- BGG rating
- 6.5
Ark Extra Mix
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,124
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Ark
2005
Rules assistance for Ark
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Ark
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ark is a board game released in 2005 for 3–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Doris Matthäus and Frank Nestel and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Open Drafting.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Arche Extra Mix 2
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2012
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About the game
Noah is tearing out his beard as he doesn't have much time left to finish loading his ark. After all, the clouds are gathering and the rain could come at anytime. Meanwhile, the animals are gathering before the ark and waiting to be told who goes in which stalls. A handful of people have showed up to offer help, but they look like gamblers and game players! In Ark, the players need to help load animals and supplies into Noah's ark in preparation for the rains to come – but you can't just shove animals into stalls willy-nilly. If the meat eaters are boarded with plant eaters, you won't have those plant eaters around by the time the water recedes. Animals from cold and warm climates also need to be bunked separately so that they can all be comfortable. On top of all that, you have to worry about the weight of the animals; load too many on one side of the ark and you'll all be treading water for the next forty days and forty nights... The game consists of cards, animal tokens, and "action" discs. Your goal is to place your animal tokens (as victory points) based on characteristics of the animal and provision cards loaded on the "ark". Each player takes turns either placing cards or drawing cards from a face-up draft pile (Card Drafting) and the supply stack. Each card has characteristics (such as the animal size, diet, climate, scoring category, and special ability). Animals and provisions must be placed according to rules that prevent animals from eating each other, eating the supplies, or tipping the "ark" with their combined weight. When a card is played, the player may place a "victory point" animal token on one of the 5 scoring category cards. In this way, the game combines Tile Placement of the cards with Set Collection for types of victory points. The game ends when a fifth "Rain Card", somewhat randomly shuffled into the deck, is drawn. Players then score points for their animal tokens, and bonus points for having the most or second most tokens per category.
Designers
Publishers
- PS-Games
- Wargames Club Publishing
- Rio Grande Games
- Doris & Frank
Questions and answers
Ark supports 3–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Ark is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ark for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ark has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ark belongs to these categories: Animals and Religious. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Open Drafting. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ark are: Doris Matthäus and Frank Nestel. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ark as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.