Zoo Tycoon

A completely different game from anything else available on Xbox One, suitable both to managerial game lovers and families with children, thanks to the many play modes available. If you're a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed even if the difficulty is a little bit tuned on the low side.

Zoo Tycoon looks polished, the animals are incredibly cute and they're a joy to take care of. A lack of depth and an incomprehensible interface hold it back.

A rewarding business simulation for all types of players, though one that eventually boxes in the player a little too much.

Zoos are special and Zoo Tycoon captures that nicely. The sometimes disappointing limitations and even the dreadful menus don’t take away enough from the overall package to prevent it from earning a recommendation, particularly for animal lovers and families.

After playing Zoo Tycoon I have to admit that it is quite time consuming, has a long learning curve and is more ideal on a PC platform compared to a console experience. That being said, it is a game that provides a robust zoo experience perfect for any zoo enthusiast, a veteran “sim” player, or perhaps even for a parent looking for a game without any violence whatsoever.

The good ideas in Zoo Tycoon aren't developed far enough to warrant top marks, but Frontier Developments have delivered a capable game that will delight gamers of all ages.

It’s easy and accessible fun, but Zoo Tycoon has a long way to go before it has the depth to make it rewarding.

Zoo Tycoon is a nice return of the series on Xbox One, a fun demonstration of the console’s capabilities. This Zoo Tycoon is aiming for two audiences: fans and casual gamers. Zoo Tycoon's fans will be disappointed to have a minimal control on the management and the building of their park, while casual players perhaps won't try the challenges because of the difficulty.

With four modes, a deep interface and multiple activities, it’s clear that a lot of effort went into its development. Unfortunately, by combining classic Zoo Tycoon elements with those of Kinectimals, it lowers the challenge.

There's huge satisfaction to be had from building your zoo, observing the animals and watching all the graphs go up. It's just a shame that over time, as the novelties wear off, the lack of depth makes it hard to keep coming back.

From a mechanical standpoint, Zoo Tycoon works quite smoothly, but a ridiculously low agent cap severely detracts from the game’s longevity.

This game is an interesting experiment: it tries to transform the old builder sim in something fast and easy to play. The problem is the game is now too easy and it has several flaws in terms of user interface.

With its charming, colorful sandbox of tools, there's definitely a micro-managing itch that Zoo Tycoon handily scratches - we just wish the thrills stuck around a bit longer.

If you only know the 'Tycoon'-moniker from those railroading games and expect to find something with complex mechanics and systems to mull over, this is not the game for you. It's a light-hearted and a bit shallow simulation for the whole family. And as such, it succeeds.

One of the few options for kids in the Xbox One initial lineup. They will especially appreciate the animal interactions and the educational side of the game. As a tycoon, it was greatly adapted to a console but fell short on the management side.

Zoo Tycoon may have taken a best-of-both-worlds approach, but to my surprise and delight, ends up being more successful as a "game" than a mere family-friendly "experience."

For all its shallowness, I couldn't help but fall for Zoo Tycoon. While its charms may indeed be too quickly exhausted, they're potent while they last, and there's an overpowering wholesomeness that's difficult to resist. There are a lot of great ideas, wonderful moments and potential memories to be made here that make it more than worth a look, but much like my experiences with real-life animal parks, Zoo Tycoon becomes less likely to delight upon each subsequent visit.

Zoo Tycoon stands halfway between a kids game and a deeper strategic experience.

Technical issues and uninspiring visuals hold Zoo Tycoon back from must-have launch material. [Jan 2014, p.63]

Zoo Tycoon is too hard for kids and too simple for adults, specially if they're looking for a game to become zoo managers. So we guess that it's meant for parents who want to play with their kids. If you're one of those, then it's a great choice.

This Zoo Tycoon next-gen is aiming for two audiences: casual players and true management lovers. It's understandable but very risky obviously. Zoo Tycoon's fans will be disappointed to have such a minimal control on the management and the building of their park, while casual players won't try the Challenges because of the difficulty. At last, Kinect is just a gadget once more, not a real revolution...

It remains one of the most random launch titles of all time but is well worth a purchase if you are looking for something that isn’t a first person twitch fest.

Zoo Tycoon will have a very narrow appeal beyond families. [Issue#142, p.90]

Zoo Tycoon has all the cuddly critters up its sleeve (and I'm down with any game that features red pandas), and it wields the stick of cuteness without shame. But this simulation buries the cuteness beneath menus and squanders the power of the next-gen console by limiting the size of the zoo. Though creating a zoo is pleasant and breezy, after building several zoos with all of the animals, you've pretty much experienced the lion's share of what Zoo Tycoon has to offer.

For all Zoo Tycoon’s charms, it’s ultimately too shallow; there’s only so much cooing at identikit baby animals you can do before the inevitable fatigue sets in.

Zoo Tycoon is making a nice return on Xbox One, even if it is difficult to define its identity, between light management features and Kinect interactions, which are certainly adorable, but lack of interest in the long term.

It's just a shame that the game forces you to spend so much time bogged down in its clumsy interface, when all you want to do is build a better zoo.

Zoo Tycoon is a half-successful experiment, as almost every product of this kind. Frontier had a powerful tool in their hands - the new Kinect - which it could've used in a more intelligent way to make the experience of a management game for consoles less painful than usual.

A fun demonstration of the Xbox One’s capabilities but unfortunately much more a stealth sequel to Kinectimals than it is a proper Tycoon game.

While the animals are gorgeously detailed in their own right, learning about them and creating an enriching environment for the cuddly critters isn’t always presented in an enjoyable way.