Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper

Review

Common Sense Media says

Career sim more focused on the zoo than its animals.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper is an animal care simulator that might feel a bit more like an actual job than a video game. It's not just about playing with the animals and watching them frolic, as some zoo games are; in this one kids will have to clean up dirty cages, fill water troughs, deposit trash into dumpsters, and more. In the realm of career sims, it's actually quite more realistic than a lot of others, which may or may not be what your child is looking for.

  • Positive messages5
    There is a very solid message about responsibility in this game. You are constantly reminded how important every little step is in taking care of these animals and their habitats. And you are responsible for everything. The game won't even let you close the zoo for the night if you've forgotten to put a bucket away on its storeroom shelf.
  • Positive role models5
    Not only is your zookeeper happily responsible for every detailed aspect of the upkeep and care of the zoo's baby animals, but she also remembers to take care of herself, stopping to eat or take a nap when she's been working too hard.
  • Ease of play4
    Time management can become challenging as the game progresses, but on the whole there's nothing too frustrating or difficult about the gameplay.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's it about?

In DREAMER SERIES: ZOO KEEPER, you've just been hired to take care of the zoo's baby animals area. You will tend to the needs of young penguins, monkey, bears, tigers, and the like, feeding them, cleaning them and their enclosures, and letting them out for zoo visitors to see. You'll also have to buy supplies out of a limited budget, advertise to bring in more visitors, and study to become an expert on the animal species you're in charge of. 

Is it any good?

 

Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper is a great game for teaching kids the realities of the working world, but could be a bit more entertaining as a game for kids who love animals. The game's attention to detail is nice, but too much of that detail is focused on chores and other zoo business. The game would benefit from a greater variety of ways to interact with the animals. Know your own kids and whether they'd be better served by this zoo game, or one focused on cute animals doing tricks.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about how every job, no matter how much you love it, always has aspect you'll like less. Even the most enjoyable of careers has some level of drudge work involved. Accepting that fact, and learning to put up with -- or even enjoy -- the tough parts of a job, is an important life skill.

This review was written by Christopher Healy

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Christopher Healy
Platforms:Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Girl
Developer:Dreamcatcher
Release date:January 4, 2010
Price:$19.99
ESRB rating:E for (No Descriptors)
This review was written by Christopher Healy

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Screenshots

  • 1 of 2
  • 2 of 2

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.

About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

More zoo games
For kids who love animals
Browse more games
 

vote now

Will you play Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper?

Game on
Press pause
Game over

Already played it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it