Zoo tycoon. (Zoo Tycoon Collection (PC))

Member Name: stokx

Product:	Zoo Tycoon Collection (PC)
Date:	24/02/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A fun and relaxing game.

Disadvantages: Big zoos become problematic.

Zoo tycoon is a business strategy game in which you build and look after a zoo.
You design exhibits to suit the needs of a very large range of different animals, create a range of stalls and shops to satisfy guests and conduct research to upgrade and expand the range of features available to you.
It's an easy game to pick up and play, the free form mode isn't at all challenging but the creative element and the satisfaction of growing a business from infancy still makes it fun.
A full zoo is visually appealing with different colours of terrain, large tanks and giant dinosaurs in shimmering electric fences; this gives a sense of achievement.
The interface is user friendly, the behaviour of guests and animals doesn't look artificial and the graphics are good and even a large zoo plays and loads quickly.
Zoo has some scenario missions with specific objectives, completing these unlocks additional features such as photo booths and yellow paving.
During a freeform game you can rate yourself on profits, animal satisfaction, number of visitors etc but the only way to loose is to get so far into debt that you can't continue investing.
It is fun starting a new zoo but once you have been playing the same map for a while it gets boring; there are a lot of buildings for guests but you get to know a format which works or start placing restaurants and nothing else just as a simple way to deal with customer complaints.
There are a huge number of animals; you can't fit them all in a single zoo but the way you deal with them is always the same, different terrain and trees but not exactly thrilling.
When a game gets very old more problems appear: animals start being unavailable randomly so you can't replace ones which have died. I think this is a bug which confuses year 100 with year 1.
A zoo which expands to be very big with a lot of exhibits becomes unplayable as you never have time for anything except selling surplus newly born animals.
Overall it is a good game and I still enjoy playing on small maps but I now tend to start a new zoo each session.

Summary: A fun and relaxing game.