It might not be as close to Minecraft in terms of prominence. But it still marked the beginning of another era that culminated with the return of Minecraft YouTube videos and the resurgence of Minecraft into the eyes of the public. And let’s face it – Ark is just extremely fun to play. The game offers so much. However just like in Minecraft, it’s only natural for gamers to feel like they want more. If you’re like me and you love to mod games then you’re in for an absolute treat. There are hundreds of amazing mods that the community has managed to create, and it’ll take you a while to sift through it all. So I’ve gone through and ranked 50 of the best Ark mods for you to try out and enjoy. Naturally these are all totally free so you’ve got your pick of the litter here.
50. Dino Pick Up
Check Out This Mod Alright, this mod is super practical. But I have to say that it got quite a good chuckle out of me the first time I saw it. It really allows you to pick up any dinosaur in the game after learning he anagram at level 10. And guess what? The dinosaur just become super small and hops on top of your shoulder! You can just go exploring with the dino on your shoulder and lay him down whenever you please.
49. AllSkins – Chest
Check Out This Mod This mod simply adds a massive chest to the game that comes with every single one of the blueprints for the coolest skins in Ark. You can simply open up the chest and pick them all up. Easy peasy. Snag the blueprints and get to crafting your items without having to struggle to find them elsewhere.
48. Small Dragons
Check Out This Mod Dragon mods are always going to make me go hyper, and the Small Dragons mod is no exception. This adds a small dragon to the game which can wear armor (the creator of the mod is always designing new pieces to add to it) and it can even be ridden. Like flying on a dragon! Or even used as a cool pet if you wanna go that route. You can find these dragons in male and female variations so there’s a lot of cool stuff here.
47. DinoTracker
Check Out This Mod The DinoTracker is an item that can be crafted quite easily, and you can apply it to any glove item in the game. It will add the ability for you to keep track of your dinos with the device. Activate the tracker and select a dino that you own – it will show you wherever it is with a beacon. That way you’ll never lose sight of your dinosaurs ever again.
46. ecoTrees
Check Out This Mod This is the first mod made by eco that you’ll find in this list. But it’s not the last one. In fact, I think he’s the modder that made it onto this list the most times by a long stretch. He has made some of the best mods for the Steam community, and for Ark. And this one is the first of many. ecoTrees adds a bunch of new trees to the game which just grants a bit more variety into the gameplay.
45. Ark Steampunk Mod
Check Out This Mod This fantastic mod adds a whole bunch of new steampunk dinosaurs that you’ll be able to see in the game! Granted, steampunk doesn’t really suit the style of Ark. But let’s face it – we all love some steampunk designs from time to time. And we can’t say that this mod is poorly done, as the skins all look fantastic!
44. MarniiMods: Horses
Check Out This Mod Are you a fan of horses to the point where you’d like to see them spawn in Ark and ride them instead of a cool-looking dino? Well if so, this is the mod you’ll want to check out. It adds plenty of horses to the game which spawn in different locations and come in different shapes, sizes, and levels of strength. Give it a shot!
43. Jurassic Ark
Check Out This Mod Probably the mod with the most original name on the list, Jurassic Ark allows you to create parks much like you do in the Jurassic World park builder that came out in the mid-2010s. Add a spark of Jurassic Park to your game of Ark with the Jurassic Ark mod. Perfect for fans of the movies too.
42. Classic Flyers
Check Out This Mod Remember when the flying species in the game hadn’t been nerfed? Well I do! This mod completely returns flyers to the glorious state at which they were at before they were nerfed. It’s an amazing mod that lets you keep the dinosaurs in their current state but make flyers the glorious creatures they once were.
41. eco’s RP Decor
Check Out This Mod Do you want to add a whole bunch of new decoration items to the game? If so, look no further. The fantastic eco brings us another mod from his collection that adds a bunch of new items to the game, all of which can be easily crafted, picked up, and stacked. Reinvigorate your home with these amazing new items.
