeal score from their Conservation score. Additionally, players score points from their end-game scoring cards, which provide points based on various criteria such as the number of specific animal types, unique buildings, or partner zoos. Any remaining money, X-tokens, or unplayed cards may also contribute to the final score as specified by the rules or end-game cards. The player with the highest positive score wins. In case of a tie, the player who has supported the most conservation projects wins. If there's still a tie, tied players share the victory.

The game concludes when a player's Appeal and Conservation markers cross paths on the main board. This event triggers the end of the game. The current player completes their turn, and then every other player around the table gets one final turn. After all players have taken their last turn, the game proceeds to the final scoring phase. During this phase, players calculate their total victory points based on their Appeal and Conservation scores, as well as any points awarded by their end-game scoring cards. The player with the highest positive score is declared the winner.