GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

xx 4 Elements
xx 7 Wonders: Treasures of Seven
xx Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile
xx Age of Booty
xx Aion: The Tower of Eternity
xx Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade
50 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
xx BattleForge
51 Beijing 2008
77 Bejeweled Twist
86 Bionic Commando Rearmed
71 Birth of America II: Wars in America 1750-1815
xx Bolt
xx Brain Training for Dummies
81 Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
xx Building & Co: You Are The Architect!
69 Bully: Scholarship Edition
xx Burnout Paradise
88 Call of Duty: World at War
xx CellZenith
32 Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island
81 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
xx Commander: Napoleon at War
84 Crysis Warhead
xx Damnation
56 Dark Horizon
86 Dead Space
xx Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm
xx Deer Hunter Tournament
xx Disciples III: Renaissance
xx Dr. Lynch: Grave Secrets
65 Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon
xx Duke Nukem Forever
xx Dynasty Warriors 6
xx EA Sports GameShow
59 Euro Truck Simulator
xx Europa Universalis: Rome - Vae Victis
61 Everlight: Magic & Power
xx Exodus from the Earth
xx FaitH
92 Fallout 3
86 Far Cry 2
xx Fate: Undiscovered Realms
77 FIFA Manager 09
80 FIFA Soccer 09
86 Football Manager 2009
xx futureU: The Prep Game for SAT
xx Galactic Civilizations II: Endless Universe
xx Grand Theft Auto IV
xx Gravitron 2
82 GTR Evolution
50 Guild 2: Venice, The
xx Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
xx Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft, The
xx Hei$t
xx Hell's Kitchen
xx High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance!
67 Hinterland
xx Hunting Unlimited 2009
xx Igor The Game
xx Imperium Romanum: Emperor Expansion
82 King's Bounty: The Legend
xx Laxius Force
88 Left 4 Dead
xx Legendary
79 LEGO Batman
72 Line Rider 2: Unbound
xx Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, The
xx Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
70 Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
xx MindHabits
xx Moto GP 08
74 Mount & Blade
77 Multiwinia: Survival of the Flattest
60 Murder in the Abbey
69 MySims
xx Mythos
85 Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
xx NBA 2K9
62 Need for Speed Undercover
73 NHL 09
71 Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals
66 Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy
xx Operation Mania
xx Orb and the Oracle, The
59 Outcry
81 Peggle Nights
80 Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 2
70 Penumbra: Requiem
xx Perimeter 2: New Earth
xx Pipe Mania
xx Poker For Dummies
xx Price is Right, The
xx Prince of Persia
xx Prison Tycoon 4: SuperMax
xx Project Aftermath
83 Pure
70 Quantum of Solace
73 Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches
70 Romance of The Three Kingdoms XI
xx Runes of Magic
75 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
76 Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
82 Saints Row 2
xx SAS: Secure Tomorrow
xx SCORE International Baja 1000
41 Shattered Suns
xx Shaun White Snowboarding
83 Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
xx Silent Hill: Homecoming
xx Silverfall: Earth Awakening
75 Sims 2 Apartment Life, The
68 Sinking Island
60 Space Siege
59 Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
84 Spore
xx StarCraft II
xx Still Life 2
xx Storm of War: Battle of Britain
73 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner
81 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free
81 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands
82 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective
71 Summer Athletics
xx Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
xx Sword of the Stars: A Murder of Crows
xx Talisman
xx Tomb Raider Underworld
xx Twilight War: After the Fall
xx Vampyre Story, A
86 Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
64 Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March
xx Wartime Command: Battle for Europe 1939-1945
85 Witcher: Enhanced Edition, The
90 World of Goo
92 World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
71 WorldShift
74 X3: Terran Conflict

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Zoo Tycoon pc Game Reviews
Zoo Tycoon
Critic Score
Metascore: 68 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.2 out of 10
based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 17 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Build, manage, and maintain the most healthy and vibrant zoo possible with over 200 animals, exhibits, and zoo materials. Plan wisely, and all of your animals will be happy. Plan poorly, and those lions, tigers, and bears may find a new found interest in you! [Microsoft]

PUBLISHER: Microsoft
DEVELOPER: Blue Fang Games
GENRE(S): Strategy, Simulation
PLAYERS: 1
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2001