40. eco’s Garden Decor
Check Out This Mod Get that garden of yours looking fancy with yet another one of eco’s mods! This one adds a whole bunch of new easily-craftable garden décor that is sure to give the outside of your home a completely new look. Combine it with ecoTrees and feel the true power of change. Who says design doesn’t matter?
39. Pokemon Evolved 1.76
Check Out This Mod Mods like this really make me wonder why on Earth hasn’t anyone released a damn Pokémon open-world game with this level of detail. We always have to resort to playing with mods to fulfill the dreams we had as children (and as adults, of course). Pokemon Evolved turns the game into a Pokemon fan’s dream by replacing all dinos with fully-catchable Pokemon. Gotta catch ‘em all, right?
38. Godzillark
Check Out This Mod If you think the base game doesn’t provide enough of a challenge then strap in and download this ridiculously difficulty-boosting mod. It adds Kaijus to the game! If you don’t know what they are, imagine facing creatures the size of Godzilla over and over again. You’ll probably end up pretty tired without proper equipment to fight them, right? Well with this mod, you get the creatures and the equipment. Now get down to business!
37. Olympus
Check Out This Mod This mod adds a completely new region to the game which has been all created by an amazing modder on his own. Olympus is a truly fascinating map that adds so much to the game and completely changes the experience that you’re already familiar from playing Ark. Give this mod a try even if you haven’t’ played the game before. It’s completely worth it. By far one of the most complete mods I’ve ever tried and the new map really does add so much.
36. Ancient Dragons and Wyverns
Check Out This Mod Oh man, these creatures are so gorgeously crafted. I think I would download this mod even if they didn’t move and simply acted like statues. It’s super complete and makes the game feel really different when you see some of these winged beasts roaming the skies. Ride them, tame them, or kill them – the options are endless and your game will be fantastically different with these legendary dragons and wyverns in it.
35. Advanced Rafts
Check Out This Mod Advanced Rafts allows you to create some massive rafts, much bigger than the ones you can create in vanilla Ark. This will allow you to feel like you’re sailing on a weird ferry of sorts. But it does still feel pretty vanilla (depending on what madness you want to build). In any case, Advanced Rafts adds a great feature to the game that you wouldn’t even think about.
34. MrRadTools Content Pack
Check Out This Mod Decorations, resources, crafting stations, weapons, and much more. This Content Pack adds a whole bunch of new items to the game, which serve to provide every player with a twist to their Ark experience like they’ve never had it before. If you like mods that change the core structure of the game, then by all means give this one a try. Especially for the new weird decorations. All this stuff keeps the base of Ark intact, but adds so much that it truly feels like a more advanced version of the game.
33. Ultra Stacks
Check Out This Mod Ultra Stacks is the ultimate inventory space saver in the modding community of Ark. You will be able to stack more items than you can imagine, with some stacks going up to 5k per item. It aims to provide the best stacking experience out of all the mods. And it does its job brilliantly.
32. The Volcano
Check Out This Mod The Volcano is another amazing map mod that adds a whole new island to the game, which on its own has a whole bunch of different areas (including 5 biomes!). It’s an amazing add-on that is sure to give you a few more hours of entertainment if you’re tired of Ark’s traditional maps.
31. Valguero Dino and Map Extension
Check Out This Mod Adding new areas to Valguero as well as new dinos? Yes, please! This fantastic mod is one to enjoy if you like to spice up the vanilla content without it losing its essence.
30. Stackable Foundations
Check Out This Mod This is the best foundation mod in the game. It allows you to play with foundations in many ways, enabling you to create some completely new structures in places that you wouldn’t even have thought of building on them before. If you fancy yourself a bit of an architect this is well worth looking into.
29. eco’s Stable Structures and Decor
Check Out This Mod It’s been way too long without an eco mod on my list. And that’s why I’ve added this one here (that, and because it’s super cool and useful of course). It allows you to craft new rustic structures that serve the fantastic purpose of making stables in Ark. Neat!
28. OzoCraft
Check Out This Mod Alright, so this mod is technically no longer supported. But it still deserves a special mention on my list. It basically turns Ark into a Minecraft-looking version of the game, with new structures and items that resemble does you find in Mojang’s classic title. And you could still install this to play with it even without modern support. I’ve yet to read about it crashing the current game.
