Now, what's a zoo without visitors? Once in your zoo, you've got to keep them there by giving them cool things to look at, such as animals, Reptile Houses, Primate Houses, Elephant Rides, and other such attractions. You must also provide them with a place to eat, drink, rest their feet, and blow their money. Charging an arm and a leg for food and drink will see your zoo making a profit in no time!

Overall, the game looks great. As I mentioned in our preview of the game, the graphics are quite realistic, which is a must for telling apart the great many types of terrain, trees, and of course animals. You may spy some animals oddly running on the spot, but these glitches are minor. The terrain blending works very well, and serves to make the landscapes look truly alive. Some of the items you need to add to your exhibits rather stand out though. It's shame to see an animal demanding a shelter, and having to slap down an ugly looking stable or cement building in your beautiful exhibit. But hey, what they say goes! There is, of course, all sorts of odds and ends to place in your zoo to make it look loverly. Everything from statues to flowers and decorative fences are available.

Ok, so you've got the idea and know how to go about becoming a Zoo Tycoon. There's still that question, is it worth it? The following aspects of the game have been rated out of ten. Ten being gaming heaven, and one being gaming hell:

Gameplay - 7
The comparisons to Roller Coaster Tycoon are inevitable, as much of the interface and gameplay is certainly inspired by that super selling game. It seems that the Zoo Tycoon guys learned a few things from RTC, but could have added a few more features, such as the ability to build bridges or tunnels. In some RTC theme parks the paths for visitors were almost as complex as rides themselves, crossing valleys, rivers, other paths, but in Zoo Tycoon you're unable to bridge gaps at all. Also left out is being able to adjust game speed, and see through trees so that selecting animals is easier. Probably the single most helpful thing I've ever found on a cheat page is the Ctrl+F command for Zoo Tycoon that makes trees invisible. These quibbles hold the game back from reaching its true potential.

Graphics - 7
Lookin' good! There may not be any fancy lighting effects and it certainly won't require the latest bad boy video card from nVidia to run smoothly. The animals and trees look as they should, and behave as they should. There are a few minor glitches with animal movement and some animal shelters could have been a little more attractive, but overall it looks quite appealing.

Playability - 8
A monkey could play this game. It is rock solid and free of major bugs, and the interface speaks for itself. The menus are easily navigated and logic can be your guide. The Zoo Keeper tips for animals could be better updated as you work, but on the whole, it is easy to find what you're looking for.

Sound - 7
Sound does not feature prominently in this game, a result of the design rather than anything negative with regards to the sounds themselves. You'll hear animals voice their displeasure if they are unhappy, no doubt sounding much as they would in the wild. If you are working in one area of your zoo for quite awhile, the sounds from the animals or buildings in that area may get a little repetitive for your liking, but on the whole, they do a decent job.

Value - 8
This game is moderately priced, which makes it a pretty good buy. The many freeform maps and scenarios ensure a fair number of gaming hours, but perhaps best of all, you can download extras for the game. These include new and exotic animals, new scenarios, and new items to place in your zoo. All in all, it's a good deal.

Final Score - 7.4
Zoo Tycoon is one of those games suitable for ages 4-400. Although a few things could have been added to enhance this game further, it is solid and sells for a reasonable price. Tycoon fans will feel right at home at the controls of a zoo, with an intuitive menu system, good graphics, and leisurely gameplay.

If you still can't make up your mind, the Zoo Tycoon demo is available here from Microsoft, and is just 27 MB. By today's demo standards, that is absolutely tiny, so go give it a whirl.

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