
The current logo for the series (2013 - ongoing)
The Zoo Tycoon franchise is a series of zoo simulation games, all published by Microsoft Games. The original game was published in 2001, and received a sequel in 2004. In 2013, the series was rebooted with the release of Zoo Tycoon for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Gameplay and Plot[]
The gameplay and plot are very simple: the player usually begins with an empty plot of land, and in time, it begins to shape the map into a fully functioning zoo, with the best possible rating (in the first two games) being 5 Stars. The player is also given a variety of animals, buildings, plants, rocks, staff members, and scenery to place, all of which aid the zoo in a certain way. Over time, guests begin to enter the zoo, and how they feel about the zoo affects your Zoo Fame in various ways. Expansion packs do exactly as they promise; they expand upon the gameplay in ways that allow you to, of course, expand your zoo. New animals, objects, foliage, and even staff are often introduced.
Reception[]
The Zoo Tycoon franchise's ratings have been generally mixed.