Tycoon-style games can be a hit or miss depending on how in-depth they are. Standout tycoon games have the right amount of balancing business with construction, as well as a sandbox mode that allows for an “anything goes” gameplay style. One tycoon game that accomplished this, and more, were the classic Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2 games from Blue Fang Games and Microsoft Studios. While these games and expansion packs released from 2001 to 2008, they still hold up after all these years as quality endeavors that balance the business side of a tycoon game with the fun construction aspect of building a zoo.

Microsoft later tried to reboot the series in 2013 with Frontier Developments, still calling the game Zoo Tycoon though the end result varied drastically from the predecessor games. It’s much more accurate to say Planet Zoo is similar to the old Zoo Tycoon games. The more recent endeavor from Frontier Developments has consistently been called the spiritual predecessor to the original Zoo Tycoon franchise. While this title is deserved, there are a few differences that still give Zoo Tycoon an edge when compared to Planet Zoo.

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Planet Zoo has often been applauded for its build capabilities because it’s so far advanced from the days of Zoo Tycoon. This advancement isn’t surprising, especially because Planet Zoo debuted in 2019 — over ten years after the last Zoo Tycoon game. However, more isn’t always better and this is evidenced in just how many options are available in Planet Zoo. Zoo Tycoon exclusively has premade buildings that players can place in their zoos and they could be themed to match a certain aesthetic, making it easy to make themed parks or park sections.

Planet Zoo, on the other hand, lets players craft their own building exteriors from scratch. This means placing plank after plank to create a cohesive wall, as well as making custom roofing and enclosure fences. The build mechanics in Planet Zoo are incredibly detailed but have a massive learning curve to it that players have to be dedicated to understanding. Zoo Tycoon has easy-to-use build mechanics that players can learn and utilize pretty immediately without a steep learning curve. Planet Zoo is extremely customizable, which is great for players with keen attention to detail, but those looking for a more straightforward experience might be better off with Zoo Tycoon.

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At its core, Zoo Tycoon is a tycoon simulation game. Players could spend a lot of time in sandbox mode just creating a zoo, or learn to balance animal care with running a successful, profitable zoo in campaign modes. It was important to know how to balance the business aspect with the building of a zoo, but it wasn’t mandatory. Planet Zoo follows suit in a similar fashion, where players can focus on a sandbox mode or play different campaigns with goals.

The key difference, though, is that Planet Zoo tends to require a lot more micromanaging compared to Zoo Tycoon. Besides knowing how to balance running a successful business and keeping the zoo animals happy, players have to focus on other details in Planet Zoo. The game requires that players know where to place things like generators for correct power allocation. While this seems like an interesting detail at first, it can become annoyingly tedious to keep up with. Other instances of paying attention to details absent from Zoo Tycoon can make Planet Zoo more complicated than fun at times.

Planet Zoo and Zoo Tycoon are both pleasant zoo gaming experiences depending on what players are looking for. However, in the grand scheme of things, it’s no wonder that people still gravitate toward the original Zoo Tycoon for its easy-to-navigate interface and enjoyable gameplay experience.

Zoo Tycoon is available now for PC.

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