Comparison

Ark Nova vs Hive® Game

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

Head to head
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.

About

Hive® Game

Experience the award-winning strategy board game digitally. This app offers a faithful adaptation of the classic game, featuring challenging AI, all official expansions, and customizable visuals. Perfect for both new players and seasoned veterans.

Highlights
  • Official Hive® rules and design
  • Includes all three official expansions
  • Advanced RustyBlade™ AI
  • Adjustable difficulty for beginners
  • Video tutorial by game creator
  • Customizable visual settings
  • Local network play
Features
Read full description

"What impresses me most about this Hive® app is how the AI plays with true strategic depth—enough to challenge even seasoned Hive veterans. The developers have captured the purity of the game beautifully: no clutter, no distractions, just clean design that lets the elegance of Hive shine through. A thoughtful, well-crafted adaptation." – John Yianni, creator of Hive® The award-winning tabletop classic Hive® is now in your pocket. Created with the blessing of the game’s designer, John Yianni, this app delivers a clean, focused, and beautifully polished digital Hive® experience. Hive® is a captivating strategy game often described as “nature’s chess.” There is no board — the game itself is built from the creatures you place. Your goal is simple: surround your opponent’s Queen Bee while keeping your own safe. Easy to learn, endlessly deep to master. OFFICIAL HIVE® EXPERIENCE Faithful to the vision of its original designer, this app captures the award-winning rules and timeless elegance of Hive® without compromise. THE COMPLETE HIVE® Play Hive® exactly as intended. Alongside the base game, all three official expansion pieces are included: Mosquito, Ladybug, and Pillbug. THE RUSTYBLADE™ AI Don’t settle for predictable opponents. RustyBlade™ is a bold, aggressive AI engine that plays with initiative and intent. It doesn’t aim for safe draws — it fights for victory. Expect intense, uncompromising strategic battles. PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS TOO New to Hive®? The fully adjustable difficulty lets RustyBlade™ become a patient training partner. Learn the ropes with a video tutorial by John Yianni (the creator of Hive), while the illustrated rulebook and Undo feature allow you to learn, experiment, and improve without pressure. ELEGANT & FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE A sleek design that adapts to your style. Choose your preferred board orientation (flat or pointy-top), select custom colors, and adjust wood grain intensity. Responsive controls, subtle animations, and haptic feedback ensure a smooth, immersive experience that brings the hive to life. UNIVERSAL PURCHASE Unlock the Elite Edition once and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. ELITE EDITION: - Full access to all official expansions: Mosquito, Ladybug, and Pillbug. - Test your skills against advanced RustyBlade™ AI difficulty levels. - Personalize your experience with premium backgrounds and visual settings. - Detailed player statistics. - Game Center support (friend-invite matches only). - Local network play over the same Wi-Fi network. - Family Sharing: Share the Elite experience with your family at no extra cost. The Hive is humming. The army is ready. Are you? Official Website: https://hivegameapp.com

Screenshots

Ark Nova4 screens
Hive® Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Hive® Game at Free against Ark Nova's $7.99. Ark Nova's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads 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

Hive® Game is free to download; Ark Nova costs $7.99 up front. Hive® Game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ark Nova asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 280 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Ark Nova's written reviews are positive against 65% of Hive® Game's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ark Nova ships an update every 2 weeks, Hive® Game every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Ark Nova versus Hive® Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArk NovaHive® Game
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.2K ratings) — better4.5 (280 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews — better64.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K — better280
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#33 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size682 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDire Wolf DigitalGiantStep Kft.

Customer experience

Ark Nova

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

Hive® Game

All ratings280 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral4.3%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews96 reviews
Positive64.6%
Neutral11.5%
Negative24.0%

Bugs and 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

Hive® Game

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Ark Nova

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Hive® Game

One-time1
  • Elite Edition$9.99

Questions

Is Ark Nova free?
Ark Nova costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hive® Game free?
Hive® Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ark Nova or Hive® Game?
Ark Nova is rated higher. Ark Nova averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Hive® Game averages 4.5 from 280 ratings.
Do Ark Nova or Hive® Game have ads?
Neither Ark Nova nor Hive® Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ark Nova or Hive® Game?
Ark Nova ships an update every 2 weeks, and Hive® Game every 11 days. Most recently, Ark Nova was updated on October 1, 2026 and Hive® Game on September 29, 2026.

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