Best Ark Map: Features, Creatures, Weather And More

The current version of Ark: Survival Evolved features ten maps that consist of different environments, terrain, creatures, prehistoric animals, extreme weather, and much more. The Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, or Ragnarok, which one do you think is the best Ark map? Well, we have broken down the details and of each one and entail everything you should know about them.

Best Ark Maps To Explore

Ranking maps is a hard task as everyone has their own opinions and choices. Every map is different than the other one and offers certain liberties and limitations that others may not have. Some players may like one aspect of the map, while a few of them might completely hate it for that reason. Likewise, some players may like an easy and explorable map, as opposed to a challenging map that tests a player’s skills.

Regardless of personal preferences, it all depends on your taste when it comes to exploring the unique maps of Ark: Survival Evolved. However, we have listed every Ark map with its pros and cons. So, here are some things you need to know before choosing the map

The Island

The Island is the most common map among players as it is the first map you play on. This was the first canon map introduced in the game. It is great for new players to establish their skills and make their way to the top of the food chain. The Island map is also highly regarded as an arena for PvP battles due to the relatively small size of the map, fewer hiding places, and no real weather challenges. It is also known to be a great spot to farm Silica Pearls. The Island has many caves and other places to explore to gain experience and learn everything about the basics of the game.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: There are a total of 123 creatures that spawn on The Island.
• Event Creatures: Players will find 17 creatures altogether while taking part in events.
• Explorer Notes and Dossiers: These notes have plenty of useful info that helps us on many occasions. These can be found scattered anywhere around The Island. 
• Artifacts: In this map, you can find ten different artifacts all over the place.
• Weather: There are two kinds of weather on this map and those are rain and fog. Rain can be used to store water while in the fog; laying low is the best option (as you can’t see much happening ahead).

  

Scorched Earth

Set in the Desert, Scorched Earth is another canon map that was released and added to the game in September 2016. It is regarded as one of the toughest maps to play. With scorching heat and disastrous conditions, you have to bear the risk of heatstroke and dust storms status effects.

Players must be careful while building shelter and must keep an eye while consuming energy you’re conserving, such as keeping thirst, stamina, hunger, etc., in check. Any reckless action while roaming Scorched Earth can be the cause of your death.

Scorched Earth is a small map, meaning it can be explored quite easily, and many things can be farmed; the easiest of all will be farming oil.

The game has provided us with new items that can help us in these tough conditions and get us through our journey. Scorched Earth is considered the second hardest map to play on.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: In this map, players will find 49 different creatures roaming around the map.
• Unique Creatures: In addition to normal creatures, 18 unique creatures are also present in Scorched Earth.
• Event Creatures: Scorched Earth has only ten event creatures. They spawn whenever there is a timed event.
• Explorer notes and Dossiers: These too can be found in different places on the map. Keep on the lookout for them.
• Weather: Extremely hot weather regardless of where you go.
• Weapons and tools: Players can get access to 15 different weapons, armor, and tools.

  

Aberration

First released in December 2017 with a price tag of $19.99, Aberration is a canon map with tons of content to explore. Since its release, it has been considered the hardest ark map to play. Set up in a place where the atmosphere has been damaged that has resulted in all kinds of changes in animals, surroundings, and everything in it.

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Dinosaurs have been genetically mutated and have got new abilities, creatures are more deadly, the weather is extreme, and the environment has changed drastically. This map is a fascinating addition to the game as it is completely different from what the other maps have to offer. As hard as it is, this map has probably the coolest features and additions out of all.

MAP FEATURES

• Event Creatures: In an event, players may find a total of 10 different creatures.
• Unique Creatures: With one of the highest number of creatures in the game, Aberration has 22 unique creatures altogether.
• Note: There are only three creatures that can be found in all parts of the map.
• Weapons and Tools: You can acquire 14 distinctive weapons and tools to take your game to the next level.
• Environmental Threats: Earthquakes, radiations, poisonous plants, and fluids. 

Ragnarok

A free DLC map, Ragnarok is a non-canon area that was first released in June 2017 for ARK: Survival Evolved on Steam. It is one of the easiest maps out of the ten players can play. Ragnarok is an extremely large map that has a little bit of everything. It has nice weather, environment, dinosaurs, farming opportunities, and much more. It is a great spot for exploring and getting to know the game altogether.

As it is free, it is a great opportunity for new players to try it and get to know what the other (paid) maps have to offer. It has beautiful scenery that will add to the experience. Due to its large size, the Ragnarok map is substantial for clans to explore and collect everything that can be useful in the future. The best Ark map? Maybe the best free map by a mile. 

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: 159 different creatures from both The Island and Scorched Earth combined in one map with some exceptions.
• Event Creatures: During events, 19 more creatures are spawned.
• Unique Creatures: After doing some exploring, you’ll find a sum of eight unique creatures on this map.
• Weapons: You’ll find only two weapons on the entire map.
• Artifacts: If searched well, 11 different artifacts can be found on Ragnarok.

