Gaming to Go: Zoo Keeper (p3)
But what of sleep mode? Yeah, Zoo Keeper lacks it. I've read it comes from a bug in the programming which was fixed for European release, though that doesn't help the American audience much in the grand scheme of things. Being able to close the lid and put your game on hold is one of the more obvious reasons for why the DS is such a great handheld, so forcing a sizable portion of the consumer base to go without it makes giving Zoo Keeper the Gaming to Go seal of approval much more difficult than it should be.
Ignoring that one flaw, Zoo Keeper is a great portable title, taking the classic Bejeweled formula and tweaking it enough to create a highly-addicting and satisfying game. If you can get your hands on a European copy of the game, I'd say go for it, especially if you plan to take it with you on your daily commute. But even the bugged American copy runs only ten dollars on Amazon, making it a cheap and accessible way to get your block-matching fix. If you're willing to overlook the lack of sleep mode, Zoo Keeper is a great game to spend your time with, though you might have to get used to turning the game off whenever you're on the go.
Ready for the stats?
Sleep time: Seriously, what were they thinking?
Load time: Fifteen seconds to jump into Time Attack mode, which is likely the best number we've seen yet. Not having to cycle through thirteen screens of corporate logos makes getting to the good stuff supremely easy.
Play time: This one depends entirely on what mode you play. Time Attack, the one mode made ideal for gaming on the go, will run you six minutes every time, though Normal mode and a few others can in theory go on for hours if you make enough matches to consistently keep the timer from running down.
