Zoo Tycoon Reviews

Zoo Tycoon is ranked in the 37th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
6 / 10.0
Dec 30, 2013

Zoo Tycoon is challenge free but a fun, fuzzy, warm experience that could just be the change of pace that some gamers would welcome, particularly those with small children. Reasonably deep and utilising the Xbox One pad really well, Zoo Tycoon can be fun if severely limited in challenge. It remains one of the most random launch titles of all time but is well worth a purchase if you are looking for something that isn't a first person twitch fest.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2013

Cutesy, zoo management sim is let loose on the new Xbox One

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Dec 15, 2013

A rewarding business simulation for all types of players, though one that eventually boxes in the player a little too much.

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70 / 100
Dec 10, 2013

After playing Zoo Tycoon I have to admit that it is quite time consuming, has a long learning curve and is more ideal on a PC platform compared to a console experience. That being said, it is a game that provides a robust zoo experience perfect for any zoo enthusiast, a veteran "sim" player, or perhaps even for a parent looking for a game without any violence whatsoever.

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Dec 9, 2013

Zoos are special and Zoo Tycoon captures that nicely. The sometimes disappointing limitations and even the dreadful menus don't take away enough from the overall package to prevent it from earning a recommendation, particularly for animal lovers and families.

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5 / 10.0
Dec 9, 2013

I wouldn't bother with this. It's pretty and tries to be delightful, but there's not much of a game here.

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3.8 / 5.0
Dec 8, 2013

Zoo Tycoon is definitely a family friend game that can be played by all ages. Younger gamers will definitely get a kick out of designing their own zoos and engaging in the mini-games. Whereas older players will enjoy the challenge mode which does up the difficulty level of the game as you attempt to make a profitable, education and fun zoo for everyone.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 7, 2013

Zoo Tycoon is engaging, rewarding, and fun, just don't burn yourself out on it too quickly. It isn't so much for the hardcore sim manager, but for those not looking for a tremendous amount of depth, there's a lot to like with what Frontier offers.

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7 / 10
Dec 5, 2013

Lots of things are done very well in Zoo Tycoon. The animals have real character and the educational elements are delivered in perfect, bite size chunks. You can lose hours just walking around the zoo, taking photographs and enjoying the animal interactions. Initially there is genuine delight when a new species or enclosure type is unlocked but unfortunately, this wonder wears off all too quickly.

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Dec 5, 2013

Zoo Tycoon overcomes a weak first impression with effortless charm and hidden depths: a colourful blend of management and playful fun that puts its animals first and foremost. A surprisingly capable launch title for more relaxed players, animal lovers, youngsters or just the young at heart. Granted, that's a cheesy cliché, but it holds true here.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 4, 2013

The good ideas in Zoo Tycoon aren't developed far enough to warrant top marks, but Frontier Developments have delivered a capable game that will delight gamers of all ages.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 3, 2013

Building your zoo offers fun moments, but doesn't have any depth or reasons to try different approaches

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Dec 3, 2013

Though creating a zoo is pleasant and breezy, after building several zoos with all of the animals, you've pretty much experienced the lion's share of what Zoo Tycoon has to offer.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 2, 2013

You can take a certain hypnotic bliss from simply working along calmly and peacefully, making sure that your park is running as smoothly as it can and improving the conditions for your ever-growing menagerie of creatures. This game was never going to be he bombastic launch title that blows the minds of gamers. Zoo Tycoon is a different pace of game for a different type of player. With the Xbox One Microsoft are looking to create a device that provides all forms of entertainment, for everyone, and a game like Zoo Tycoon certainly shows their commitment to creating a broad base. It may ultimately be a little shallow, but it has bags of charm and there is more than enough on offer here to provide hours of animal magic.

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3.5 / 5.0
Dec 1, 2013

Zoo Tycoon may be one of the lesser known Xbox One titles, but it's not one of the lesser quality ones. With four modes, a deep interface and multiple activities, it's clear that a lot of effort went into its development.

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6 / 10.0
Dec 1, 2013

Keep in mind that Zoo Tycoon will most likely keep your kid's attention way longer than it will keep yours, and that's fine, it's that type of game. But where Zoo Tycoon cuts corners to appeal to a wider audience, it also alienates it with overly cumbersome menus.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2013

... Zoo Tycoon is an addictive effort that rides in with just enough content for a good play.

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7 / 10
Nov 26, 2013

There's huge satisfaction to be had from building your zoo, observing the animals and watching all the graphs go up. It's just a shame that over time, as the novelties wear off, the lack of depth makes it hard to keep coming back. But who knows? Perhaps a future update will introduce monkey butlers.

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EGM
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2013

From a mechanical standpoint, Zoo Tycoon works quite smoothly, but a ridiculously low agent cap severely detracts from the game's longevity.

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Nov 25, 2013

Zoo Tycoon is a great casual game with plenty of enjoyable animal moments, but the experience is marred by an over-emphasis on simplicity and a terrible menu interface.

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