Rating: 
Summary: Great Game, Almost Perfect!
Review: Well, I own and love RollerCoaster Tycoon, and I just couldn't get enough of it the first month that I owned it. It was just SO MUCH FUN!... The game was so new, so cool, so free, that it sold like crazy! Well, since then, we've seen the birth of dozens of other games like that; including Mall Tycoon, Train Tycoon, Airport Tycoon, Monopoly Tycoon, etc...even a sequel to the classic Roller Coaster Tycoon (RollerCoaster Tycoon 2). Yet most of those were okay, but didn't capture half of the magic that the first did. But this one, I have to admit, came extremely close. How?1. Gameplay: I loved the theme of the game. You start out with several thousand dollars. With that cash, you pick a piece of land you'd like to own. An island, a desert, an ice peak, etc... Once you've selected your park, you are sent there to create a zoo. No help, no anything. You are on your own. So you decide to buy an animal. What should you buy? You can buy just about anything, from elaphants, bears, hippos, cheetahs, ostriges, lions, seals, polar bears, buffalo, etc...it's incredibel! Now, you have to make these animals happy, or else they'll just sit in a corner and eventually die. The guests don't want to see that![.] So you have to build animals large areas to play in, and friends to play with: you have to add african savana for elaphants, trees for goriallas or monkeys, water for any animal to drink out of. You must also build these "habitats" in a way that your guests can see the animals. Meaning no trees blocking the viewing area unless you built the path all the way around so they can see. You must let your guests get the best view possible, or else you will fail in your quest to become a "great" zoo. 2. Graphics: Incredible! A lot of people might think that you put an animal in, and it just sits there. WRONG! Its the complete oppostite! The animals run around, play with each other. The seals swim, the polar bears have growling fights. The animals lap water (you can keep track of your animals happiness and such like Roller Coaster Tycoon). And they all have waste that you have to clean up. For this, you hire trainers, who do everything the animals need. It's cool to watch an animal sick, lying on its back. The trainer goes in, lies by its side giving it medicine, then stands up and watches the animal get back up. This game's graphics were awsome! Not to mention the occasional humor. Can anyone say "High santa clause!" this X-mas (sometimes witches, or Santa, or planes fly over the zoo, with jingling bells or weird cries.) "HO HO HO, Merry Chistmas!" 3. Options: A lot. You can name all of your pets, watch as they have off-spring, and name them. Build paths, food establishments, water holes, etc.. You hire more employees when you have more animals. You must also think in this, or compromise to fit as many animals as possible in the place. Some animals get along, some don't. And if one gets loose because of a faulty fence...(never put a low, wooden fence around an animal like an elaphant, buffalo, lion, cheetah). If they break loose, your zoo will be in a mania. Its kind of fun to save and try this every once and awhile (very fun...mahaha!) Overall, this game had most of what the original had. But now it's in a zoo! Not to mention once you get bored (if ever this happens), there are at least 2 or 3 expansion packs. Can you say Jurassic Zoo (Dinosaur expansion pack), or Waterpark Melee (Aqua Expansion Pack). I love Tycoon, and u should 2! Don't miss out on all the fun, this game is fun, great, and though a little strechted (Huge places for eating, that in my opinion look like farmhouses), this game is a blast! A must-own! Thx!
Rating: 
Summary: Fun game - but a little too detail oriented
Review: As the name indicates, this game is very similar to Roller Coaster Tycoon - if you like that game, you'll likely enjoy this one as well. I have 1 big complaint about this game though - each of the individual exhibits must be excruciatingly detailed to the likes and dislikes of the animal(s) it contains. For Example: an animal may like Savannah Grass in it's exhibit, so you'd think "no problem, just cover the entire exhibit in Savannah Grass"; but it's not that simple. It may also like a little bit of dirt, and/or a little bit of sand, as well as some fresh water to drink - all of which have to be carefully balanced to what the animal likes (not too much of one, or too little of another). Then, you have to add the foliage - and there are TONS to choose from. They are broken down by type (i.e. Savannah, Rain Forest, Coniferious, Decidious, Desert, etc.), but each animal still has it's own preferences. All Savannah animals, for example, do not like all of the Savannah foliage - so you have to try each 1 to find out if they like it or not. AND, you not only have to have the right TYPE of foliage (and rocks! don't forget the rocks!), you have to have the right AMOUNT of foliage. Too little, or too much and the animals will not be happy. All in all, I think this game requires WAY too much detail in the setup of the exhibits - so be prepared to spend a lot of time getting them just right (especially the first few times you play it, until you get used to what each animal likes). I got tired of playing it after not too long because of the amount of time required to set up the exhibits, but I recently received the Marine Mania expansion pack as a gift and decided to give it another go. I found it much more enjoyable with the expansion pack because of the new types of animals and exhibits that were available - plus the fact that I was more familiar with the needs of the various animals so it was easier to set up the exhibits. I gave the expansion pack 4 stars because it has some features that make the game more fun (like the fact that you can add Dolphin shows, Orca shows, etc.), plus some tools to help make managing your park a little easier.
Rating: 
Summary: Zoo Tycoon!
Review: Have you ever wanted your own zoo? If so, this is the game for you! Get Elephants, Lions, Chimpanzes, and even Peingiuns! Real little people come through your zoo. Make sure you don't let the lions out!
Rating:
Summary: Ok, but after a while it gets boring!
Review: When I bought this game I was expecting a game which I could play and it would provide me with hours of enjoyment for years.
