Fans of Planet Zoo now have a brand new DLC pack to enjoy, Planet Zoo: Australia. Released alongside the huge free 1.3 update, the pack brings five brand new animals, over 230 pieces of Australian inspired scenery, a range of new vegetation, and a brand new timed challenge scenario.
While everyone is currently enjoying more depth and variation to their animals’ colors, a host of new vending machines, and the first-ever timed challenge, the DLC is the only way to bring Koalas and Red Kangaroos to your zoo.
We take a look at the contents of the new DLC, including the new features and animals that we love. We’ll also explore the other side, discussing Australian items we wish had been included.
10 Love: Koalas
The Koalas are the definite stand out of this pack. Not only are they the new animal with the highest appeal, meaning more donation dollars, but they are also one of the most interesting to watch.
Thanks to their love of climbing trees they can be tricky to contain and are energetic and often on the move. Their needs make for a create habitat and we’ll never get bored of watching them climb trees to nibble on the leaves.
9 Wished Were Included: Emus
Emus are the largest native birds to Australia and they are well known. Since the Cassowary is also a ratite, we assume they were chosen over Emus. However, we can’t help but Emus would make an adorable addition.
Cassowaries may be more vibrant but Emus are more well known. We aren’t taking it personally but we’re just a little disappointed not to see an Emu in the lineup.
8 Love: Red Kangaroos
Kangaroos just scream Australia. Long associated with the country they are a true icon of Australian wildlife, alongside the Koala. While in-game they don’t command as much appeal, for reasons we’d personally dispute, they look just as amazing in your zoo.
Create a beautiful enclosure and enjoy watching this beautiful animal jump around and chill out, soaking up the sun. Visitors are sure to drop a few dollars in the tub as they pass by this beauty.
7 Wished Were Included: Wombats
Wombats may be small but they are also adorable and another animal that immediately makes us think of Australia. For many, they seem a more obvious choice than some others but sadly these marsupials are missing.
While we assume their love of mountain areas and burrows may be a reason for their absence, we can’t help but imagine building a beautiful forest and watching them appear from tunnels in the gound.
6 Love: Dingos
Dingos have a bad reputation in some respects and yes they will chase your guests, but they can also look absolutely adorable. This Dingo looks like the goodest boy you’ve ever seen and no one can prove otherwise.
The Dingo is often referenced in Australian pop culture and it’s great to see it in the zoo. While not the most appealing animal in the pack, it still fits in nicely and feels like a good choice.
5 Wished Were Included: Tasmanian Devils
This is a weird one but hear us out. While these marsupials aren’t the cutest of creatures, they are distinctly Australian and are endangered, something the game often looks to represent.
While they used to be native to mainland Australia you can now only find them on the island state of Tasmania. They are the size of a small dog and are solitary creatures, characterized by their screech.
4 Loved: Vibrant Scenery
The vibrant scenery is eye-catching and beautiful. The aboriginal inspired artwork is especially prominent and we love the colorful vibes. Australian themed logos and images dominate and kangaroos and boomerangs are frequent.
We also love the Outback, Mad Max type feel of the buildings being constructed from random and contrasting materials, artfully arranged.
3 Wished Was Included: More Natural Scenery
While bright is beautiful we wish there had been a little more in the way of muted decor. The vibrant colors are pretty but sometimes we want to create a more natural environment for our visitors as well as our animals.
Some wooden buildings with fewer bright patterns, similar to the keeper hut would have been a nice addition. While you can construct some this is difficult and we’d have appreciated a couple more simple blank pre-builds and some extra decor like the rockery.
2 Loved: Timed Challenge
The timed challenges are a great new way to test your knowledge of the game. They offer goals to meet and a timer to beat, giving ranks based on speed. Currently, we have two timed challenges, one which came in the free update and a second which is exclusive to the Australia pack.
The Australian challenge puts you in a desert zoo you need to revamp quickly, offering just basic facilities and a few animals in unsuitable habitats.
1 Wished Was Included: Extra Decor Items
While we always love new decor we’d like to see a pack take a leap and give us some new alternatives for a few more staples. Staff and guest facilities are great but we’d really like new donation buckets, education screens, and similar items.
Benches, tables, and bins are useful but what about a none lime-colored ATM? We’d really love it if the team thought outside of the very basics and gave us more options for other items we use a lot.
NEXT: Planet Zoo: South America Pack: 5 Things We Loved (And 5 We Wish Had Been Included)