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
Computer Games Magazine
It's a benchmark for finely tuned balance, interface, and polish. It has nearly all the little features we cry out for in these types of games but never overwhelms or frustrates.
Read Full Review
80
Media and Games Online Network
A fresh breath of air for the management style of gaming genre.
Read Full Review
80
GameZone
An addictive experience for any animal and zoo lover who may or may not be accustomed to sim games. Unfortunately, experienced simmers may find the game lacking in complexity or motivation.
Read Full Review
78
Game Over Online
A little repetitive, and it’s lacking in strategy, and the scenarios can take forever to play.
Read Full Review
75
Electric Playground
The zoo theme is a lot of fun. Newcomers to sim gaming may get more bang for their buck, but oldtimers with a Noah (as in the Ark) complex will enjoy it as well.
Read Full Review
75
Game Informer
Fun for what it was worth, but I didn't have a problem walking away from it when the time came. [Dec 2001, p.117]
72
Gamezilla!
Once they fix the problems, and I’m sure they will, the game will be a great diversion for kids and adults alike looking for a good, educational and more-or-less non-violent game.
Read Full Review
71
GameSpot
Caring for a zoo full of your own miniature animals has its own charm, and despite its visual flaws and less-than-spectacular sound, Zoo Tycoon conveys this charm well.
Read Full Review
70
Yahoo! Games
In choosing to take their inspiration from such a strong game ["RollerCoaster Tycoon"], the developers have invited comparison with it, and, perhaps inevitably, it's a little wanting in that context.
Read Full Review
70
Computer Gaming World
There are only two view levels, and they’re both fairly distant. This makes it not only hard to find animals or workers in a crowded zoo, but also, frankly, less fun to watch. [Feb 2002, p.98]
69
IGN
I just think you'll be bored by the average graphics and sound and the sad lack of real creativity that makes some real world zoos absolutely amazing.
Read Full Review
67
GameSpy
More often than not, the gameplay mechanics and the zoos themselves are just plain dull. Watching animals circle around in cages while guests amble around on sidewalks offers little to hold your attention or capture your imagination.
Read Full Review
66
TotalGames.net
Shows a total lack of innovation and desire to improve the gaming experience, but it does have cute animals in it. If you can accept the fact that you are here to manage tigers rather than whatever the focus is in any other management game then you can have a lot of fun.
Read Full Review
60
Next Generation Magazine
A pleasant diversion, but it’s about as deep as a puddle, and frustratingly finicky. [Jan 2002, p.93]
60
All Game Guide
Beyond basic maintenance, you'll mostly just watch and wait for the next rush of action.
Read Full Review
57
ActionTrip
Zoo Tycoon is somewhere on the verge of turning from nice fun for long winter nights into arduous work that would make your eyes, hand and brain hurt.
Read Full Review
48
PC Gamer
This game has the imaginative spark of a wet napkin. [Jan 2002, p.76]
40
Adrenaline Vault
Due to severe problems in graphics and gameplay, this title cannot hold a candle to "RollerCoaster Tycoon," still firmly at the head of the class.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Tim L. gave it a10:
Old graphics but sweeeet. So many options, specifically downloading new stuff.

[Anonymous] gave it a 6:
Animal and tycoon lovers only im afraid. But quite fun.

[Anonymous] gave it a 10:
This game is SO awesome! I kinda hope they come out with more animals though.

Ryan U. gave it a 10:
I luv this game so much it is so cool dont think any other microsoft games can beat it.

[Anonymous] gave it a 10:
This game rocks! It's really fun to play, especially when you can make the animals kill each other.

Tati O. gave it a 10:
O jogo eh muito legal, mas se torna cansativo com o tempo, se voce nao fizer novos downloads. Acho que vale a pena ter o jogo, nao me arrependi. Quem quiser me escreva.

Mark D. gave it a 5:
Standard Fare for a tycoon game. I doubt that I'm alone when I say that there is a lot of ratsh*t swimming in the Tycoon Pool. The concept is original, but this is just another developer trying to rip off Chris Sawyer's Excellent game. The graphics are also pretty average, the sound track could be improved, and there are lots of tiny bugs.

Read more user comments...

Discuss this game in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: MLB | Spore | iPhone 3G | Paris Hilton | Antivirus Software | GPS | Recipes | Shwayze | NFL

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use