I was however slightly disappointed! The graphics are OK but it does get boring after a while. Whilst building a zoo you either loose all your money and have to start again or you build a zoo and that is it you move on to your next zoo. Another problem with it is that it is terribley unrealistic! For example one of the reasons I bought the game was to let the animals out of the cages and let them rip the crowd to pieces! WOW, how down-heartened I was. I let a lion out of its cage and it 'ran' (which was actually the walking pace of the guests) for a while. But then 'bumped' into a guest and that was it!!!
I looked on the guest information panel and it said something like this "Wow, I have just been attacked buy a lion. I am getting out of hear. This place is dangerous." No blood! No gore! Just that! Another problem is that the cages you make can be realy small but the animals accept it. Aswell as this the crowd are easily pleased. In my opinion too easily pleased! Your zoo could be the most ugly plot of land on the earth and the zoo guests couldn't care less!
Even with these problems 'zoo tycoon' is an Ok game. There is for example a sense of pride almost, when you have completed building a zoo!
Lastly you can learn a thing or two about the animals whilst playing this game which is always handy.
If I could have I would have probably given this game three and a half out of five.
But whatever you do DO NOT buy this game for the realisticality of zoo building!!!
Rating: 
Summary: OBSOLETE!!
Review: If you purchase the Marine expansion you get this included as a bonus. This is now obsolete when you purchase the Marine Pack.
Rating:
Summary: Great Double Expansion Pack to have!
Review: I was quick to get the first expansion pack (Dinosaur Digs) being a fan of Jurassic Park...how could I resist building my own Dino adventure. After playing with Dinosaurs....how could I see feeding fishes in this 2nd expansion any fun? Well, I'm happy to say it is...and this pack adds a LOT!
I admit, I only got this game because it was on sale....and I am glad I did! First, if you don't have Dino Digs...do not worry, because this pack comes with it included! That's right you get Marine Mania and Dino Digs both at the same time! For those previous owners of Dino Digs, there was a rebate available for buying this reduntantly. (check with Microsoft for current availbility and details).
So, the Dino Digs part....ya, its cool. You get dinosaurs to add in (which are violent and expensive as you can imagine) along with other ancient ice-age friends and some great prehistoric theming elements!
The Marine mania adds a lot to the gameplay. First, you are able to now think on another plane of building as your tank displays can be tall and deep opposed to the just the X & Y layouts of your other creatures. Second, some of these animals like to perform...not only do you custom build their show tank and arena for guests (unlike the other 1 click drop and place bear insta-shows in the game)...but you also customize the show "script" (ie: what tricks they do and what order) A neat little income aspect to control. Thirdly, there is of course a great variety of new animals ranging from dolphins to eels to squid along with a few amphibic animals...and of course the great marine life themed shops, statues, and attractions.
Everything else I've said about Zoo Tycoon in another review stays the same...the game is a bit challenging of a sim. There are tons of factors to control while building and caring for your park. If you enjoy Zoo Tycoon, you will absolutely love what this expansion pack opens your game to become. This adds so much that it'll make the game playable countless times (did I mention the wonderful "freeform" sandbox modes!?) All I have else to say that if Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 and this Expanded Zoo Tycoon were all one game...I would never have to open my CD tray!
Rating:
Summary: My opinion on this great game
Review: I think this game is a great game because the animals need accual things to servive and u get to pick from 150 different types of animals whith all the expantions and you get to try to make the visiters happy. I recumend zoo tycoon and its expantions to all and me and my dad play and my dad doesnt like to menny games on computers to this should tell you that every one likes to play this reality game. Thank you for reading this letter.
Rating:
Summary: Just a little boring
Review: I was uber excited to borrow this game from a friend before buying (luckily) but I was rather dissapointed. I love the zoo and animals and my favorite game is Rollercoaster Tycoon, so I thought it would be super fun. The interface is pretty much self explanatory, but the actual gameplay is boring. The only fun part is watching the animals. You don't really do anything exciting. You build the animal cages, which was very difficult at first, and you have to do it quickly before the animal gets uncomfortable and they take away your animal purchasing rights. I was constantly running out of funds. Definatly check it out for yourself if it hits the dollar bin, but don't break the bank over it.
Rating:
Summary: zoo tycoon meets jurassic park
Review: 23 prehisoric animals!: ankylosaurus, apatosaurus, allosaurus, caudipteryx, lambeosaurus, styracosaurus (a cousin of triceratops), spinosaurus, camptosaurus, iguanodon, triceratops (name an old exhibit "cretaceous corral"), t. rex, plesiosaur (not a true dino, but a ancient marine reptile), velociraptor, kentrosaurus (an african stegosaur with more spikes than plates), coelphysis ( an early meat-eater, pronounced "see-low-fy-sis"), herrasaurus, meilonia (a giant turtle), deinosuchus (a 40ft. croc that can only be obtained by naming an exhibit "super croc") plateosaurus (must download from website), smilodon, mammoth, wooly rhino, and gallimimus (must unlock dino).
Rating:
Summary: Good, But Roller Coaster Tycoon is Better
Review: This Game allows you to create your own zoo, with lots and lots of different kind of animals, exibits, shops, and more! The Scenarios are allright, and the animals look really realistic! I would reccomend getting the double expansion pack also, so you can have water animals and dinosaurs in your zoo too. You can also download different animals and scenery on the original one, and put them in your zoo. It is pretty obvious Zoo Tycoon is competing with Roller COaster Tycoon. So if you buy this, get the double expansion pack with it or later, and the game will be well worth the money.
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