Frontier Developments managed to create an amazing roller coaster-focused tycoon game, and with Planet Zoo, they’ve released a similarly great zoo tycoon game. The main premise of the game is very simple here. You have a large amount of space that you need to create a zoo. What you do with this adult sandbox is up to you! You do have the option to go through a campaign mode where you start with a small zoo and have to complete various challenges.
Once you complete that, you can play through the sandbox mode, which is where the game shines. The idea here is that you can easily create habitats and place animals in them, then nurture these animals and ask visitors to pay a ticket to see them. The cool thing about Planet Zoo is that it’s very easy to get into, and you will find it a pleasure to watch all your animals realistically react to your zoo environment. Don’t forget to add food and water to your enclosures!
What’s very appealing about Planet Zoo is the high level of customization. The game does a very good job of allowing you to customize pretty much anything you want. On top of that, there’s also the Steam Workshop integration that allows you to access new animals, landscapes, buildings, and so on. All of this adds up to deliver many great tools you can use to create a stunning zoo.
The economic element here is great since you can easily add entertainment venues and other facilities while choosing how much you charge for the zoo entry and extras. In addition, you also need to watch how happy your animals are since not all animals will be very happy if they lack food, socialization, etc.
All the details are fantastic in the game. The animal models and animations are the best I’ve ever seen in a tycoon game or simulation. You feel like a zoo owner as you try to complete all the tasks as fast as possible. It’s a nifty and fun idea and one of those things that plenty of people will fall in love with. The visuals are incredible, and the animals look and sound very realistic, so the game makes you feel like a part of a zoo.
Overall, I feel that Planet Zoo does an amazing job of helping you create your dream zoo. Planet Zoo can be a time sink just because you can easily create thousands upon thousands of zoos that are different from each other and see if they are successful or not. If you like animals, simulations/tycoons, and the idea of creating a virtual zoo, this game is well worth it and should be at the top of your list!
