In Nova Era, players guide their civilization from humble tribal beginnings to vast scientific empires, passing through the ages of history. Harness the power of technology, expand your territories, and recruit famous (and sometimes glorious) personalities from history. Civilizations face constant threats from rival countries, natural disasters, social unrest, and the ever-present possibility of a dark age.

The goal of Nova Era is to build the greatest civilization. This is achieved by strategically choosing the most beneficial technologies, territories, and personalities from the board, developing them as players progress through the pages of time. Players are scored based on the variety and/or majority of different types of technology, as well as the completion of various card objectives.

The game is based on dice selection and drafting, with different types of dice providing different resources, bonuses, and penalties for players. Overextending your dice leads to social unrest, and dice not used by players fill the progress tracks of natural disasters and the dark age, affecting all players at the table. Once all dice actions are completed, an era ends and a new one begins. At the end of three eras, the game ends and the most prosperous state wins!