Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game is coming next year

A Zoo Tycoon board game is in development.

Slated to release next year, the 2-4 player game tasks participants in building “the most successful zoo” in a new strategic and thematic board game that features over 34 species, “most of them represented by 230 beautiful animal meeples”.

With a Kickstarter launching later this month, the creator says “each game you play will be different, delivering high replay value thanks to a novel game mechanism”.

“Build a zoo that focuses on marquee animals like Lions, Gorillas, or Elephants to attract and thrill guests. Or develop partnerships with National Parks on conservation and re-introduce endangered species back into the wild,” publisher Treecer explains.

“Strategically place food booths and gift shops to satiate guests, while generating revenue to help keep your zoo growing and thriving. The more money you generate, the more options you have at your disposal to create the zoo of your dreams!

“With over 34 different species (most of them represented by 230 beautiful animal meeples), you have an abundance of options from which to select your favorite animals. But selecting animals is only the beginning!

“Just like in real life, each amazing animal will require unique care to meet their individual needs. Carefully balance group and enclosure sizes, social composition, and guest proximity, to try and achieve the right balance between animal and guest happiness. Happiness will play a particularly important role in animal reproduction, and new animal options for addition to your zoo.”

That’s not the only tabletop adaptation we’ve reported this weekend; a co-operative Persona 5 Royale strategy card game is releasing next year.

Atlus has confirmed that it’s partnering with Pandasaurus Games to publish the card game designed by Emerson Matsuuchi, whose prior work includes the tabletop games Century: Eastern Wonders and Foundations of Rome.

The text says “Pandasaurus Games is aiming to publish Personal 5 Royal in Q4 2023 with more details to follow” but an image on the website says it’ll release on 21st October 2023.