Zoo Tycoon 2
Zoo Tycoon 2, (also known as ZT2) is a simulation computer game in which the player must successfully create and run a zoo, by managing its finances, employees and animal exhibits. The goal is to become a "zoo tycoon".
It is the follow-up of the 2002 game Zoo Tycoon.
Gameplay
Freeform
A freeform game in Zoo Tycoon 2 allows you to create the zoo of your choice, the only restriction being space. The player's money supply is unlimited, and all items are available from the beginning of the game play (except those that can only be unlocked in Scenario and Challenge games). Freeform games begin with an empty zoo, to which the player adds animal exhibits and guest facilities (such as restaurants and bathrooms), hiring employees to staff and maintain them.
Challenge
Challenge games are the equivalent of previous Zoo Tycoon freeform games. In this type of game, the player's money supply is limited, and not all items are ready for immediate use and stocks of an animal species are limited. Game play is the same as freeform, except that the player must make a profit in order to keep the zoo running, and certain items must be researched before they become available for use.
This mode will occasionally give the player extra challenges. Some of them will involve creating habitats for specific animals. Other photo challenges will involve snapping a picture of a designated animal doing a specific behavior, such as running or hunting.
When a specific number of regular challenges, expansion pack challenges (expansions are required), or photo challenges are completed, a specific theme for buildings are available, allowing versions of the player's restrooms, food stands, scenery, and other items to be constructed altered for that theme.
Campaign
A campaign is a game form in which the player must complete a goal to win. Each campaign gives the player a certain task to achieve (such as constructing a particular exhibit or gaining a specific award), and when the goal is met, the player moves onto the next.
Campaigns can range from simple construction tasks to creating and managing a popular zoo for several years. As the player progresses through the campaign, the scenarios become harder. After the player completes the last scenario, a reward is obtained, usually a new building or item, or allowing the player to take on an entirely new campaign.
Animals
These are all of the animals included in the original Zoo Tycoon 2, their habitats and the number of stars required to unlock them in Challenge and Campaign modes.
- African Elephant - Savanna - 4 stars
- American Beaver - Wetlands - 3 stars
- Bengal Tiger - Tropical Rainforest - 3.5 stars
- Black Rhinoceros - Savanna - 3 stars
- Cheetah - Savanna - 2.5 stars
- Chimpanzee - Tropical Rainforest - 3.5 stars
- Common Peafowl - Temperate Forest - 0.5 star
- Common Zebra - Savanna - 1.5 stars
- Dromedary Camel - Desert - 0.5 stars
- Emperor Penguin - Tundra - 1 star
- Gemsbok - Scrub - 1 star
- Giant Panda - Temperate Forest - 5 stars
- Greater Flamingo - Wetlands - 1 star
- Grizzly Bear - Boreal Forest - 3.5 stars
- Hippopotamus - Wetlands - 2.5 stars
- Ibex - Alpine - 1.5 stars
- Jaguar - Tropical Rainforest - 2 stars
- Lion - Savanna - 2.5 stars
- Moose - Boreal Forest - 0.5 star
- Mountain Gorilla - Tropical Rainforest - 4 stars
- Nile Crocodile - Wetlands - 1.5 stars
- Okapi - Tropical Rainforest - 2 stars
- Ostrich - Savanna - 2 stars
- Polar Bear - Tundra - 3 stars
- Red Kangaroo - Scrub - 2 stars
- Red Panda - Temperate Forest - 4 stars
- Reticulated Giraffe - Savanna - 2.5 stars
- Ring-Tailed Lemur - Tropical Rainforest - 3 stars
- Snow Leopard - Alpine - 4 stars
- Thomson's Gazelle - Savanna - 0.5 star
Ambient Animals
These animals fly above the zoo or run through the zoo.
- Rock dove - Grassland
- Gull - Grassland
- Yellow-billed Oxpecker - Savannah
- Blue-and-yellow Macaw - Tropical Rainforest
- Mallard Duck - Wetland, Boreal Forest, Temperate Forest
- Common Loon - Boreal Forest, Alpine
- Springhare - Desert
- Red Squirrel - Boreal Forest, Temperate Forest
- King Vulture - Desert, Savannah, Scrub
- Monarch Butterfly - Grassland, Alpine, Temperate Forest, Boreal Forest
Bonus Downloads
Bonus downloads can be added to the game for free either by downloading them via the in-game menu, or by the 'extras' section of the official website. The Asiatic Black Bear is only accessible to those with the Mobile Phone version of the game; when photo challenges are completed, a website to the download is provided.
- Black Leopard - Tropical Rainforest[1] - 3 stars
- Musk Ox - Tundra - 0.5 star
- Asian Elephant - Scrub - 3.5 stars
- Addax - Desert[2] - 2 stars
Another animal download is due to come out sometime this year.
