Sanctuary: A Strategic Zoo-Building Spin-Off

Sanctuary arrives as a strategic spin-off to the acclaimed board game Ark Nova, offering a more accessible entry point into the world of zoo-building and conservation. While its predecessor is known for its complexity and length, this new title aims to retain the core appeal with a streamlined design.

The game challenges players to construct a personal zoo using a system of hex tiles and dynamic action cards. It presents a compelling puzzle where every decision matters, forcing a delicate balance between specializing in certain animal types and diversifying to meet conservation goals.

The game arrives in a substantial box, its weight immediately signaling the contents within. The primary components are sheets of large, punch-out cardboard hexes, each illustrated with photo-art of animals, zoo staff, and relevant buildings. This visual style effectively reinforces the theme of building something tangible and real.

Each player receives a plastic rack to organize their hand of hex tiles during play. The set also includes thick cardboard action cards and two central boards: one for tracking objectives and another for the tile market. The market board requires minor assembly, with folded edges to keep tiles secure.

Players build their zoos on a two-sided hex map. Unlike the parent game, all participants use the same map layout during a session, choosing one side or the other. The icons on the tiles may seem confusing at first, but they consolidate all game-state information in one place once the rules are understood.

• Large punch-out cardboard hexes with photo-art
• Plastic racks for organizing player hands
• Thick cardboard action cards
• Two central boards for objectives and market
• Two-sided personal zoo maps for each player

Sanctuary significantly simplifies the rules compared to Ark Nova, a fact made clear by comparing their respective rulebooks. The parent game's 20-page manual is reduced to a modest eight pages, complete with helpful examples. The most notable simplification is the removal of separate animal and enclosure tiles; here, every tile represents a complete element.

The game's central engine is the action card system. Players have four different actions arranged in a queue from weakest to strongest. When an action is used, it operates at its current level before sliding to the weakest position, causing the other cards to slide up one rank.

Each action allows players to place tiles onto their zoo map. Three actions correspond to different animal habitats, while the fourth is for "projects" like researchers or conservation efforts. Tiles have strength requirements, meaning the action card used must be at that level or higher to play them.

When you use one, it operates at a “level” equal to its current position in the queue. Then it moves into the weakest slot and the other cards all slide up one rank.

Building a successful zoo requires navigating a web of placement rules and competing goals. Many tiles have adjacency requirements, needing to be placed next to specific icons or empty spaces, which can be created by playing face-down tiles from your hand. The primary objective is to increase your zoo's appeal, which functions as your victory point tally.

Appeal can be gained from tiles in two ways: a fixed value or a bonus based on the number of adjacent matching icons. A key source of points comes from satisfying randomly drawn conservation objectives. To claim these, you must have a matching number of animal type and continent icons in your zoo.

Conservation markers are powerful tokens that can substitute for a missing icon. They are earned by placing matching male and female animal tiles of the same species next to each other, or from certain project tiles. This creates a central tension in the game.

• Specializing in specific animal types rewards you with tile bonuses.
• Diversifying your zoo is necessary to claim conservation objectives.
• Each conservation objective level can only be claimed once per game.
• Conservation markers can fill gaps in your collection.

This tension is intensified by the rule that each level of a conservation bonus can only be claimed once. If you claim a two-bird objective, you cannot later claim a five-bird objective using the same animal type. You must either use a different animal or rely on those precious conservation tokens to make up the difference.

Despite being a non-interactive game where players focus on their own maps, Sanctuary generates surprising tension. The game functions as a race, with play ending when someone either fills their entire map or collects all five conservation objectives. This creates a constant sense of urgency.

Tile acquisition is a critical part of the puzzle. At the start of a turn, a player must take one tile from the six in the display. However, there is a restriction: the tile can only be taken from a queue position up to the current level of the player's projects action card. This makes the projects action particularly important for controlling your options.

After this initial draw, a player takes an official action. Using an animal action provides two random tiles, while the projects action allows a player to choose one tile directly from the display. This system ensures that every turn is a calculated decision, balancing immediate needs with long-term strategy.

The whole thing is a mess of competing priorities that can make the game surprisingly tense for what is essentially an un-interactive game where you’re focused on building out your own map.

Sanctuary successfully carves out its own identity as a strategic, standalone experience. It captures the thematic joy of zoo-building while introducing a fresh, streamlined puzzle. The core challenge of balancing specialization against the diverse demands of conservation objectives provides a satisfying intellectual exercise.

The game's design encourages thoughtful planning and adaptation, rewarding players who can navigate its competing priorities. While it shares DNA with its famous predecessor, it stands on its own as a compelling choice for those who enjoy strategic tile-laying games.

For enthusiasts of the zoo management theme or those seeking a rich puzzle without the heavy time commitment of its parent game, Sanctuary offers a rewarding and engaging experience. It is a worthy addition to any game collection.