- BGG rating
- 7.0
Hidden Ark: Extinct in the Wild Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,382
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Hidden Ark
2023
Rules assistance for Hidden Ark
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Hidden Ark
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hidden Ark is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Tobias Hall and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Grid Movement, and Solo / Solitaire Game.
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About the game
Hundreds of fish species are today critically endangered. To make a difference, The Hidden Ark initiative was formed. An alliance of science groups coming together from all over the world, dedicated to make a change and save species from complete extinction. The obstacles are plenty and fundings will be hard to come by. Research and expert knowledge in different areas will be needed, as well as an infrastructure around the world and coordinated rescue operations on the vast oceans. Are you up for the task? Hidden Ark is a board game about making a change! As one of the Hidden Ark science teams, you're committed to the rescue cause and will lead your team to be as successful as possible! You will build science stations, send out your vessels on rescue operations, and evolve your expertise in different fields. In the game, the players will draft opportunity tokens supplying them with different research studies, funding and technological upgrades. They will then choose an action row on their player board and perform all available actions. Actions include building science stations or rescue vessels, researching different areas of science, upgrading your player board, and moving your vessels to perform rescue operations. To perform a rescue operation, a player must move their rescue vessel onto a species card on the game board and meet the cards research requirements. If successful, the player has saved the species and will keep the card for points and benefits. Throughout the game you will increase your research abilities, expand your armada of rescue vessels and science stations, and upgrade your Player Board with new abilities to make your action rows even more powerful. The game ends when there are no more opportunity tokens to draft, and the player with the most victory points from cards, upgrades, awards, science stations & rescue vessels, will win the game! –description from the designer
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- All Or None Games
Questions and answers
Hidden Ark supports 1–4 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 Hidden Ark is 60–90 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 Hidden Ark for ages 10 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.
Hidden Ark has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Hidden Ark belongs to these categories: Animals, Nautical, and Environmental. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Grid Movement, and Solo / Solitaire Game. 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 Hidden Ark are: Tobias Hall. 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 Hidden 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.