To this day I am fascinated by the idea of owning a zoo. And then I think about the reality of getting up before the sun each and every morning only to be greeted by piles of animal poo and endless amounts of chores. So, I repeat. I am fascinated by the idea of owning a zoo. The reality? Not so much.
This is where my Android, and the new Zoo Story Android app, come into play! With this fun little Android app not only can I own my own zoo but I can also build it up any way that I want too.
Sounds intriguing doesn’t it? Well let’s go see if in this case reality is able to live up to the idea!
Zoo Story
Features
Let me start off by saying that the new Zoo Story Android app is packed with features! You can add any of several dozen different animals, create any layout that you would like and then accessorize like a champ! Options? Endless!
And that is just the beginning! You can also raise super cute baby animals, plant crops and even add your own theme park rides.
The best way that I can describe it? Take all your favorite parts of the other TEAMLAVA games and then roll them into one. Now you have Zoo Story!
Here is the downside. Like many of the TEAMLAVA games, Zoo Story runs on gems. Gems, as many of you know are not free. You have to buy them with your own cold hard cash. Now, in most games this doesn’t matter as you can still make your way through the game without giving in and buying the currency of the land.
However that does not seem to be the case with Zoo Story.
I quickly found that a very high percentage (and by high I mean, almost ALL!) of the animals can only be purchased using gems. Meaning that if you want to play this “free” game then you are going to have to plunk down the money. To me it feels limiting. I understand that the developers are trying to make a living, but in this case it seems like the restrictions are more than I can handle and they really detract from the game as a whole.
Zoo Story
Functionality
In the case of Zoo Story functionality was okay, but it definitely doesn’t shoot of any fireworks. The main problem with the Zoo Story Android app is that it has a strong tendency to force close. As in, it does it quite a bit. Now, I don’t have to explain how frustrating this is anymore than I have to point out that freezing is just as annoying. However both of these issues are present in Zoo Story.
I am hoping that these issues come from the fact that Zoo Story is still a new game and the developers are still working out the kinks. If this is the case the look for updates to smooth things out in the very near future.
Fun Factor
Overall I have to say that I wanted more from Zoo Story. The game delivered a strong showing but I felt extremely limited by what I could do without giving in and buying a ton of gems. Yes, the gems are tempting, but I just don’t want to spend that kind of cash on a game that I will probably be completely bored with here in a few short weeks.
But if you don’t mind buying your way into the game, then give it a shot. Zoo Story is a fun game that delivers a unique experience, one that only promises to get better with time. Plus, the baby animals are really just too cute for words! Especially the koala!
Zoo Story
Android Apps Review Details: Zoo Story Android app is free. This app requires Android 2.1 and up. You may download Zoo Story from the Android Market.
