Zoo Tycoon DS
© 2005 THQ, Inc.
Microsoft's popular zoo simulator can fit in your pocket, with this new DS edition. The top screen is a layout of your zoo (with two zoom levels) and bottom screen a sets of menus, used for selecting fences, animals, buildings and so on. Once an item is selected, it can be moved around with the arrow keys, and dropped into place with the A key. As with the PC game, you start with a sum of money and try to turn a plot of land into a thriving zoo. The more you play, more content is unlocked. Those familiar with the Windows version will notice some significant differences. The text is small and hard to read, and it is less likely that children will learn about the animals. Also, the controls are clunky and things are harder to put down; this game is not as well designed as the PC version. It is possible to save games, and there is a nice variety of animals. While it is nice to see a simulation on a handheld platform, we'd suggest staying with the Windows version of Zoo Tycoon. Created for THQ, Inc. by Microsoft Game Studios and Altron. See Zoo Tycoon 2 DS.
$30, Nintendo DS
Teaches: Economics, balancing a budget, managing resources, Science, maintaining life, ecosystems, reading
CTR Rating: 82%