Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals (originally Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct) is an upcoming expansion for Zoo Tycoon 2 due to be released autumn 2007. This expansion pack follows the other expansion packs, Endangered Species, African Adventure and Marine Mania. Extinct Animals also follows the similar Dino Danger Pack premium download.
Confirmation
In 2006, in a similar way to how the African Adventure expansion was first confirmed, Amazon.com listed a strategy guide for Extinct Animals under its listings. Curiously, it was listed as Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct (working title), showing Blue Fang Games were still in very early production.
However, in January 2007, Windows Vista released its 2007 gaming lineup as well as a promotional video featuring a few seconds of footage. During April, Games for Windows added an Extinct Animals page to their website and revealed several new pieces of information such as box art and animal confirmations. The text that was shown was in fact the same as in the previous Endangered Species expansion[1]. Wal-Mart had also listed a Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals Prima Official Game Guide that was available April 30, 2007.[2]
Wal-Mart did not release the actual game on April 30, nor was any information about the game been added to the official Zoo Tycoon website. A Swiss gaming website has Extinct Animals listed for release on May 7, 2007.[3] However, the expansion was still not released.
Finally, on May 24, 2007, a press release was released on the official Zoo Tycoon website revealing that Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals will be released in October with a total of 30 animals, making it the largest Zoo Tycoon 2 expansion pack to date.[4]
When E3 2007 arrived, Games for Windows and Blue Fang Games released a 2nd promotional video of several new features and a set of screenshots on GameSpot. The Zoo Tycoon website, however, was still not updated for E3.
New features
According to the recent Zoo Tycoon press release, Extinct Animals will contain over 30 animals, including more than a dozen dinosaurs, concluding it to be the largest and most content-filled in the Zoo Tycoon games to date.
Minigames
Two new minigames (similar to the trick training games in Marine Mania were announced; fossil digging and dinosaur tranquilizer.[5]
Dinosaur tranquilizer
According to screenshots (right), the tranquilizer minigame is part of the 'guest mode' feature, as with the trick training. The gun itself is a bazooka-style metal device, with 'Co2' embroided on the ammo tank. The player can choose the amount of power to shoot and a small screen shows what species the selected target is.
Fossil finder
The second minigame has little information revealed, besides this allows one to find hidden fossils, put them together and clone them with the research lab.[6]
Animals
| Animal | Confirmation method | Possible biome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woolly rhinoceros | Video | Tundra (as seen in clip) | |
| Smilodon | Box art, both videos and screenshot. | Boreal forest (according to screenshot and videos) | |
| Dodo | Box art, press release | Unknown | In the original box art, the dodo was a yellow colour. The second box art changed it to a more blue colouration. |
| American mastodon | Press release and 2nd video | Boreal Forest (according to new video) | The Mastodon in the 2nd video has little resemblence to the box art elephant, confirming the mammoth (below) |
| Woolly mammoth | Box art | Unknown (presumably tundra) | See above |
| Short-faced bear | Screenshots | Tundra (in screenshot) | Could also be a cave bear. |
| Tyrannosaurus | Press release, 2nd video and screnshots | Tropical rainforest (if unchanged from previous version) | Also included in Dino Danger Pack. Completely re-done from previous version. 1 |
| Styracosaurus | Screenshots | Tropical rainforest (in screenshot) | Also included in Dino Danger Pack. Has different skin texture, model and size from previous version (possibly a variant skin) |
| Dimetrodon | Video | Wetlands (in 2nd video) | Due to its small head shape, it could also be an Edaphosaurus, however, it's more likely a Dimetrodon because there's meat in the exhibit. (Edaphosaurus was herbivorous). |
| Ankylosaurus | Video | Wetlands (in 2nd video) | |
| Stegosaurus | Boxart | Unknown | |
| Megatherium | Screenshots | Scrub or Grassland (in screenshot) | The screenshots that show the Megatherium show it in two different biomes (grassland and scrub) so as to which one is correct is not known as of yet. |
| Pygmy Mammoth | Screenshots | Grassland (in screenshot) |
From the information seen from the press release and the two screenshots released with it, it is possible that the whole Dino Danger Pack may be included, but a confirmation of the two other dinosaurs and objects released in the original premium download has yet to be released.
Items/Objects
| Object | Confirmation method | Possible use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainer | Video | Entertaining guests | Dressed as either a tiger, a red panda, a Smilodon or Santa Claus. |
| Prehistoric themed educator | Screenshotsm and 2nd video | Educating guests | Speaks English rather than gibberish (as with the orginal educator) |
| Mammoth/Mastodon skeleton/statue | Video | Decoration | On one fansite, a user took a screenshot of the few seconds that show a mammoth/mastodon like object. In the screenshot it is clear that it is a skeleton, rather than a statue.[7] |
| Prehistoric themed buildings (restroom, gift stand) | Screenshot | Various | The gift stand employee is dressed like a neanderthal. |
| Extinct animals research lab | Press release | Used to breed back extinct animals | |
| Ice age mountain/iceberg | Screenshot | Shelter, decoration, tour object... | |
| Volcano | Banner & box art | decoration | Could be the same volcano as in Endangered Species. |
| Tar pit | Screenshot (not included) | decoration | |
| Pterosaur skeleton | Screenshot | decoration | |
| Electric fence | Screenshot, second video | animal containment |
References
- ^ "Extinct Animals - Games for Windows". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ "Extinct Animals Prima Guide on Amazon.com". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ "1A DVDShop.ch - Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ "ZooTycoon.com - Press Releases". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ "Zoo Tycoon Unlimited Forums - Blue Fang Rep Notes". Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ "GameSpot.com- Extinct Animals press release". Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ "ZooTycoon.nl Forums - Extinct Animals info". Retrieved 2007-06-02.
See also
External links
