Zoo Tycoon DS - Any thoughts?

shipwreck

shipwreck

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My wife is a big fan of the Zoo Tycoon games and is currently playing Zoo Tycoon 2 on the PC. I really don't know much about the games at all, but I was considering getting her a DS and Zoo Tycoon. How does the DS version compare to the PC versions?
 
I seen this at Walmart the other day and thought... wow I have heard nothing about this game at all. I guess noone is getting it.
 
Yeah I saw it at Toys R Us a few days ago fro $49.99 No joke right next to Whack a Mole Another Game i had no idea even existed.

EB had Zoo for $29.99 though
 
My wife got it on release day the other week, I got Phoenix Wright myself. I thought it looked great and its not a bad little port from the PC version which she is a fan of (This and Animal Crossing had her wanting her own DS). The single WORST aspect I have seen is the fact that you DO NOT use the touch screen for item placement (Sidewalks, animals, benches etc etc) you use the D pad. HELLLO!!!!???? The touch screen is used for item SELECTION. IMO it should have been the other way around and is the game's main flaw, otherwise if you were a fan of the PC version its not bad for a little portable version. She is enjoying it although right now she is hooked on Trauma Center. :)
 
Here's a review from another forum I visit. Hope it helps.

'K. I still love the game, but there are a few more complaints this time around. Still recommend etc., you just should know what's up with it ahead of time.

AI is really stupid. Depending on how you draw your paths, a lot of the little people will keep walking back and forth on the same path. I've got a zoo with 100+ visitors, and 75+ are in a straight line. There is a neat little fix for this problem, though: save and load the game, and they'll be evenly distributed along all paths. They don't fall back into their old pattern for a long time.

Another AI issue is a lack of seeking out needs. People will be hungry/thirsty/need to pee and they'll happily walk right past a huge restaurant/bathroom. You'll get messages that warn you of "too many thirsty people," but when you see who they are, they're all right next to a shop. I've learned to ignore them, since my visitor happiness stays in the 90s regardless.

Finally, the game goes by slowly. There's no speedup option, so 12 sec=1 day, 1 min=5 days, 6 min=1 month, 1 hour=1 year. I'm to some scenarios that take over a year to complete. This isn't really a problem if you simply don't ever pause the game, though. I used to pause, build the entire zoo, and then open up for business, but then I had to wait for a long, uneventful hour to clear the scenario. Now I just build as time passes.

One thing I really love is the detail. This game would have never been possible on the GBA, as you've got 100+ little people wandering around, plus dozens of buildings, animals, plants, and miscellaneous scenery; a lot of sprites to keep track of. You can zoom way out and take stock of this grand zoo you've designed, which makes the game worth it.

With its flaws, though, I doubt any online reviewer will give it more than a 7, and probably partially because it doesn't do anything new (although the touchscreen is used admirably!). I don't know what else anyone could expect, though; it's the PC game on your DS. Like I said before, you should take a look at it if you're a sim fan.
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I've picked this up, but haven't opened it yet. I was surprised not to hear more buzz about it... to me, a handheld business sim like this is a big deal (to me, at least)... haven't been any before, that I know of?

Now if they'd just bring RCT to DS... that would be AWESOME!

And I have to agree about the AI... the ones in the PC version are dumb as posts, so I don't see where that's any different :p

Ash
 
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