27. Pillars Plus
Check Out This Mod If you have the foundations mod installed then Pillars Plus is an absolute must. This one allows you to do the same thing with Pillars as you do with foundations, and they basically adapt to your needs as a builder. Gone are the days of struggling to find the right place to put them on!
26. Stairs Mod with Rounded Walls
Check Out This Mod It’s time to create a whole bunch of new types of rooms with the Stairs mod with rounded walls. New structures and many new possibilities await the savvy builder who dares to use this self-explanatory feature to create more diversity in buildings styles.
25. Outer Realms
Check Out This Mod Outer Realms is one of the most beautiful maps that you’ll find for Ark. It aims to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible without losing the feeling of how Ark should be when you play the game. And it does its job wonderfully well. I fell in love with this map mod from the get-go, and I’m sure you will too.
24. ISO Crystal Isles
Check Out This Mod Ark has everything it needs to be a more sci-fi-ish game under the right circumstances. And I think the ISO Crystal Isles map is the best one to move your gameplay in that direction. It basically brings those worlds from sci-fi movies into the game, all in one fantastic and gigantic map that is sure to offer you quite a unique experience.
23. eco’s Terrariums
Check Out This Mod Yes, it’s that time again to add one of eco’s mods to the list! This is one of my favorites, I have to admit. It lets you create awesome-looking terrariums, aquariums, and even animal habitats that you can put in any place you wish. What’s even better is that they’re fully animated!
22. Pokeballs (Dino Storage)
Check Out This Mod Pokeballs seem to be quite an odd concept in Ark. But hey, they allow me to carry my dinosaurs around much easier… as far-fetched as they may look. This mod adds the ability for you to use Pokeballs to capture dinosaurs and carry them like real pocket monsters. Nintendo fans are sure to love this crossover.
21. Play as Dino
Check Out This Mod This is actually the second version of the mod, but it has to be said: it’s far better than the first one. As its name suggests, you get to play as a dinosaur. All of the dinos that you can choose from are specifically made to be used with this mod, so they are balanced and work quite well when controlled by the player. A must-have or at least a must-try.
20. Pimp My Dino
Check Out This Mod Pimp My Dino doesn’t only have the best mod name on this list. It also allows you to completely change the way your dinos look by adding new sets of armor for a whole bunch of dinos in the game. The mod also comes in a whole bunch of different languages too, and it’s as complete as can be since this is regularly updated.
19. Valhalla Redux
Check Out This Mod Valhalla is just one more fantastic map mod that has been birthed by the Ark modding community. With a whole bunch of fantastic features and biomes to explore, it comes with underground passages, lava to be avoided, glaciers to be explored, and many other features. All of this cool stuff make this mod one of the best extra maps you can download for your Ark playthrough.
18. ARK Additions: Domination Rex
Check Out This Mod Oh yes! This one adds the Indominous Rex for Jurassic World to the game! Do you love Jurassic World and you want to see the Indominous in Ark? Then absolutely grab this add-on. Did you hate Jurassic World and you wonder why this mod was made? Well, I gues just keep on reading. This is very well detailed and made as an addition to the Ark Additions mod, one of the best packs of creatures made for the game.
17. Homing Pigeon
Check Out This Mod Treat your flying creatures as homing pigeons by putting a homing ring on their legs. They will simply do their best to return to the closest homing flag that you place. Simple, but effective. These are the types of mods that I like the most so it’s getting quite a good spot on my list!
16. Stargate Worlds
Check Out This Mod Place Stargates and teleport like a madman between locations with this amazing addition to Ark. You will be able to use new types of transportation and they’re all just awesome. And I have to say, it does bring quite a unique twist to the table. Teleport yourself or your dinos with this amazing yet not so complex mod.
