Zoo Tycoon Reviews
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.
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.
A fun demonstration of the Xbox One's capabilities but unfortunately much more a stealth sequel to Kinectimals than it is a proper Tycoon game.
Zoo Tycoon's animals are adorable, but a clunky interface prevents this management sim from reaching its potential.
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.
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.
Zoo Tycoon is a game that knows its target market and embraces it wholeheartedly. It may not be the deepest or most challenging simulator out there, but it's a great option for those with young children and its charm is simply undeniable.
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.
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.
Building exhibits and interacting with animals in Zoo Tycoon isn't much fun when you're fighting with this menu system.
There's definitely a zoo, but where's the tycoon?
I wouldn't bother with this. It's pretty and tries to be delightful, but there's not much of a game here.