Zoo Tycoon 2 is a simulation computer game in which the player must successfully create and run a zoo. That player must manage the zoo's finances, employees and animal exhibits. The goal is to become a "Zoo Tycoon". It was developed by Blue Fang Games and produced by Microsoft Games after Zoo Empire succeeded Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon with 3D graphics in August 2004. Zoo Tycoon 2 has many more features than the previous Zoo Tycoons and Zoo Empire, which didn't gather many profits due to Microsoft's quick release of Zoo Tycoon 2.
General game play
Freeform
A freeform game in Zoo Tycoon 2 is probably the most commonly used game form. Freeform games allow you to create the zoo of your dreams, with the only restriction being space. The players money supply is unlimited, and all items are available from the beginning of the game play. When you create a new game, you will start off with an empty zoo, ready for development. From there on, you may create animal exhibits and guest facilities (such as resturants and bathrooms), hire employees, and landscape. This game form is favored for two reasons: First, it allows you to create a zoo, and see if it will do well enough to develop a similar zoo in a challenge game (see #Challenge|below). Lastly, there are no money restrictions, which allows you to buy without waiting for your profits to increase.
Challenge
Challenge games are the equivalent of previous Zoo Tycoon freeform games. In this type of game, your money supply is limited, and not all items are ready for immediate use. Game play is the same as #Freeform|Freeform with the exception that you must try to make a profit in order to keep your zoo running, and you must research certain items for them to be available for use. This mode will occasionally give the player challenges such as "take a photo of a young giraffe calling to it's mother".
Scenario/Goal
A scenario game (also called a goal game) is a game form in which the player must complete a goal to win. When you start off, you have certain tasks to do (e.x.. Create a New Hippo Exhibit, Get a Blue Ribbon Award). Once you have completed the tasks, you unlock another scenario in which there are more goals. To win the scenario games, you must achieve the tasks in the last scenario. The scenarios are as varied as just running a zoo, to creating and managing a five star zoo for 4 years.
Expansion
In October 2005, Microsoft released the Zoo Tycoon 2:Endangered Species expansion pack. This expansion pack adds more animals, especially endangered ones. The other main feature of this expansion pack is its transportation. It includes sky trams, jeep tours as well as elevated paths. The expansion also has a feature called "variant skins". Because of this feature, when you adopt an animal, it may look different from the others. For example, when adopting a Bengal Tiger, you might get the orange and black color, or you may get a white one.
Animals
| Animal | Biome | Avalibility |
| African Elephant | Savanna | 4 Star Rating |
| American Beaver | Wetlands | 3 Star Rating |
| Bengal Tiger | Tropical Rainforest | 3 1/2 Star Rating |
| Black Rhinoceros | Savanna | 3 Star Rating |
| Cheetah | Savanna | 2 1/2 Star Rating |
| Chimpanzee | Tropical Rainforest | 3 1/2 Star Rating |
| Common Peafowl | Temperate Forest | 1/2 Star Rating |
| Common Zebra | Savanna | 1 1/2 Star Rating |
| Camel|Dromedary Camel | Desert | 1/2 Star Rating |
| Penguin|Emperor Penguin | Tundra | 1 Star Rating |
| Gemsbok | Scrub | 1 Star Rating |
| Giant Panda|Giant Panda Bear | Temperate Forest | 5 (Highest) Star Rating |
| Greater Flamingo | Wetlands | 4 Star Rating |
| Grizzly Bear | Boreal Forest | 3 1/2 Star Rating |
| Hippopotamus | Wetlands | 2 1/2 Star Rating |
| Ibex | Alpine | 1 1/2 Star Rating |
| Jaguar | Tropical Rainforest | 2 Star Rating |
| Kangaroo|Red Kangaroo | Scrub | 2 Star Rating |
| Lion | Savanna | 2 1/2 Star Rating |
| Moose | Boreal Forest | 1/2 Star Rating |
| Mountain Gorilla | Tropical Rainforest | 4 Star Rating |
| Nile Crocodile | Wetlands | 1 1/2 Star Rating |
| Okapi | Tropical Rainforest | 2 Star Rating |
| Ostrich | Savanna | 2 Star Rating |
| Polar Bear | Tundra | 3 Star Rating |
| Reticulated Giraffe | Savanna | 2 1/2 Star Rating |
| Red Panda|Red Panda Bear | Temperate Forest | 4 Star Rating |
| Ring-Tailed Lemur | Tropical Rainforest | 3 Star Rating |
| Snow Leopard | Alpine | 4 Star Rating |
| Thomson's Gazelle | Savanna | 1/2 Star Rating |