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Zoo Tycoon 2 DS
Zoo Tycoon 2 makes a welcome arrival on the
Nintendo DS that is based on the popular PC game of the same time and is
your classic "sim" game which allows the gamer to basically organise and
control a Zoo. With 36 different animals in the title, gamers of all
ages can explore and create their perfect Zoo but bare in mind that all
these animals need a little touch of tender loving care.
Features
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The game features three
game modes including Zoo Designer Mode, Zoo
Director Mode and all new Zookeeper Mode which
gives players the ability to view and care for
three-dimensional versions of animals.
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Zoo Tycoon 2 DS also
features new animals and environments, as well
as complete use of the touch screen and DS
Stylus™ for all zoo activities, ranging from zoo
construction to purchasing animals. Players can
also exchange zoo data with friends via
multicard play and compete to see who can build
the best zoo.
As you create your Zoo's enclosure and add the animals to these
exhibitions , you also need to ensure that Zoo is making enough profits
to cover the running costs and new exhibitions. Patrons to your Zoo will
need access to tourist stalls and food stalls in order to keep them
happy and for the money to continue rolling in.
A nifty little feature
of Zoo Tycoon 2 is that you can click on the animal and it will inform
the gamer what keeps the animal happy. You also have a
variety of objectives that must be completed while managing your Zoo. The
title also offers a great "free" mode and also some multiplayer options,
ensuring added longevity for this title.
At the core of the gameplay however is the
animals' happiness. Happy animals mean higher ratings for your zoo,
higher ratings mean happier visitors and happier visitors mean more
money. Money as previously managed can then be used to make your animals
happier and to buy more animals. The first step in making an animal
happy is to provide it with its preferred environment, or biome.
Camels prefer sand, rocks, and a palm tree
or two, while moose prefer grass and plenty of trees. Other factors
affect an animal's happiness as well, such as ensuring that its basic
needs are met. Determining whether an animal is unhappy is pretty easy.
Just tap on the animal in your zoo and you'll be taken to a summary
screen that represents all of the animal's needs as a group of bars.
It's easy to tell at a glance that an animal isn't getting enough food
or is feeling sick.
The game comes with a full set of scenarios
that provide various challenges such as raising the overall star rating
of a zoo. There's enough challenge here to hold the interest of most
gamers, although the youngest ones may find them a bit too difficult.
Playing through the scenarios has its own rewards in the form of
unlocking rare and extinct animals for use in your zoos.
Graphically, Zoo Tycoon 2 is quite
impressive on the DS with realistic "cartoon" style graphics that is
easy on the eye and helps draw you in as a "Zoo keeper", match that with
realistic sounds and "cute" music and you have a great looking and
sounding title on the Nintendo DS.
In conclusion, Zoo Tycoon 2 is an interesting take on the original game
for the PC that we could happily recommend to the younger game or for
those gamers that enjoy animal sims. Decent graphics and great sound
effects, Zoo Tycoon 2 features a variety of different gameplay modes to
keep even the most staunchest of gamers entertained. |
