Zoo Keeper

[chuddy_2001uk]

Games for the DS have been few and far between lately. After the initial rush of the launch games and once the excitement of holding a brand new piece of kit had died down, it became apparent that we were going to have to wait. Luckily for us though, Ignition Entertainment decided to resurrect their Japanese GBA hit, Zoo Keeper, and bring it onto the DS. Zoo Keeper is a puzzle game and very similar to Bejewelled – only with Zoo animals. It’s nothing really new, it doesn’t in any way push the DS to its limits and it certainly seems too easy to play, but like Tetris and many other puzzle games it’s also really difficult to put down. So, is it worth your cash?




Graphics
In puzzle games particularly, where the gameplay is very simple and usually 2D, making the game nice on the eye should be a priority. After playing the GBA version for many hours on end, it was so nice to see that this versions presentation was very respectful to the machine and had been massively updated. The top screen shows the cartoon-style animals walking across, while the bottom screen deals with the main menu – and this is pretty much standard throughout the game, as you’ll be doing all your work on that touch screen. The animals themselves, despite being cartoon-style, are beautifully created and look very stylish. The menu screens are filled with large buttons and so are very easy to navigate using the stylus and the top screen delivers a brief explanation of what each option does. This is quite handy, especially if you are new to the game.


The in-game graphics maintain that vibrant and colourful style and, as this is where most of your time will be spent, it is nice that it’s such a joy to look at. The top screen displays an animated animal, your score and animal quota’s while the touch screen is used for the puzzle grid, time bar and ‘help binoculars’. The animal icons are a nice large size and so hitting them with the stylus is very easy – this was one of my scepticisms with the game before I had it, but luckily it is not a problem. The animal on the top screen is good to look at and has animations depending on how well or what you are doing. You mostly won’t notice this though as you’ll be focussed on the touch screen but it is nice to have it up there and certainly allows for a bigger playing grid. In-game effects, such as when you clear 3 animals, are stylish and look pretty and nothing is ever too complicated. The game could have included far too much to distract you from the task or to clutter up the screens, but I think it gets it just right with the blend of colour, style and the large game pieces. The graphics work well, and the presentation is very nice and although some people may argue that the game should look even better for the DS, I think it’s about right – this is one of those games that doesn’t disappoint because it’s in 2D.




Sound

To accompany the nice presentation, Ignition has spent time adding English speech samples to the game – this is what presumably took the time and why the game was launched in Japan a lot earlier than in USA. These are simple and short sentences such as “Welcome to Zoo Keeper” and “Quest Mode” (and a few more actually during gameplay) and they are a nice addition, despite not really being essential to the title. The sound effects are nice, bubbly and modern and it is very cool the way that as a chain of captures builds up, the sound effect increases in pitch and style. It’s everything like how you’d expect a puzzle game to sound, but again its not exactly pushing the capabilities of the DS. The music is a bit of a let down however. The really catchy GBA music has been dropped and replaced with some slower and more repetitive music, that sounds like a MIDI file on a PC. Some of it is OK, and the rest of it won’t offend your ears too much, but puzzle game music should be a lot better and very catchy - and Zoo Keeper is lacking this. It is a real shame. However, you can always turn the sound off…



Gameplay
As with nearly all puzzle games, Zoo Keeper keeps things simple. If you have ever played Bejewelled on the PC then you will know what to expect. On the touch screen is a grid with different animal icons on it (64 to be precise – 8 rows and 8 columns!) ranging from lions, to monkeys and even rabbits. The idea is to switch two adjacent animals around and try to form a line of 3 of the same animal (called capturing the animals). It sounds fairly simple but it gets more challenging because you can only switch two animals if it results in a capture and because the time is always falling – let it reach 0 and its game over. That’s pretty much all there is to the main game in Zoo Keeper and indeed that is all you have to do in the main ‘Zoo Keeper’ mode. You simply play through trying to capture the set number of each animal in order to progress to the next level and hopefully score major points. Naturally the levels get harder as captures seem to be more difficult to find and the time begins to drop unbelievably fast – luckily every time you score points, the time is raised a little and so speed is of the essence here.


Other modes of play in Zoo Keeper include Tokoton 100 (this requires you to capture 100 of each animal before progressing to the next level), Time Attack (how many points can you score in 6 minutes?), Quest Mode (a series of 10 challenges to complete) and the 2 player multiplayer mode. Tokoton 100 and Time attack are both pretty similar to the standard mode but it’s nice to see that Quest has been added. The quest mode sees you (the Zoo Keeper) set certain tasks by the Zoo Owner that you must complete either quickly or accurately in order to score highly. These include things like ‘capture 10 lions without capturing any other animal’ or ‘fill the time bar’ – they are all quite fun and it’s nice to have some variety from the normal modes of play.

