Comparison

Arkham Cards 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

Arkham Cards

Manage your investigator decks, track campaign progress, and explore game mechanics. This tool helps you build valid decks, log scenario results, and even simulate chaos bag draws. It's designed to enhance your gameplay experience for a popular card game.

Highlights
  • Deck creation and editing
  • Campaign progress tracking
  • Automatic campaign log
  • Investigator trauma management
  • Digital chaos bag simulation
  • Advanced card search
Features
Read full description

Create and edit decks for all of your investigators -- it will even check the deck-building rules to keep you honest. You can also group together decks into campaigns to track your progress combatting evils. The app can be used with local decks, or you can link your ArkhamDB account to sync changes on the go. • App can walk you through the setup + resolution of most campaigns, while maintaining the campaign log automatically. • Edit and upgrade your investigator's decks, either offline or by linking your ArkhamDB account. • Track scenario results and keep the campaign log up to date. • Keep track of investigator trauma and assign new random basic weaknesses as you take on new madnesses. • Draw tokens from the digital chaos bag, and calculate the odds of success before you do. • Use the advanced card search to search by trait, health, shroud etc. A great tool if you ever need to evaluate how many 'non-elite' enemies can be targeted by a card or know which locations a Flashlight wielding Zoey can actually stand a chance at investigating. Arkham Cards is not affiliated or endorsed by Arkham Horror: The Card Game, (c) 2016 Fantasy Flight Games.

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

Arkham Cards4 screens
Ark Nova4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Arkham Cards at Free against Ark Nova's $10.99. Arkham Cards also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (91% vs 73%). Ark Nova's advantage is chart position (#25 vs unranked) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 242). On rating, 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

Arkham Cards is free to download; Ark Nova costs $10.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Arkham Cards against 4.9 for Ark Nova. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 242, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Arkham Cards's written reviews are positive against 73% of Ark Nova's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Arkham Cards ships an update every 5 days, Ark Nova every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Arkham Cards versus Ark Nova: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArkham CardsArk Nova
PriceFree — better$10.99
Rating5.0 (242 ratings) — better4.9 (1.3K ratings)
Positive reviews91.5% of reviews — better73.1% of reviews
Number of ratings2421.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#25 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size334 MB682 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDaniel SalinasDire Wolf Digital

Customer experience

Arkham Cards

All ratings242 ratings
Positive98.8%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews164 reviews
Positive91.5%
Neutral3.7%
Negative4.9%

Ark Nova

All ratings1,262 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews134 reviews
Positive73.1%
Neutral10.4%
Negative16.4%

Bugs and requests

Arkham Cards

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

Arkham Cards

No in-app purchases

None

Ark Nova

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Arkham Cards free?
Arkham Cards is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ark Nova free?
Ark Nova costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Arkham Cards or Ark Nova?
Arkham Cards is rated higher. Arkham Cards averages 5.0 out of 5 from 242 ratings, while Ark Nova averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.
Do Arkham Cards or Ark Nova have ads?
Neither Arkham Cards nor Ark Nova shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Arkham Cards or Ark Nova?
Arkham Cards ships an update every 5 days, and Ark Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Arkham Cards was updated on October 25, 2026 and Ark Nova on October 25, 2026.

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