Zoo Tycoon

Platform: IBM PC Compatible
Release Date: October 19, 2001
Genre: Simulation
Style: Business Sim
Similar Games: RollerCoaster Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible), SimTheme Park (IBM PC Compatible), Airline Tycoon (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Players have the opportunity to create a living zoological park in their home computer with this first release from developers at Blue Fang Games. Building upon conventions of recreational park management simulations such as Sim Theme Park and Roller Coaster Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon has the player building cages and enclosures for animal attractions and placing pathways and landscaping for the people who come to see them. Good design will lead guests comfortably through the zoo, with refreshment stands and bathrooms placed in convenient locations among the attractions.

Caring for the animal attractions themselves requires foresight and nurturing maintenance. The player can learn about the natural environments and preferences of the different animals in the park and use that information to design habitats that will keep them all safe and happy. Happy animals are more active and interesting to zoo visitors. Animals that are not comfortable in their cages may just stand around doing nothing, providing little entertainment to the guests that have paid to come to visit them.

Zoo Tycoon features several modes of play including scenarios with specific objectives, such as the renovation of an outdated park or the breeding of rare animals, as well as an open-ended style of play in which players can design the parks of their dreams with little restriction. In all, 40 different animals are available to virtual zookeepers. The game offers 60 different materials for the design of cages and habitats and another 60 materials with which to build the park and guest accommodations, ensuring that each zoo can offer the gamer a new experience.

~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Another in the long line of "tycoon" titles dotting the computer gaming industry landscape in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, although it is the first developed by Blue Fang Games, LLC. Combining elements of zoo management with the management of a theme park (ala SimTheme Park) is a unique approach, although subtle influences of wildlife simulations that depict animal behavior such as Wolf or Lion: A Wildlife Simulation can't be discounted.

~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

After theme parks, one of the most enjoyable experiences is visiting the zoo. Examining the menagerie of exotic animals in reconstructed habitats makes for a fun and educational afternoon. Behind the scenes, however, there is an army of vendors, veterinarians, and visitor guides making sure the zoo runs smoothly. Now you can experience the joys and pains of maintaining a zoo suitable for both animals and guests. Zoo Tycoon answers the age-old question, who picks up the scat after the crowds go home?

Although Zoo Tycoon doesn't have a true storyline, it does follow the conventional pattern established by RollerCoaster Tycoon: build attractions, supply shops to sell items, and deal with the difficulties of meeting the basic needs of large crowds. To that end, there are several animals, terrain types, and fence styles for the exhibits in addition to food kiosks, gift shops, and smaller attractions to spruce up the landscape.

The most striking aspect of Zoo Tycoon's gameplay is the level of customization. Animals need appropriate terrain and housing, but how the cage is detailed is up to you. A polar bear is just as happy with an island surrounded by fresh water as it is with a small pond and a shore of snow. This leads to some very intriguing design possibilities, as long as the balance remains within the limits dictated by the animal's needs. Considering there are over 40 different types of animals, there are nearly endless landscaping possibilities.

After laying out the cages, buying animals, and staffing the zoo, there really isn't much to do except fine-tune the environment for optimum comfort for the animals or fix trampled areas. A virtual zookeeper informs you of animal needs with usually sound advice congruent with the detailed entries in the animal information database. Reading the database is a very educational experience as well. Once the animals are happy and content, adding the amenities for the public is a bit of a letdown. Plenty of buildings and maintenance facilities can be placed, such as trash or rest areas, but they're not nearly as customizable as the terrain or flora options.

The animals and buildings are nicely rendered and easily identifiable. Creatures frolic, prowl, paw, and sleep with convincing realism. Especially amusing are the frightened guests screaming and running from freed lions. For the mean spirited, overcrowding cages with predators and prey results in a cartoon scuffle-cloud, but nothing more violent. No zoom feature is available, but several tycoon games have suffered from blocky close-ups so perhaps it's understandable. The menus are easy to navigate and relatively intuitive; the panda icon shows a list of animals while a shovel/hammer icon readies construction options.

Zoo Tycoon does a nice job of recreating the sounds of the zoo. The hoots, growls, snorts, and honks of over 40 types of animals are faithfully recreated. There is no soundtrack other than the title screen's jungle theme song, however. Overall, sound plays a backseat, being neither intrusive nor absent. The game won't put your speakers to the test, but it isn't terrible either.

Although realism is a key part of Zoo Tycoon's formula, it is also its biggest fault. Some animals, like camels, are exceedingly easy to take care of, with only slight modifications to the cage. Others, like the jaguar, are much more finicky and nearly impossible to please. Since many stores and donations hardly make any cash, zoos must rely on selling baby animals for a big portion of their income, but most animals take forever to reproduce. Zookeepers are assigned paths, but often can't reach some cages, which results in the hiring of an extra worker or regularly reworking pathways. After making an exhibit just right, there's not much else to do except wait for money to come in to start another. Unfortunately, the action happens in spurts, not evenly enough to excite most gamers.

Zookeepers can expect continued support from Microsoft for this single-player game. The official website has several new animals, scenarios, and buildings for download. The game will appeal to a creative segment of gamers who need a break from the blood and mayhem of other games, and the downloadable extras reward loyal fans of the title.

Zoo Tycoon is a nice diversion from the tedium of other tycoon games, but not overly exciting. Beyond basic maintenance, you'll mostly just watch and wait for the next rush of action. Those who don't mind the leisurely pace will find hours of decorating enjoyment. For the majority of gamers, though, the game will maintain interest for only a little while before being shelved for a rainy day.