The best thing about Zoo Keeper by far is the way the touch screen has been used. Simply sliding your stylus across two animals will switch them other with ease – it’s really responsive and the way a simple, effortless flick of the wrist can move the animals make the game really fun to play and allow you to play as fast as you want. This was a feature that the GBA version (originally called ‘Zooo’) really missed, as having to move across the grid square by square using the d-pad was very tedious and frustrating. This control method is actually also available in the DS version but it’s completely overshadowed by the awesome stylus control scheme. The game also supplies you with 3 binocular items which are located on the right side of the touch screen. If you get stuck, which you will do, and simply cannot find where to go then using one of these will highlight a possible move. It’s very useful and a great help and best of all, you can earn more as you play by scoring high enough. It certainly reduces frustration anyway. Zoo Keeper is really very addictive. The simple and effective control method combined with the pick-up-and-play nature of the gameplay make it a joy to play and even when you are just playing the standard mode, you’ll have a lot of fun.

Also included in Zoo Keeper is a multiplayer mode for 2 people, and it’s nice to see that Ignition have utilized the DS’ download function so that only one person has to have the game in order to play multiplayer. In the two player mode, the second player’s grid is shown on the top screen so that both players can see all that is going on. The idea is to stay alive longer than your opponent and you can help your cause by collecting certain items that hinder them. It’s fun, fast and frantic and always worth a quick play. I say quickly, but if you’re friend is good then games can go on for a very long time. It’s a nice extra mode to have and Ignition deserves a big thank you for making it single pack play too.




Lifespan
Zoo Keeper is nothing more than what this reviews says. It has little to unlock and other than the quest mode, the variation between modes is not really big. However, get into the game and play for a few hours and you will start to understand why this is such a great title. I could not put the game down and have frequently gone to bed seeing grids of animals in my sleep. It really is that fun and because you can never get a perfect score, you’ll always be able to come back and play to try and get it even higher. The quest mode could have done with a few more challenges but ultimately this isn’t a real problem as again it comes down to high scores. If you are someone that can really get hooked on a game and finds beating high scores fun, then Zoo Keeper will keep you coming back indefinitely. I’m not a big fan of beating high scores, but I must say that the standard mode is great for a quick 20 minute game now and then and this makes it perfect for a handheld game title. Multiplayer mode is also fun and providing that your mates enjoy the game too, you can easily spend lots of time playing this together. The lifespan for this game ranges from a few weeks to, well, indefinitely!



Summary
Despite this game being the only DS game released in January, it doesn’t change the fact that it should be an essential purchase. The graphics and presentation ooze quality and even with the music quibbles, the sound effects are sharp and snazzy. It is the addictive nature of the gameplay that really make the game though and what is so good is that the DS is the first console that can really make the game feel this good. The touch pad control is simply awesome and, providing they can hold a pen, makes it simple for anyone to have a go. My Mom and Girlfriend have both been draining the battery on my DS because of this. (- if it’s not Mario mini-games it’s something else!) Whether you are on the bus or lying on your bed, Zoo Keeper is great for play in short bursts as you can just pick up, switch on, and have a play on the time attack mode. For the longer players though, it can take well over 30 minutes in order to hit the top spot on the high score board and this is a nice challenge to keep the players interest. All of this, combined with a fun multiplayer mode makes Zoo Keeper outstanding. It may not be 3D, or technically impressive but the use of the touch screen makes this one of the best showcases for the DS that I’ve had chance to use yet. If you are a fan of puzzle games, or just want to try something new then I cannot recommend this title enough. It’s gripping, compulsive, addictive and far better than all of my expectations. If only being a real Zoo Keeper was so fun…




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Graphics - 8/10

Technically nothing special, but the 2D stylish graphics work perfectly and the colourful, large animals make the game very easy to play.


Sound - 6/10
Sound effects and voice samples are modern and suit the game very well. However the lack of really catchy puzzle game music is very apparent…


Gameplay – 9.5/10
Zoo Keeper is a joy to play. The touch screen control seems designed for the game and the quest and multiplayer modes adds variety to the title. Perfect for pick up and play.


Lifespan - 9/10
This ranges from 1 week to indefinite depending on how hooked you get on this game. Multiplayer mode is also a bonus to keep you playing.



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Amazing touch screen control, addictive gameplay and colourful and bright graphics make this a great first title for any DS owner. There is no doubt that if you get hooked, you will find it very difficult to put it down. It feels so much more than just a GBA rehash. It’s a quality title and one that is certainly worth picking up. Really great fun.