Zoomumba
By Carolyn Koh,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Free virtual zoo sim is fun, deep; only allows teens.
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Zoomumba
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What’s It About?
ZOOMUMBA is a free online game in which you can build and design your own zoo. Players select habitats, place animals in those habitats, and can breed them to produce babies. They can also place buildings in the zoo that earn in-game coins. With the earned in-game cash, players decide how to pay for food, medicines, and more zoo structures and animals. By earning in-game coins and constantly expanding your zoo, you can reach your goal of creating a popular zoo.
Is It Any Good?
Zoomumba is a simple zoo simulation game. Players get to choose how to set up their zoo and decide which animals and buildings will be a part of their park. Part of the game play involves figuring out which animals attract more visitors, and which buildings earn more coins. Players will find themselves weighing the "most bang for the buck" against aesthetics and their own animal preferences. Completing quests in the game can also earn the player coins and/or experience. There are two types of coins in the game. Pet Pennies are earned in-game, while Zoo Dollars are bought with real cash.
The attraction of an online browser game such as Zoomumba is that there's no game to buy and install, which permits players to access the game anytime they are online. Zoomumba also features seasonal changes and is constantly improving the game with new content. Building and economic simulation games like this one can be good teaching tools for kids to learn patience, savings, math, and budgeting. Zoomumba teaches kids how to read metrics by providing players with gauges showing different measurable goals such as Pet Pennies earned, visitors per hour, and profitability.
Online interaction: Kids can interact on the official forums for the game and send each other email, which can bring up issues of associating with strangers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the value of cyber property. Do you really need to have that animal or building in your zoo? Are other animals bought with the coins earned in-game just as popular with visitors?
Families can also talk about Internet Safety. What should you be sharing online? Do you realize that posting your vacation plans might let someone know that your house will be empty at that time?
Game Details
- Platform: Windows
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Bigpoint
- Release date: December 15, 2010
- Genre: Simulation
- ESRB rating: NR for Not Rated
- Last updated: March 21, 2019
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