Zoo Tycoon: Marine Mania

Pros • Giant squid • Includes all the Dinosaur Digs expansion material as well • Aquatic shows are fun to organize • Who doesn't love orcas? • It's always rewarding when your animals reproduce	Cons • Still have to complete Beginner scenarios before harder ones open up • Different kind of sharks not really that different
Bottom Line Marine Mania is excellent value for those Zoo Tycoon fans who haven't yet played the Dinosaur Digs expansion; moderate value for those who have. Really, you know what to expect here: more animals (sea life in this case), more scenarios, and more of the same great gameplay. Marine Mania also offers the enjoyment of aquatic shows to bored Zoo Tycooners. Whether you need this add-on depends on whether you've already shelled out cash for the Dinosaur Digs expansion, and just how much you love your belugas.

Zoo Tycoon is a good game. Check out our review for the whole scoop. It appeals to kids and grown-ups, teaches you a little about the animal kingdom and about managing resources, and lets you indulge your creative side with zoo aesthetics and experimentation. What happens if you put eels and sharks in the same tank? Try it and find out.

Marine Mania is the second expansion to Zoo Tycoon, and in case you didn't play the first expansion, Dinosaur Digs, all that content is included here as well, making Marine Mania a heck of a deal for anyone who hasn't gone beyond the original game. If you have already bought Dino Digs, then you'll need to weigh this purchase based on whether you thought the first expansion was worth the cash.

First things first, let's talk about the new animals. With Marine Mania you can add Orcas; Belugas; Great White, Hammerhead, and Tiger Sharks; Eels; Sea Turtles; and Manta Rays to your zoo. There are several other species of sea life too. Oh, and a Giant Squid.

Several of these species have the ability to perform aquatic shows for your zoo crowds. Bottlenose dolphins, for example, can play with a ball and jump through hoops. You can add and remove tricks from the show line-up, and set the frequency and price of the shows.

There are also new aquatic themed structures to build, such as a Shark Tunnel, Crustacean Centre, Sea Dawgs stand, Boat rental kiosk, and Swim Shack. Maybe your guests would like to swim with the dolphins? Or maybe just rest by a dolphin-themed fountain? New items to build are revealed as you play.

Marine Mania contains 9 new scenarios: 3 Beginner, 3 Intermediate, 2 Advanced, and 1 Very Advanced. Once again, the more advanced ones are locked until you complete all the lower level scenarios. Along with the scenarios are a number of new maps. A nice addition is one map that is specifically designed for kids (or those who have a problem with overspending their limit) with all the structures and animals available from the start and unlimited money to play with.

The Marine Mania expansion pack doesn't offer any changes to the gameplay--I think there could be a lot more creativity in the scenarios, but it will inject new life into your Zoo Tycoon gaming and give you an excuse to pack some more hours into a game that's probably already eaten up more time than you care to admit to anyone. Hey, it's not everyone that runs an award winning aquatic theme park that turns a huge profit. (Actually, it's not me either. I spend way too much, way too fast in my eagerness to have every kind of animal possible.)

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