Desert Ark is a desert-greening survival game that blends card-based strategy with base building, featuring a dual‑loop structure: a World Map (macro‑cycle) and an Oasis Building (micro‑cycle).
World Map (Macro‑Cycle)
The game starts from the Spirit Tree at the center of the world map. Players must select plots on the edge of the tree's 3×3 influence zone to build oases outward.
Each oasis construction consumes in‑game days, advancing the countdown to the apocalypse sandstorm (a 365‑day cycle).
When the sandstorm strikes, all oases outside the Spirit Tree's range are destroyed.
By constructing oases, players obtain building resources used to erect beneficial structures (e.g., Botanical Gardens, Well) and upgrade the tech tree. The tech tree is unlocked by the Spirit Tree's level and provides meta‑progression across runs.
Oasis Building (Micro‑Cycle)
Each oasis construction is an independent strategic session:
Turn‑based time system: 6 turns per day (3 day + 3 night), with dynamic day‑night lighting as turns progress.
Card planting: Drag plant cards from your hand onto the sand grid; each planting consumes water and action points. Plants have stats such as growth value, greening value, windbreak value, and harvest counts.
Barrenness & Greening: The farther a tile is from the spring, the higher its barrenness. At the end of each day, barrenness damages the spring. Mature plants provide greening value to offset barrenness.
Sandstorm system: Periodic sandstorms bring walls of wind and sand. Plants can resist them using their windbreak value; if the sandstorm breaks through the defense, it directly damages the spring.
Three‑choice & events: At the start of the session, players pick one of three cards. Random weather events occur each day, influencing the battlefield.
Plant Types
19 distinctive plants are divided into six categories: Shrubs, Vines, Cacti, Trees, Flowers, and Fruits. They feature unique abilities such as water capture, sand fixation, windbreaking, and extending day/night durations.
Special Mechanics
Batch planting: Hold Shift to quickly plant in bulk.
Harvest & propagation: Harvestable plants yield extra cards; harvesting Chaos Fruit triggers a three‑choice bonus.
Codex system: Records all plants and their stats.
Multiple difficulty levels: Easy / Normal / Hard affect map size, sandstorm intensity, score multiplier, and more.