As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Terraforming Mars vs Ark Nova (2026): these are two of the most popular big-box strategy games of the last decade, and both are built around huge decks of unique cards that combine into an engine. Terraforming Mars has you turn a red planet green as a corporation. Ark Nova has you build a modern zoo and fund conservation projects. They scratch a similar itch, but they feel quite different on the table. Here is how they compare on play time, complexity, player count, solo play and price.
Best pick for most groups: Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is easier to teach, seats up to five and has a shared race on the global parameters that keeps everyone involved. It is our pick unless your group already loves heavy games.
Price band: $30+ (about $64) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Terraforming Mars vs Ark Nova at a glance
Both are excellent; pick the one that fits your table.
- Easier teach, up to 5: Terraforming Mars — engine building on Mars (about $64)
- Deeper, up to 4: Ark Nova — zoo building with an action card row (about $75)
How Terraforming Mars plays
Each generation, players draft or buy new project cards, then take turns playing cards and using standard projects until everyone passes. Your production of money, steel, titanium, plants, energy and heat pays out at the end of each generation. Raising temperature, oxygen or ocean coverage earns terraform rating, which is both your income and your score. The game ends when all three parameters reach their targets.
How Ark Nova plays
You have five action cards in a row: Cards, Build, Animals, Association and Sponsors. The card you use gets stronger the further it sits to the right, and after using it, it moves back to the first space. That timing puzzle sits on top of a deck of more than 250 unique animal, sponsor and conservation cards. Two tracks, appeal and conservation, move toward each other, and the game ends when a player's markers cross.
Terraforming Mars and Ark Nova compared
| Terraforming Mars | Ark Nova | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 1–5 | 1–4 |
| Play time | About 2 hours | 90–150 minutes |
| Age rating | 12+ | 14+ |
| Core idea | Raise global parameters and build production | Build a zoo and fund conservation |
| Turn feel | Play cards until you pass | Pick one of five action cards |
| Interaction | Shared board, some direct attacks | Shared association board, little direct conflict |
| Solo mode | Yes, race the clock | Yes, beat a score target |
| Price | about $64 | about $75 |
Complexity and teaching
Terraforming Mars can be taught in about 20 minutes. Most confusion comes from card text, and new players settle in after a generation or two. Ark Nova takes longer to teach because each of the five actions has its own rules, and the scoring tracks are unusual. Expect your first Ark Nova game to run well past two hours. In exchange, Ark Nova offers more planning and fewer turns where you feel stuck.
Theme and table presence
Animal lovers often choose Ark Nova on theme alone: watching your zoo fill with enclosures, reptiles and primates is satisfying. Terraforming Mars has a science-fiction setting with a shared planet board that fills with cities, forests and oceans as everyone plays. Some players find its card art plain, but the shared map makes up for it.
Who should buy Terraforming Mars, and who should buy Ark Nova
- Choose Terraforming Mars if you play with four or five people, want a shorter teach or enjoy a shared race to finish the planet.
- Choose Ark Nova if you have a steady group of two to four heavy-game fans who like long planning turns and very little luck.
- Mostly playing alone? Both have strong solo modes. Our solo board games list covers more.
Expansions and long-term value
Both games have strong expansions, but neither needs one. Terraforming Mars adds new maps, a drafting variant and extra corporations through several boxes, while Ark Nova's expansion brings new animals and zoo maps. Start with the base game and wait until you have played it five or six times before buying more.
Can you play Ark Nova if you liked Terraforming Mars?
Yes, and many players move from one to the other. If you enjoyed building an engine of cards in Terraforming Mars, Ark Nova scratches the same itch with more control. If Ark Nova felt too long, Terraforming Mars is the friendlier choice for regular game nights. Groups that love both often keep Terraforming Mars for bigger tables and save Ark Nova for evenings with two or three dedicated players.
Terraforming Mars and Ark Nova questions
Is Ark Nova harder than Terraforming Mars?
Yes. Ark Nova has more rules and a longer first game, though many players find it smoother once learned.
Which is better for five players?
Terraforming Mars, because Ark Nova tops out at four.
Which has better solo play?
Both are well regarded. Ark Nova's solo mode is closer to the multiplayer game, while Terraforming Mars asks you to finish the planet within a set number of generations.
