He explained that teams were sent out to visit zoos and research the animals they planned to add into the games. The games have some basis in reality (minus things like dinosaurs, seeing a witch fly over your zoo on Halloween, and even a killer penguin in the extinct animals expansion), with lots of research put into the development for each title, as game developer Blue Fang art director Fred Galpern commented in an interview with Polygon. The first two titles in the series, Zoo Tycoon (2001) and Zoo Tycoon 2 (2004), both had a few expansions that added additional options like marine wildlife, dinosaurs, and endangered species.

Zoo Tycoon has all kinds of possibilities for players.

Freeform mode lets players go completely wild, with unlimited money or their choice of the map that they’d like to start on. Scenario modes offer various objectives for the player/zoo manager to meet, ranging from displaying a set amount of animals to registering a certain amount of guest happiness. Success in Zoo Tycoon can mean creating a zoo that features all species or turns a massive profit, or, in Zoo Tycoon 2, achieves a coveted 5-star zoo rating. Initially released in 2001, Zoo Tycoon allows players to completely create and manage a zoo with the intention of it becoming a success. Simulation games run the gamut across several subgenres, including the business simulation game Zoo Tycoon. It’s a unique genre that pulls several real-world skills like strategy, planning, and analysis into a wide variety of games that cover everything from controlling and operating a plane to constructing vast cities. Simulation games have always been popular, from well-known titles like The Sims and Planet Coaster to recent indie releases such as Esport Manager.

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