15. Castle, Keeps, and Fortresses
Check Out This Mod Now this mod adds a whole bunch of new crafting blocks that will allow you to create medieval structures and place them anywhere you want. Have you ever wanted to have dinosaurs roaming free through your castle halls? Well then this mod is exactly what you need. It’s an amazing freebie that you’re going to enjoy even if you’re not that good of a builder like me. This really makes the process easy for you to build amazing structures, especially for newbies.
14. Awesome Teleporters
Check Out This Mod Amazing teleporters takes transportation t a whole new level. All you must do is create a teleporter controller as well as the portals per se, and you will be able to swiftly travel between locations anywhere. Or even move your dinosaurs from one place to another. It’s not as fancy-looking as the Stargate mod, but it’s quite fantastic and well worth checking out.
13. ARK Additions: The Collection
Check Out This Mod This is the Ark Additions ultimate collection that I wrote about a little earlier. It adds plenty of new creatures to the game, all of which are crafted with a unique level of detail that makes them look even better than some of the dinos that come with the base game. Seeing is believeing here so you’ll just have to check it out.
12. Saddle Emporium
Check Out This Mod Saddles that you want, saddles that you need. Saddles that you didn’t even know existed. This mod is the one for you if you want more saddles in the game. There’s nothing else to be said – give it a shot!
11. GlassMetal
Check Out This Mod This amazing add-on basically adds a new type of block. It’s made with metal, but it comes with glass so you can peak through it. Resistance and effectiveness meet in a single type of wall, and it’s called GlassMetal. Cool idea and certainly pragmatic if you can find ways to use it.
10. Awesome Spyglass
Check Out This Mod Are you one of those Ark players who simply wants to have a cooler and more useful spyglass? If so then try out the Awesome Spyglass mod. This one comes packed with everything you need to truly customize your spyglass and have it do whatever you need.
9. Bridge
Check Out This Mod Rotate, resize, and customize bridge parts like never before with this absolutely fantastic bridge mod. Wooden bridges have never looked so good before! Basic? Yes. But very fun? You bet!
8. Immersive Taming
Check Out This Mod Are you bored of taming creatures in vanilla Ark? Then please just give this one a try. It gives you different taming options that make your experience with the creatures feel more “alive”. And even though they are dinosaurs, it also makes it feel way more real while you’re playing. A fantastic mod that will prove animals trust you the more you earn it.
7. Death Recovery Mod
Check Out This Mod Gravestones were a cool addition to Minecraft and people seemed to love them. Why not have them in Ark as well? This mod adds a gravestone that spawns whenever you die and carries all of your items within it. Dark, yet festive.
6. Wooden Hanging Bridge
Check Out This Mod This is the bridge mod that takes the cake. By far the best bridge mod that you’ll find for Ark. Honestly just look at the pictures on this link and see how cool it looks. I know it’s mostly aesthetic but still really fun to play with.
5. Extinction Core
Check Out This Mod New mechanics, weird new creatures, items, and a whole bunch of new challenges await those who are brave enough to download the Extinction Core mod. If you love variety and the introduction of new mechanics to the game this is the mod for you.
4. Platforms Plus
Check Out This Mod Oh yeah, platforms! This mod introduces the best platforms I’ve ever seen added in Ark to the game. It’s open-source as well, so you can use it to create your own mods with no attribution if you wish. That’s the beauty of the modding community.
3. Upgrade Station v1.8
Check Out This Mod This practical station allows you to quickly upgrade the level of quality of your items quickly and in the most practical of ways. It’s not cheating if it’s a mod, right?
2. Structures Plus
Check Out This Mod If you’re one of those who spends days upon days building in Ark, stop right now. Download this mod. Done? Alright, now you can continue and enjoy the fun! This mod will redefine building in Ark, with changes to the core mechanics of the game to improve the building system entirely. It’s something you really have to play with to appreciate.
1. Annunaki Genesis
Check Out This Mod New creature colors, new creatures, new challenges, new features, and a whole lot more difficulty while you’re playing. This amazing mod changes the way Ark works to make it much more pleasing for the player, as well as twice as much challenging. A must-have mod for every seasoned Ark player who wants to up the ante on their next session.
