Play Zoo Keeper Online

Zoo Keeper came out for the Nintendo DS in 2003, developed by Success and published by Ignition Entertainment. It was part of that early wave of DS puzzle games, the kind you'd pull out for a quick session between classes or on a short commute, making good use of the system's portability and touch screen.

You control a cursor, tapping on rows of animal tiles to match three or more of the same kind, which removes them and prevents the animals from reaching the top of the screen. The main objective is to clear stages by meeting score quotas before the timer runs out or the animals escape. Signature mechanics include chaining combos for higher points and a two player versus mode that uses a single cartridge. The pacing starts deceptively simple but quickly demands faster reflexes and strategic planning as more animal types are introduced. It feels like a constant, satisfying battle against a cheerful kind of chaos.