Triceratops (Zoo Tycoon 2)

Female (Top) and Male (Bottom), as depicted in the Extinct Animals Expansion.

The formidable Triceratops is an extinct animal in Zoo Tycoon 2, debuting in the expansion Dino Danger, with a very minor revamp made to it's design with the release of Extinct Animals. Triceratops is unlocked in Campaign and Challenge Mode by achieving a 4 Star Zoo Rating, and costs $45,000 to adopt. Out of the four Dinosaurs released in Dino Danger, the Triceratops' revamp is the least obvious, with as simple adjustment to the jagged edges on it's model and not much else. The other three Dinosaurs, those being Tyrannosaurus rex, Carnotaurus, and Styracosaurus, got updates that were more obvious by comparison.

In-Game Description

Triceratops, scientifically identified as Triceratops horridus, is a large sized Ceratopsian Dinosaur, and the largest of the two in-game compared to Styracosaurus. Like the other three Dinosaurs introduced in Dino Danger, Triceratops has gender differences; the Female is brown, with smaller horns and being overall smaller than the male. The Male is green, and is larger with a larger set of horns that are also pointier by comparison. Like some other large Dinosaurs in the game, it is most likely that Triceratops is made smaller due to graphical limitations, or simply to prevent too much lag on large sized maps, similar in case to the Tyrannosaurus being smaller. A small quirk can also be noticed with the Male Triceratops, as it's eyes are always shut, but this doesn't effect anything else about it and is merely a visual glitch.

Gameplay

Triceratops is unlocked with a 4 Star Zoo Rating, and costs $45,000 to adopt. Triceratops is one of three animals in the game to be compatibile with the least amount of fencing in the game, alongside Stegosaurus and the Giant Ground Sloth, as it is only compatible with the Dinosaur Fence. Even then, however, as with any Dinosaur, a Triceratops is prone to rampaging, and due to it's ability to charge quickly, can pose quite a problem with trying to tranquilize before it causes too much damage. Not only that, but it is capable of breaking down all fence types with no difficulty, making Triceratops just as deadly as Tyrannosaurus in terms of it's ability to wreak havoc when it's rampaging. Like all Endangered, Critically Endangered, and Extinct species in the game, when you successfully breed a Triceratops, you will be rewarded with a Balloon at the Zoo Gate entrance, which can be sold for extra cash or kept as a decoration. It is an herbivore, and eats primarily Branches and Cycad leaves.