Zoo Tycoon (better suited for older kids and adults)

Author's Rating:

Pros: Fun, inexpensive, good for long car rides, one of the only games that requires thought.

Cons: Lacks excitement, graphics could be better, needs more interactivity.

The Bottom Line: 
This is a great low-key game. While it may lack excitement, it doesn't lack difficulty.

Author's Review
The reason I say that Zoo Tycoon is better suited to adults is not because of violence or explicit content but because the game is quite complicated and it lacks excitement. Kids usually like to play suspensful exciting games. I think that young kids would loose interest in this game quickly.

There are two ways to play Zoo Tycoon. One way is to play in scenario mode. In this mode, you are given tasks to complete in order to go on to the next scenario. One example of a lower-level task might be to make a suitable habitat for an antelope. Another might be to attract 1,000 guests to your zoo.

Another mode of play is free form. This allows you to create your own zoo without limitations. First you choose the type of zoo you want like one in the desert, grassy, rocky, etc. You also choose the size and the amount of money you want to start with up to 500,000 dollars.

After you choose these factors, you get a blank zoo that you need to fill with different attractions. Some of the features of this game are choosing different animals, shelters, zoo buildings, terrain types, rocks, trees, fence types, employees etc.

The hardest thing about this game is keeping your animals happy and not running out of money. The animals zookeeper tells you when they don't like they're habitat or they're not being cared for properly. It is your responsibility to keep your animals happy. If you don't the whole zoo suffers.

Another aspect is management. Should you invest in that rain forest restaurant or stick to a hot dog stand? You can choose the colors of most buildings and the prices charged for food and gifts.

The final thing you have to think about is keeping your guests needs in mind. You need to have adequate bathrooms, food and drink facilities. You might also want to add entertainment like movie theaters or elephant rides or a reptile house.

If you do all these things you earn awards for most popular zoo or for keeping your animals in pristine condition. These awards often come with cash incentives. As you start to create a really good zoo, more animals and buildings become available for purchase.

With all these factors, maintaining your zoo and keeping your guests happy is not an easy thing to accomplish. One thing that could be improved in this game is to provide more interaction. Like going inside the reptile house and choosing where each cage goes, or being able to actually design a building and program. There is not much excitement going on in this game either except for the occasional escaped lion.