SimAnimalsAfrica is definately a must-play on the DS, a well deserved sequel to SimAnimals. Really fun for everyone!

User Rating: 8 | SimAnimals Africa DS
By VampireFaith | Review Date:
SimAnimals Africa is an African Animal sim, where you control several peices of a map of Africa and bring animals together; and like any Sim game, control their life and take care of their needs and wants. You start with 3 parts of the map (out of 6 parts) and your African Grey Parrot mascot gives you a brief tutorial for the game. Its pretty easy to play, might be a bit more difficult for children because you have to be able to read and there is a lot of waiting for animals to appear or you have to do certain things to attract specific animals that arn't exactly explained. (For example you've got to shake a lot of different trees for other trees to grow to begin attracting animals.)
Theres a long list of the plants, animals, insects and plants you'll encounter in the game, and there's a convenient list in the menu screen of them all, that tells how close to 100% you are for each catagory. For every thing you can interact with in the game, there are interesting acts for in this menu as well, so you can actually learn something.
For most maps you have to have certain plants or trees to attract bugs and small animals, which then attracts the larger meat eating animals. Its all pretty true to life, and its paced well so you wont get bored of playing. There are specific things you have to get every animal to do once you first are introduced to them. Like attract a lion, then get him to befriend you, feed him and then get him to use his special ability. All the animals special abilities help you with tasks you have to figure out later.
Its a really interesting and fun game, and I really recommend it to anyone who likes animal games or sim games.

Summary: A great animal sim game! Lots of variety in the flora and fauna of Africa. Easy to understand and to play, and there's lots to do! If you like animal related games such as Zoo Tycoon, SimAnimals or the Petz series, you'd love SimAnimals Africa!

Graphics: 8 (Not bad for the DS, all the animals and trees and plants look different and are easily recognizable. The animal bios are a bit cartoonish, but thats what appeals to the target age group, and doesn't hinder gameplay.)

Replay Value: 9 (Very High, different animals show up at different times and places during the game. You can play again and again and have a different looking Africa everytime! Once you know all the controls and tricks, it'd be even more fun to play again.)

Audio: 7 (Typical African safari sounds. Every animal has a couple different sounds depending on their mood etc. Theres not much of a soundtrack, just crickets and bugs and animal sounds, but having a soundtrack I think would make hearing the animals needs harder. Theres a bit of African music during the menus.)

Controls: 8 (The stylus is used for everything, which works great! Its very easy system of controls to do everything in the game, the only thing I have problems with is moving a large animal or tree and seeing what is under or around it. You have to move stuff quite a bit so you get used to it quickly, so it's not even really a big issue)
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