Game review: World of Zoo - Nintendo DS

The concept of the game is an animal lover’s dream, handing players the key to their very own zoo.

Once inside players can explore all the habitats and interact with dozens of different animals.

To be successful in the game and eventually become the ‘ultimate zookeeper’ players must earn the trust and affections of all their animals.

There are three ways to keep animals happy.

One is to feed them, choosing from different foods from the menu.

The second is playing with the animals, using the stylus to pet them or throw various toys and balls into their enclosure.

And finally players can decorate their animals’ homes, buying items with star tokens which are awarded throughout the game.

Players can watch their animals to observe their behaviour, while the animals themselves help out with thought bubbles suggesting which items to use.

The game provides a free roaming experience, allowing players to explore their animal exhibits as much as they want and interact with whichever animals they choose.

There is a good sense of progression in the game. Players must build relationships with their animals through hands-on supervision, while there are also loads of awards to earn and items to unlock.

There is lots of other content in the game.

There are mini games to play with the animals, while in the nursery players can take care of and play with baby creatures.

Meanwhile in the zoo journal players can write about their accomplishments, customising the background and decorating it with stickers.

Fact cards can be purchased during the game, providing a raft of educational information from National Geographic.

The animal creator is where zookeepers can really unleash their artistic abilities.

Using their creativity to the full, players can customise animals within the game or create new animals from scratch.

There are tons of options in this mode, including body parts, fur patterns, colours, shapes, sizes and personalities.

If you want a green giraffe, a pink elephant, a strangely patterned bear or a brand new animal of your own creation then you can have it in this game.

Though World of Zoo is a single-player game there are various wireless network elements.

Players can trade animals, visit each other’s zoos and invite friends to their petting zoo.

Controls in the game are all about touch and drag, and are very simple to use, ideal for younger players.

Graphics in the game are colourful, although they really are at the very basic end of the scale.

Sounds and music are suitably light and cutesy for the game.

World of Zoo from THQ was developed by Blue Fang, creator of the Zoo Tycoon series. While the animal theme remains, don’t be fooled into thinking this is any sort of strategy or management game. It’s much more of a lightweight ‘sim’ or ‘life’ game, of which there are many on the DS.

While it might not be quite deep enough for some people’s tastes, youngsters will love the freedom to create their own personalised virtual zoo and look after the animals within it.

There is a plethora of animal/pet care games on the DS and while World of Zoo doesn’t massively stand out from the crowd or set any new standards on the platform, it’s still a worthwhile experience for young players.

Verdict: 7 out of 10 - A cute and charming game of discovery, education and animal magic.