Zoo Tycoon 2 lets you step in the zookeeper's hip-waders and play out your dreams of profits and poop. Read Review
Featuring 30 incredibly detailed animals, a dazzling array of building tools and objects, a new zoom feature, and 3D graphics that allow players to keep a closer eye on the action and craft more creative zoos, Zoo Tycoon 2 is set to crank up the excitement, challenge, and fun of building the ultimate zoo. Zoo Tycoon 2 gets you up close and interacting with the animals and zoo, offering intuitive controls and fun tutorials that allow players of all ages to enjoy the game right out of the box. From the start, you'll be immersed in the zoo experience with new features including the Zoo Guest mode, in which you can walk around and enjoy the game like visitors on a day at the zoo; Zookeeper mode, which allows you to interact with your animals as never before; and a new Photo mode, which lets you snap pictures of your favorite animals and guests and share them online with friends.
Although most of us are probably too young to remember it, there was a time when most zoos were simply concrete and steel cages full of bored and depressed animals. Fortunately, zoo managers soon learned that their animals lived happier, healthier lives in exhibits simulating their natural habitats. And customers spent more money when the animals were happier. That's the driving mechanic behind Zoo Tycoon 2 (instead of, say, Cages Full of Bored Animals 2), a sequel to the best-selling tycoon strategy game that improves in almost every way on the original. Blue Fang Games and Microsoft have gone and created a tycoon game that looks good and plays well, even if it's not exactly a title for the serious strategy gamer. Read More »
Virtual zookeepers can now get up close and personal with their favorite animals. Read More »
Life as a zookeeper isn't glamorous. There's the elephant poop, messy births, and those fussy environmentalists who think giant panda steaks aren't appropriate for the park restaurant (even if the giant pandas were really old). But when your park becomes profitable and you can finally afford a fence to separate the lions from the gazelles, you know you've made it as a true zoo tycoon. Blue Fang Games and Microsoft want to give all of us a chance to become successful zookeepers in Zoo Tycoon 2, the sequel to the original same-named title. We had a chance to get our hands on a beta copy of the game and take a look at what changes you can expect to find when the game is released this fall. Read More »
The constant presence of the original Zoo Tycoon on our Top Ten Best-selling PC Games list testifies to the enormous appeal the idea of building the zoo of your dreams has for most people. Second only to the amusement parks of Rollercoaster Tycoon there may not be a more obvious setting for a Tycoon style game. Unfortunately, monumental sales aside, the original Zoo Tycoon was dismissed by hard-core strategy and management sim fans for its unbalanced gameplay and finicky creatures that seemed more concerned with whether there were 18 or 19 rocks in their enclosure than whether or not they had food to eat. Read More »
Blue Fang's sequel gets a home thanks to Microsoft. Read More »
Also known as: Zoo Tycoon II
Release Region: United States
Release Date: November 9, 2004
Publisher: Microsoft
Release Region: Japan
Release Date: December 10, 2004
Publisher: Microsoft
Release Region: United States
Release Date: November 9, 2004
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: Unreleased
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Expansion packs related to this game:
Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure (PC)
Zoo Tycoon 2: Dino Danger (PC)
Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species (PC)
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals (PC)
Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania (PC)
For more info on these technical requirements and features, please view GameSpy's Specs FAQ.