Sanctuary
2025Mathias Wigge
- Videos
- 57
- Creators
- 43
Mainly reviews. Sanctuary is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 27 reviews, 10 how-to-play guides, 8 recorded sessions, 9 unboxings, and 3 other videos.
1 - 5 players
40 - 100 min
Medium weight: Teach it in one sitting
From BoardGameGeek
In Sanctuary, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically-managed zoo for animals and visitors. A supply of 135 unique zoo tiles provides you with animals, buildings, and projects. In every game, you want to find the best mix from those available to build the most successful zoological establishment. Different effects on the tiles will help you to achieve conservation goals and to increase the attraction of your zoo. Each player has a set of four action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. One of those cards will let you play projects, and the other three cards will let you play animals of a specific habitat: forest, rock, or water. Sanctuary is based on its predecessor Ark Nova, but modifies and simplifies many of the mechanisms of that game in an elegant and surprising manner. Your goal to find the best way to puzzle together your animals, buildings, and projects on your zoo map is an ongoing pleasure! -description from the publisher
Watch first
Which Sanctuary video should I watch?
Sanctuary has 57 videos from 43 creators: 27 reviews, 10 how-to-play guides, 8 playthroughs, 9 unboxings and 3 other videos. They date from 2025 to August 2026.
To learn the rules, start with "Sanctuary | How to Play | Learn to Play in 12 Minutes!" by kovray, which runs 12 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Sanctuary: An Ark Nova Game the big question of course: this or Ark Nova?" by Rahdo Runs Through. 23 creators have reviewed it. To see it played, watch "Let's Play SANCTUARY - Detailed Gameplay!" by Man vs Meeple, one of 8 playthroughs.
If you like it, try Ark Nova, Ark Nova: Marine Worlds, Ark Nova: Zoo Map Pack 1 and Ark Nova: Zoo Map Pack 2, also by Mathias Wigge. It appears in convention videos from Gen Con 2025.
All videos
8 of 43
Creators who cover this
Merry Married Meeples
4 videos of this game
ThisBoardGameLife
3 videos of this game
DaniCha
2 videos of this game
Grant Lyon
2 videos of this game
Man vs Meeple
2 videos of this game
Meeple University
2 videos of this game
Mel's Board Game Room
2 videos of this game
No Fluff Solo Gaming with John LaRuffa
2 videos of this game
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2023Mathias Wigge
- Videos
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- Creators
- 43
Mostly reviews and unboxings
1 - 4 players90 - 150 minHeavy weight
2022Mathias Wigge
- Videos
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- Creators
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Mostly reviews and unboxings
1 - 4 players90 - 150 minHeavy weight
2024Mathias Wigge
- Videos
- 1
- Creators
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How-to-play
1 - 4 players90 - 150 minHeavy weight
About Sanctuary
From BoardGameGeek:
In Sanctuary, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically-managed zoo for animals and visitors. A supply of 135 unique zoo tiles provides you with animals, buildings, and projects. In every game, you want to find the best mix from those available to build the most successful zoological establishment. Different effects on the tiles will help you to achieve conservation goals and to increase the attraction of your zoo. Each player has a set of four action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. One of those cards will let you play projects, and the other three cards will let you play animals of a specific habitat: forest, rock, or water. Sanctuary is based on its predecessor Ark Nova, but modifies and simplifies many of the mechanisms of that game in an elegant and surprising manner. Your goal to find the best way to puzzle together your animals, buildings, and projects on your zoo map is an ongoing pleasure! -description from the publisher
Designer
Mathias Wigge
Artists
Dennis Lohausen, Christof Tisch, Felix Wermke
Publisher
Feuerland Spiele
Categories
Mechanics