Let's Build a Zoo. 32 best tycoon and economic video games in 2023

This time, in addition to an ordinary zoo, you can design a dinosaur park or create disturbing genetic hybrids.

Visiting a zoo in a town I'm currently in is a must for me. Even if I have a list of the best zoos, even the winner has its flaws. Is there something like a perfect zoo? Probably not - i find solace in zoo-themed video games. Let's Build a Zoo is exactly that.

The first things that attract attention are pixelart candy-like graphics. Despite the limitations resulting from the choice of such a style, everything is not only very legible, but also rich in details. Thanks to that, its immensely nice to see the end product. However, before there is anything to admire, everything has to be built from scratch. As you're going to need enclosures, plan the routes for visiting guests and hire staff. Don't forget about getting animals, as no visitor will pay for seeing empty cages.

And that's how it all goes - guests leave money, which is used to buy more animals (500 species to choose from!) so that the zoo becomes more attractive and attracts more visitors who buy tickets. Money is also needed for decorating the garden, hiring better specialists, and conducting research.

One of the most interesting mechanics in Let's Build a Zoo is the ability to create hybrids . You can let your mind go free in this area. Developers from No More Robots have given players full freedom, so not everything has to be done in accordance with the laws of nature. Need examples? You can cross, among others a tiger with a horse and a chicken with a cow . The creators were probably inspired by the experiments of Dr. Alphonse Mephesto from South Park.

1. The game's page on Steam

Two Point Campus

This isn't an ordinary school.

If you are bored with treating patients at Two Point Hospital, we encourage you check out another work of Two Point Studios, Two Point Campus. This time, we're not building a hospital, but rather a university, where not only students participate will in the unusual classes.

Campus is largely a reskin of the previous game, but... there's nothing wrong with it. Well almost... Sometimes perfect is the enemy of good and it seems that the authors took this truth to heart. Of course, some dissatisfied players claim that this production is repetitive and lacks novelty. The rest should however have a good time, at least for a while.

The gameplay begins with building a campus. For this purpose, it's necessary to create classes and equip them appropriately, take care of toilets, bedrooms and a social room for teachers, and finally, employ staff. Not only those concerned with educating the absorbent minds of students. The building stage is lots of fun, though when you have to start from scratch for the umpteenth time, some fatigue may sneak in. However, the diversity largely saves the replayability of this game.

The timetable doesn't include standard subjects, like math and physics. Instead, students explore secrets of magic, learn the rules of knightly combat, bake extra large cakes, spy, practice dark tricks and do many other things. There are fairly normal classes, like cooking, robotics and music, but they all have an absurd tint. This is another game from the studio where a lot of emphasis was placed on humor.

Construction and watching students' smile-inducing antics isn't everything. The list is about tycoon games, which means this game has to have an economic dimension. Everything we set up comes with a cost, and the employees need to get paid. Where can we get the money for this and for further improvements to the university? It's simple, the main source of income are students themselves, who pay tuition fees and spend money, e.g. in vending machines. Hurrah for capitalism!

The visuals present the same quality as Two Point Hospital. So, we're dealing with stylized graphics that look quite excellent. In addition, the cartoonish visuals emphasize a humorous and casual approach to the topic of building and managing a campus. It also translated into very low hardware requirements.

1. Official developer page
2. The game's page on Steam