Expansion packs
Endangered Species
In October 2005, Microsoft released the Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species expansion pack. This expansion pack adds more rare animals, including the komodo dragon, scimitar-horned oryx, and orangutan, as well as a number of new forms of transportation, including sky trams, jeep tours and elevated paths. The expansion also has a feature called "variant skins", which means that when the player adopts an animal, it may look different from normal members of its species (such as a Bengal tiger being white).
With the addition of this expansion pack, the player can create a Jeep Wrangler or Commander tour through the zoo's exhibits, or a sky tram route. Elevated paths allow visitors to walk right above the exhibits, giving a very good view of the animals, and even allow food courts to be built above enclosures.
The new maps included in the expansion all have conservation areas where you can't put in non-natural objects, with the exception of enrichment items.
African Adventure
Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure, released May 2006, adds various new African animals such as the bongo, secretary bird, and the meerkat, allows the player to drive through savannah exhibits with African-themed jeep tours to get closer to them. The expansion pack also includes new maps based on well-known African locations, as well as new desert-themed buildings and lizard live food, and a new set of challenges and campaigns. The Jeep vehicle tours originally included in Endangered Species are featured in this expansion, with the addition of the new Jeep Liberty.
One of the biggest features of the expansion is the herding and pack hunting behavior. A lone lion attempting to take on a herd of wildebeest will get attacked if it wanders too close. On the other hand, a pride of lions against a lone wildebeest will work together to hunt it down.
Marine Mania
Released on 17 October 2006, Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania features 20 new aquatic animals, such as the California sea lion, goblin shark and short-finned pilot whale. The expansion also includes marine plants, the ability to build tanks, animal shows, minigames to teach your animals behaviours,and 4 new aquatic biomes (reef, coastal, pelagic,and benthic), and new scenarios. Changes have been made to the original method of biome layout.
Extinct Animals
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals, is planned for a fall 2007 release. It was announced May 24th, 2007 but information was leaked many months before. It is confirmed to contain thirty new animals, twelve of which are dinosaurs, that can be brought back to life via a research building. Among the confirmed animals are the Styracosaurus, dodo, Tyrannosaurus and Smilodon.
Premium Downloads
The following are not true expansion packs, but are mini-packs available on the official site. They aren't counted as bonus downloads because they're not free. The Dino Danger pack is the only example of a premium download so far.
Dino Danger Pack
The Dino Danger Pack was released at the end of July 2006. It is only available as a "Premium Download" on the official Zoo Tycoon website. It adds four new animals to the game. They are Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Carnotaurus, and Styracosaurus. There is also a new animal enrichment item, two new food items, the King Sago Palm, and a new Challenge and Campaign. It includes a new type of fence suited for dinosaurs as well.
The Dino Danger Pack can be purchased for $4.99 and downloaded at Zoo Tycoon Premium Downloads
Zookeeper Collection
The Zookeeper Collection was released in October 2006. It includes the original game as well as the Endangered Species and African Adventure expansions. It includes some Marine Mania features, such as the new mode of biome layout.
Competition
Since the release of Zoo Tycoon in 2001, many other companies have imitated the gameplay, and the concept of running a zoo. The followers since include Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Wild!, Wildlife Park 2, its expansion pack Crazy Zoo, Zoo Empire and its platinum pack Marine Park Empire. All of these have different gameplay and content, but all have the same basic concept.
However, Zoo Tycoon seems to have become more popular and better known. Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 has recently stopped producing expansion packs, and Zoo Empire was a relative failure, while the Zoo Tycoon Franchise has continued to expand since it first came out. The franchise is still expanding, with more expansion packs coming out. The largest competition at the moment is Deep Silver's Wildlife Park 2, originated in Germany.
User Objects
Thanks to certain tutorials and good thinking, one with certain abilities can create objects of his/her own, such as new animals, packs, objects, buildings, plants and gifts purchased by guests. [3]
Most user made downloads are the same as the entity they were made from with an edited texture, but 'mesh editing' allows one to change the 'model' of the object. Mesh editing is new and full of bugs and glitches, and can be done using a program like Blender and 3D Studio Max.
Miscellaneous Facts/Trivia
- There is also a Macintosh, Mobile phone and Nintendo DS version of Zoo Tycoon 2, however, none of the second version expansion packs are available for these platforms.
- You can feed your guests to some animals, such as lions.
- A sheep ambient animal was apparently planned, but never really placed into the game. It can still be found within the game files though.
- There are also so called "Ghost" animals within Zoo Tycoon 2. They are animals that have transparent skins, and may be glitches.