Comparison

Tantrix.com vs Ark Nova

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tantrix.com

A strategic puzzle game where players connect hexagonal tiles with colored paths. Compete against others online or a robot opponent, testing your spatial reasoning and planning skills.

Highlights
  • Hexagonal tile-based gameplay
  • Strategic path connection
  • Online multiplayer
  • Robot opponent
  • Develops strategic thinking
  • Enhances spatial ability
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Tantrix.com - a spatial game of colour and strategy - now available on iPad! This fascinating New Zealand game was invented in 1988 and has since won numerous awards worldwide for its quality, beauty and elegance. It consists of 56 unique hexagonal tiles connected by red, green, blue and yellow paths. Players must try to block or control their opponents path-colour while simultaneously growing their own. Online Tantrix has been available for nearly 20 years, and now with this app you can compete against the international Tantrix community on your mobile. Or challenge the resident robot opponent to a game anytime! Tantrix is simple enough to learn, yet with the possibility to be infinitely complex. Unlike conventional strategy games such as chess, in Tantrix the ratio of skill and luck varies from game to game. The best player usually wins, but not always! Great for training strategic thinking, spatial ability, problem solving, planning and also memory skills.

About

Ark Nova

Design and manage a modern zoo to support global conservation efforts. Build enclosures, house animals, and utilize unique cards for special abilities. Compete to create the most successful zoological establishment.

Highlights
  • Plan and design a modern zoo
  • Build enclosures and accommodate animals
  • Support global conservation projects
  • Utilize 255 unique cards (animals, specialists, projects)
  • Upgrade action cards for gameplay
  • Increase zoo appeal and scientific reputation
Features
Read full description

Plan and build a modern, scientifically managed zoo to support conservation projects in an acclaimed strategy board game. In Ark Nova, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo. With the ultimate goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment, you will build enclosures, accommodate animals, and support conservation projects all over the world. Specialists and unique buildings will help you in achieving this goal. At the heart of Ark Nova are 255 cards featuring animals, specialists, unique enclosures, and conservation projects, each with a particular ability. Use them to increase the appeal and scientific reputation of your zoo and to collect conservation points. Each player has a set of action cards, which you will use and upgrade to carry out your plans. Each player has a set of five action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. The cards are: BUILD: Allows you to build standard or special enclosures, kiosks, and pavilions. ANIMALS: Allows you to accommodate animals in your zoo. CARDS: Allows you to gain new zoo cards (animals, sponsors, and conservation project cards). ASSOCIATION: Allows your association workers to carry out different tasks. SPONSORS: Allows you to play a sponsor card in your zoo or to raise money. With high replayability and rich components, Ark Nova provides a remarkable gaming experience that will bring the game to the table again and again.

Screenshots

Tantrix.com1 screens
Ark Nova4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tantrix.com at Free against Ark Nova's $7.99. Ark Nova's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 5). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Tantrix.com is free to download; Ark Nova costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.2K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Tantrix.com's written reviews are positive against 72% of Ark Nova's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Tantrix.com versus Ark Nova: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTantrix.comArk Nova
PriceFree — better$7.99
Rating3.6 (5 ratings)4.8 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.8% of reviews72.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings51.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#22 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB682 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDave DyerDire Wolf Digital

Customer experience

Tantrix.com

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive53.8%
Neutral15.4%
Negative30.8%

Ark Nova

All ratings1,190 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews127 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral11.0%
Negative16.5%

Bugs and requests

Tantrix.com

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Ark Nova

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • iPad Flash exit issue
  • Rewards screen being blocked by other UI elements

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to enable larger UI buttons for modal panels
  • Full screen mode
  • Option to reverse zoom direction
  • Improved card readability/zoom

In-app purchases

None

Tantrix.com

No in-app purchases

None

Ark Nova

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tantrix.com free?
Tantrix.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ark Nova free?
Ark Nova costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tantrix.com or Ark Nova?
Ark Nova is rated higher. Tantrix.com averages 3.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Ark Nova averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Tantrix.com or Ark Nova have ads?
Neither Tantrix.com nor Ark Nova shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tantrix.com or Ark Nova?
Tantrix.com ships an update every 2 weeks, and Ark Nova every 2 weeks. Most recently, Tantrix.com was updated on October 1, 2026 and Ark Nova on October 5, 2026.

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