Platform:  WINDOWS 98/ME/2000/XP Publisher:  UBI SOFT Packaging:  DVD STYLE BOX Rating:  EVERYONE It s your zoo and you re in charge! Uncage your imagination as you build the most fun and beautiful zoo ever. Keep the animals happy and your guests will go ape. Now you can monkey around with all three popular games Zoo Tycoon and expansion packs Marine Mania and Dinosaur Digs for a thrillogy of fun!Features:Play with all of your favorite land aquatic and prehistoric animals.Zoo Tycoon Strategy Guide (electronic on CD-ROM Learn fascinating animal facts.More than 100 animals in total.Over 500 objects including exhibits attractions and animal toys.30 challenging scenarios test your inner zookeeper.Interactive tutorials and easy-to-learn gameplay.Bonus Endangered Species Theme Pack.System Requirements:Windows 98SE ME 2000 XP Graphics card: 32MB INTEGRATED GRAPHICS CHIPSETS & LAPTOPS ARE NOT SUPPORTED. System Memory: 128 MB Processor: 233 MHz or higher Free Hard Disc Space: 1.4GB. Requires: DVD-ROM driveDIRECTX 8.1 or higher Sound Card: DX patible

An insidiously addictive simulation game, Zoo Tycoon allows players to create their own zoo, but not just any zoo. It's completely free-form: Start with fences for your exhibits, then pick animals and give them toys, foliage, and anything else you want. For your customers, you can lay down paths to lead them around, then add food stands, amusement rides, even maps and trash cans. Not sure what you need? The zoo advisors will tell you how to make the animals happy, and the customers themselves will tell you what they're looking for, be it snacks, more animals, or anything else. There's also a vast amount of background information on each critter--its diet, its habitat, etc.--which can be useful when you're adding a macrauchenia or a Loch Ness Monster. In all, you can choose over 100 animals, plus countless habitat and park embellishments.

What makes Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection especially compelling is its inclusion of the expansion packs Marine Mania and Dinosaur Digs, so you can add dolphin shows to your zoo, or even a T-Rex or wooly mammoth. Be sure to maintain those worn-out fences, though, or you could have big trouble on your hands.

Zoo Tycoon is a great game for kids because while they'll have terrific fun crafting the zoo of their dreams, they'll also get a reality lesson about what customers want, and how their choice of expenditures ultimately affect the bottom line (that nacho stand sounds tasty, but is it making money?). If you've made a good zoo, customers will be happy, and the money will roll in. And it's also the kind of game grown-ups can enjoy, because there are so many possibilities. Be wary, however, of trying to sneak in 20 minutes of play before bedtime because you'll probably stay up a lot longer than you planned. (Ages 7 and older) --David Horiuchi

Pros:

• Great game for kids and parents to play together.
• Endless replay possibilities
• Educational value in its animal information and "real world" economics

Cons

• Sometimes tiresome trying to get an animal's exhibit just right
• How much free time do you have to spare?