10/13/2012

Zoo Tycoon Expansion Pack: Dinosaur Digs Review

Zoo Tycoon Expansion Pack: Dinosaur Digs
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I was thrilled to read the initial press releases about this game - and I have been very impressed by the actual game thus far. I bought it the day it came out, and am still having fun playing it a week later. These are the following dinosaurs/prehistoric animals that you will be able to house in a zoo: (1) Smilodon (sabertooth cat), (2) Wooly Mammoth, (3) Wooly Rhino, (4) Giant Turtle, (5) Stegosaurous, (6) T-Rex, (7) Allosaurous, (8) Velociraptor, (9) Triceratops (which you unlock with a cheat code), (10) Lambeosaurus (Duck-billed hadrosaurs), (11) Styracosaurus(Five-horned Dino), (12) Ankylosaurous (armor plated with bony tail), (13)Iguanodon, (14)Spinosaurus, (15)Plesiosaurus, (16)Kentrosaurus (cousin of the stegosaurus), (17) Caudipteryx (lean green hunter), (18) Coeleophysis (bird-dinosaur), (19) Herrerasaurus (very cool striped hunter - my favorite in the game!), (20) Apatosaurus, (21) Camptosaurus (gentle herbivore)...plus there is one more "unlock" animal in the game that is revealed when you make it to the later scenerios - it is very impressive!!! Also, you may ... via the special "internal update" function of the game and download two additional new dinosaurs. I'll just let those be a surprise for you, but they are also very cool. I have wanted to build my own Jurassic Park since that movie came out in 1994...this Zoo Tycoon expansion is our first chance to do it!!! Along with the animals, the game designers have also created a ton of prehistoric fauna and other items such as volcanoes to add to the exhibits. There is even a "Recovery Team" that includes a helicopter that takes off and captures the dinos when they get loose - and you know they will indeed get loose at some point. The animals in this game actually test the fences for weaknesses and attack the same spots repeatedly to facilitate an escape. There are electrified fences and giant concrete walls to try to keep these monsters penned - but good luck - they were born to cause mayhem! This expansion pack has 6 cool new scenerios for you to play with as well: An Ice-Age Zoo and a Jurassic Zoo are just two of them. There is even a scenerio where you have to salvage the remains of a "Dino Park" after its previous owner had to abandon it when things went horribly awry. Like Zoo Tycoon, there are also buildings to place in the park that have animals inside them, but which cannot be further manipulated by you - in this case, A Pteranodon Aviary, a Prehistoric Amphibians House, and a Jurassic Cinema (which has different movies on the Marquee like Dinosaurs Attack!). There is even a playground with dinosaur slides and different fossil statues to place around the zoo for aesthetic reasons. Plus, a Mammoth Cones shop and a Bronto Burger Stand, Yummmm!
This game is a must-have. I really enjoy playing my zoo tycoon, and I couldn't wait to play this game. And for anyone reading this who is excited about creating their own Jurassic Park - in the Fall there will be an even bigger surprise. The people behind the Jurassic Park name and logo are putting together their own Dinosaur Park building game, which at this point is being called Jurassic Park: Project Genesis. You will be able to do basically what you are doing in ZT: Dinosaur Digs, only you will actually get to use the logo from the movies on your buildings and have access to supposedly realistic-looking dinosaurs. While I love the animals that were created for Zoo Tycoon, they are slightly on the cartoon/stylized level. This is not a complaint, but an observation. If you want photo-realistic dinosaurs, supposedly Project Genesis is going to be something wonderful to behold.
The only bad thing I have to say about Zoo Tycon and Dinosaur Digs is that these games are not for everyone. Dinosaur Digs is what I call a "Bonzai Game" - one that you play slowly and over long periods, which does not have a lot of blasts and explosions in it...just like nurturing a Japanese Banzai over time. If you enjoy animals, and like games that are slow to play and involve the constant maintenance and upkeep of exhibits, then you will enjoy playing this. If you are more a "Tomb Raider" kind of player, then you will be disappointed to find little action here - there are no guns, lasers, or karate chops to be found. I personally enjoy escaping from my life for a few hours and disappearing into my little zoo, creating the exhibits with great care and trying to please all my guests. I like the thrill of trying to keep all my fences intact and make sure all the animals are healthy. I enjoy arranging the different plants and sculpting the scenery just so. And, I must admit, I also enjoy the moments when one of the dinos gets loose and wrecks havoc - watching the helicopters take off and race to subdue the beast (you can't control the helicopters, you can just build a helicopter port. After that, your staff does all the flying and dino-tranquilizing).
I sincerely hope there are dozens more expansion packs for Zoo Tycoon. It is incredibly well done, hours and hours worth of entertainment. I can't wait to see what other animals the people at Microsoft are dreaming up!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Zoo Tycoon Expansion Pack: Dinosaur Digs

Create prehistoric pandemonium while adding dinosaur after dinosaur to your growing zoo in Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs Expansion Pack. Players let their imagination run wild, as they build the most amazing zoo filled with dinosaurs and tremendous ice age beasts. Manage more than 20 all-new awe-inspiring creatures, including a T. rex, velociraptor, and even a saber-toothed tiger. Players that can keep their animals and guests happy achieve the ultimate status of Zoo Tycoon.
This adventurous, dinosaur-filled expansion pack requires Zoo Tycoon to play. Since Dinosaur Digs integrates seamlessly with the Zoo Tycoon software, players experience adventure and fun the moment they start the game.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Zoo Tycoon Expansion Pack: Dinosaur Digs

No comments:

Post a Comment