Gamertell

Title: Simplz: Zoo
Price: $9.99
System(s): PC (Available for Mac soon)
Release Date: January 21, 2010
Publisher (Developer): Reflexive Entertainment (Reflexive Entertainment, South Winds Games)
ESRB Rating: N/A, I’d say it’s appropriate for all ages.
Pros: Carly’s Tips help option, full screen and window modes, no time limit on match-3 puzzle, visitors spout facts about animals, can create chains when you match the same kind of item 3 times in a row, auto-saves and there’s a password system to unlock extra stuff.
Cons: Sometimes feel like you’re spending more time playing match-3 puzzles than tending to your zoo, it’d be nice if you could interact with the animals somehow as sim part seems like you’re just buying buildings/animals and arranging the park, music is sort of bland.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 89/100; B+; * * * 1/2 out of 5

Reflexive Entertainment, known for casual games like Airport Mania, Sprouts and Music Catch, has just released Simplz: Zoo, it’s latest casual game. While many of Reflexive’s previous games focused fit into a single genre, Simplz: Zoo is a tad more experimental. It combines a match-3 puzzle game with a zoo running simulation, creating a more unusual game experience that doesn’t have players sitting and solving puzzles all day or only laboring over keeping a zoo. As a result, there’s more motivation to play for longer periods of time, if you’d like.

Create a zoo and keep it running by playing puzzles

The game begins with the player inheriting a zoo from your grandpa. He always wanted to make it the best zoo in the world, but sadly never achieved that dream. So, he hopes to live vicariously through you, by giving you his zoo. Now, his dream has become your dream, as you seek to make your zoo number one.

The thing is, it’s a tad barren at the moment. There’s an information booth, a bulletin board, a service building, two fountains and only one animal, Leo the lion. No wonder the zoo never became number one while grandpa was running it! It’s up to you to make it bigger and better by playing match-3 puzzles to earn the resources necessary to make it amazing.

You’ll probably spend more time matching than planning

After a few minutes playing Simplz: Zoo, it’s easy to see that the whole concept was very well thoughout out. It isn’t like some match-3 games, where the simulation part is simply meeting criteria to make a few new buildings or items appear on a main screen, or some simulation games where the match-3 part would just be a mini-game distraction with no real effect on the story. Both parts are equally essential and important when it comes to making your zoo the best.

The Simplz: Zoo match-3 puzzles are all very fun and seem to move quite quickly, if you want to rush through them. You can obtain new pathway pieces and decorations by clearing them off of the match-3 board while matching, which allows you to make your park look more professional and fulfill wishes of park attendees who want more garbage cans or a place to sit and rest. You also earn essential items to keep your zoo running, like food, personnel, building materials and money. Once you’ve played a match, you immediately head back to the zoo to make use of your new materials.

One you get back to the zoo, you’ll first see an update showing what effect playing the match-3 game had. You’ll get all your new necessities and items, and see how far you are from your dream of becoming the number one zoo. Then, you’ll be taken back to the park. Mainly, when you’re here, you’ll be placing buildings, animals or decorations and watching visitors walk around your park. Visitors will offer opinions on the park, facts about the animals and tell you what they want as they walk around. After placing a new building or animal pen, you’ll likely be out of resources and need to play more match-3 games. Maybe its just me, but most of the time I felt like the focus was on the match-3 part, and not the simulation aspect. I spent more time playing match-3 puzzles than I did organizing and managing my zoo.

Overall, an interesting combination and good balance of two casual game staples

Even though I do wish there had been a little more interaction in the zoo management simulation portion of Simplz: Zoo, it’s really a well-balanced game. There’s plenty to do in both parts of Simplz: Zoo, and it’s all handled in a very relaxed manner so you can leisurely go about your zoo management and providing business. Everything is laid out well, so when you’re in the simulation part you can easily go anywhere, get gameplay assistance or rearrange your part to your liking. The same can be said for the match-3 portion, which is bright and easy to read, with clear gauges telling you your objectives for each puzzle and how to obtain power-ups.

If you’re looking for a new casual game to install on your computer, I’d definitely recommend picking up the Simplz: Zoo and testing it out.

Site [Simplz: Zoo]

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