Zoo Tycoon: Fun for all ages.
Pros:
A fun and exciting way to learn about our planets wildlife.
Cons:
Frustrating to understand at first.
The Bottom Line:
A great game for all ages. A game that teaches while you play.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I am nothing more than a little kid in a grown ups body when it comes to playing Zoo Tycoon:The Complete Collection. About a year ago my little sister went through a divorce and being a professional actor gives me plenty of opportunity to help out family members in need between shows. At the time of this divorce I had just finished up doing Carousel at Music Circus in Sacramento. So when my little sister called and asked if I could come and help her with child care while she finished school I was able to help out. My 7-year-old niece Haley introduced me to the computer video game Zoo Tycoon. This game is a fun interactive game that allows the player to build and run his or her own zoo empire.
HOW TO BECOME A ZOO TYCOON
When I purchased the Zoo Tycoon: The Complete Collection I went to that old money horse Wal-Mart, And don’t get me started on my thoughts in that particular subject. You can purchase the game for about 19.99 and that has everything you need to get started. It comes with two disks you have to install on your computers hard drive, but don’t start to fret because this games installation comes with step by step instructions that tell you what to do at every step of the start up process. In addition to the step by step help they provide on line help twenty-four seven.
PLAYING THE GAME
(Make sure you have an hour or 12 to spare!)
I just love playing this game because it teaches the user lots of things about using a computer and all of its devices. When I first started I was fairly novice at the computer and now I use things like the mouse and keyboard with ease, thanks to playing Zoo Tycoon: The Complete Collection. First off you have to choose what kind of landscape you want for your zoo. They provide tons of categories for this. There is the basic grass zoo (recommended,) tropical rain forest, dessert, lunar and many more.
Once you decide on your landscape your job as zoo master begins in earnest. There are three categories of animals: Land, marine and prehistoric animals. You are responsible for building the animal you choose to begin with a suitable exhibit and hiring the right kind of zoo personal to care for them. A good example would be Zebras. You will need to start by building a fence in this case a chain link fence (cheapest) will do. Zebras like Savannah grass with just a touch of dirt and a small pool of water. You will also need to build them a shelter, Zebras like small wooden shelters about 255 dollars. You will also need to buy some rocks and the appropriate foliage. The game helps you as you go along with cute little green smiley faces that appear above the animals if you give them what they like. Red frowning faces appear when you give them something that they don’t like or something that is going to make them sick. In addition to the smiley/frown faces the game provides you with detailed information on each animal, a great way to teach children about all kinds of wild life and how to help protect them.
In addition to the land animals, are there are plenty to choose from, the game allows you to purchase and care for aquatic creatures. They have Dolphins and Orkas and lots, lots more. One of the fun things about Zoo Tycoon: The Complete Collection is the better you do at caring for the animals you have the more options for adopting and caring for animals opens up. You will need to watch your money it can up and disappear before you know it.You can choose the starting amount of money; less money is more complicated (advanced) so I would recommend you take the full 500.000 to start with.
YOUR ZOO
In addition to building and caring for animals you also have the responsibility of caring for your guests and all of their needs. You will need to build and pay for restrooms and places for your guest to rest. I always like to make a little park area with fountains and benches with swings for the kiddies. Guests get really cranky if they get hungry so you will need to provide restaurants and snack shops. Some of the ones that do the best are cotton candy venders and submarine sandwich shops. Not all snack shops provide your guest with beverages so make sure you check that, guests get cranky when they are thirsty as well.
All in all you have a great time playing this wonderfully inventive game. It can also help to teach you and your children finances and budgeting. I highly recommend this game not only for the challenges it presents but also for the things you can learn along the way. I wish all of life could be as fun as Zoo Tycoon: The Complete Collection
