Zoos, eh? Aside from occupying the fairly sparse final pages of any dictionary, they serve quite a purpose. They educate the world’s peoples of the wonder of the planet’s animals, highlight the plight of endangered species, and whilst highlighting those two purposes, provide another creative outlet for the many developers of the proven game concept that is the tycoon genre. Zoo Tycoon 2 is the sequel to 2001’s expansion pack-spawning Zoo Tycoon, and true to form, since 2004 ZT2 has accumulated three expansion packs of its own. The chaps at Microsoft have seen fit to further milk the metaphorical cash-llama by releasing the original ZT2, together with the first two expansion packs, namely Endangered Species and African Adventure.

Broadly speaking, ZT2 isn’t brave enough to deviate from the tried-and-tested rules of how to make a management game. You navigate the menus, place your key buildings, staff, and – as is ZT2’s particular forte as you may have guessed – animals. Personally, in terms of the way such items are placed, and the way the core dynamics work, this is all more like Bullfrog’s wonderful Theme Hospital than anything else I’ve yet played in my gaming years, albeit with more pandas and fewer rats and shotguns. Once the key tutorials, as lucidly presented as you’d hope, are out of the way you’re thrust into the campaign, challenge, or free play modes, and bit by bit you get access to increasingly exotic animals and features to play around with, all the while educating suckers - er, the paying public - in the finer points of ecology through your educator staff.

If there were allegations that the original ZT didn’t look too spangly with its 2D engine, Blue Fang clearly didn’t take such criticism lion down. They implemented a new 3D engine for ZT2, and although the expansions don’t offer any significant visual changes, it is a step up. Alas, despite being able to zoom in substantially, the models of visitors and animals leave something to be desired, although mercifully, the camera is very capable.