  

The Center

Initially released in May 2016, The Center is also a free DLC non-canon map. Similar to Ragnarok, this map is another one that is sort of easy to play, and it is a brilliant opportunity for players to harness their skills before moving to Canon maps.

The Center has almost everything that all the other maps have to offer and is regarded as the easiest map out of all. The Center is the perfect place to learn how to tame, farm, and explore and is regularly used for PvP battles.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: Every creature that is present in The Island except seven are spawned here as well making the sum total of 116.
• Unique Creatures: None
• Event Creatures: Players will find 15 creatures in events.
• Artifacts: 11 Artifacts can be searched and found on this map.
• Weapons: NONE

  

Crystal Isles

Originally released in 2020, Crystal Isles is the third free DLC non-canon map. This map is one of the few Ark maps where you can find Argentavis (a flying creature that can carry huge weights and travel long distances) and explore the whole map in no time.

Flying around can save you from many land threats and provide you with a great view of the whole place. This helps when you’re looking for a specific thing and don’t want to get caught in-between anything else. In Crystal Isles, dinosaurs can be found and tamed relatively easily and can be used for many expeditions conserving our stamina.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: With 152 spawns on this map, this makes Crystal Isles one of the most densely populated maps in terms of creatures and living things.
• Unique Creatures: There are about six unique creatures a player can find.
• Event Creatures: In an event, you may find 14 different creatures more.
• Artifacts: Venturing this map will help you discover 18 artifacts.

  

Genesis: Part 1

Released in February 2020, Genesis: Part 1 is a canon map that was listed at a price of 34.99 USD. One of the newer maps introduced in the game, Genesis Part 1 is a mid-difficulty map where you can tame dinosaurs explore all parts of the map, and advance in the game.

Completing missions is the go-to choice for players as there is nothing quite distinctive in this map that other maps don’t offer. It is a prominent spot for crystal farming and is probably the easiest map to farm crystal and due to this, players prefer to play on this map.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: Genesis Part 1 has 99 creatures.
• Mission Creatures: When doing missions, players will find 55 creatures
• X-Creatures:  A new species of creatures was introduced called X-Creatures. There are 21 of them on this map.
• Unique Creatures: In addition to X-creatures, there are 11 Unique Creatures as well.
• Event Creatures: Genesis Part 1 doesn’t lack when it comes to creatures, and here too, they have a good range of creatures. There are 12 whenever there is an event.
• Weapons: You can acquire ten weapons and tools that provide you safe passage throughout the journey.

  

Genesis: Part 2

Included in June 2021, Genesis: Part 2 is one of the most technologically advanced ark maps on the list. With great tech, environment, weather, and unique creatures, this map provides a new experience to players who have played on the rest of the maps and were looking for a new challenge. It provides you with an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills by giving you superhuman strength and overpowered gear, something to increase the fun, Right? Well, yes.

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MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: You’ll find 136 creatures that are naturally spawned.
• R-Creatures: These are new species that are 19 in total.
• Mission Creatures: These creatures can only be found in missions, and they are 96 in total.
• Unique Creatures: This map has a sum of 12 unique creatures.
• Event Creatures: During Events, 18 more creatures are added.
• Weapons: You can acquire six weapons on this map.

  

Extinction

Titans, corrupted creatures roam around in the Extinction map, and that is probably why it is considered the most fascinating one. Extinction was initially released in November 2018 with a price of $19.99 and was advertised as a huge playground for exploration. It is set in an abandoned place, where everything is destroyed (although some things may be found intact).

Extinction is another best map where crystal farming is possible. This map has so many more things you can do that may even be untouched by others. The places that are not damaged are super-technologically advanced. A great addition to this map that adds so much fun to it.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: You’ll find 98 creatures on this corrupted Earth.
• Unique Creatures: In addition to the 98 mentioned above, there are 15 more unique creatures present on the map.
• Corrupted Creatures: As this world is corrupted, so are some creatures. Here, you’ll find 18 corrupted creatures.
• Event Creatures: 20 event creatures are added.
• Weapons: You can have 11 weapons in your arsenal.

  

Valguero

Aesthetically pleasing, easy to play, and much to explore, Valguero is a non-Canon map that was released in June 2019 and still is one of the most popular Ark Survival Evolved maps. It is a small map but has so much to look out for, but at the same time, it is not complex and can be navigated with fewer obstacles. Most of the things such as creatures, weather, and surroundings are similar to other non-canon maps.

MAP FEATURES

• Creatures: Altogether, 134 natural spawned Creatures are present on this map.
• Unique Creatures: Three only.
• Aberrant Creatures: A Valguero exclusive, these creatures are 30 in number.
• Event Creatures: 20.
• Artifacts: If you search properly, there is a high chance you’ll find all ten artifacts on this map.

This is all you need to know about the best Ark maps. Have you tried roaming the lands and mounting dinosaurs on all of the maps? Let us know more of your thoughts in the comments section below.