Planet Zoo Oceania Pack review: A devil, a penguin, and a kiwi walk into a zoo

Even before I jumped into the new Oceania Pack in Planet Zoo, I was intrigued by the animal choices. The new pack consists of five adorable creatures, one of them being the beloved Quokka. Given the prowess that the developers at Frontier Developments had shown consistently in bringing these animals to life, I launched the game with the DLC added on, with a lot of excitement and expectations.

So where do I stand after spending some time playing with the new species and sceneries? Well, that's what I am here to discuss.

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Planet Zoo Oceania Pack brings a host of exciting animals from various countries

The latest DLC for Planet Zoo covers species from Oceania, a region comprising several countries, like Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. The babies look absolutely beautiful.

The diverse ecosystems of this region are house to a number of delightful species, and Frontier Developments pay homage to them through the Oceania Pack.

Of the five newly introduced critters, I will start off with the Quokka, of course. The almost always smiling cat-sized macropod is a resident of Western Australia and one that has become famous all over the internet for its demeanor.

Seeing them hop around in their exhibit in Planet Zoo was a sight of delight. The texture and the model were nailed perfectly, and their interaction animations (especially the enrichment ones) were interesting to watch, too. While they may not be the crown jewel of the pack for everyone, it is a refreshing addition and one that I absolutely adore.

The Little Penguin (Image via Planet Zoo)

The adorable meter goes off the charts with the Little Penguin. They sport a blue plumage, which lends them the moniker Blue Penguins. Little Penguins also sport a handful of color morphs in Planet Zoo, which adds to the immersion of the species in-game. It is likely the one that players will love the most from the Oceania Pack.

Coming to the Tasmanian Devil, they are the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, and their addition is a particular favorite among many. The developers at Frontier Development have lived up to the community's expectations with the design, model, texture, and animations of the Tasmanian Devil.

A few players did mention that a Tasmanian Devil color morph could have been added where the animal lacks the distinctive white patches, which sometimes happen in the wild. While that is absent now, it remains to be seen if the color morph is added later on.

Kiwi (Image via Planet Zoo)

The North Island Kiwi also keeps in tandem with the overall adorable aesthetic of the Oceania Pack. The flightless birds are interesting to look at, especially their walk animation and interactions.

And finally, we have the Exhibit Animal Spectacled Flying Fox. Exhibit Animals are always intriguing to look at or find out their animations as the guests walk around. The Spectacled Flying Fox is a similar addition and one that checks all the boxes you would expect from it.

New scenery pieces (Image via Planet Zoo)

Oceania Pack brings a host of blueprints, foliages, and scenery pieces to the milieu for Planet Zoo players to make use of while building their parks. In terms of quality, the DLC packs a solid variety to add the Oceania esthetic to the zoos.

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Is the DLC worth it?

In my opinion, Oceania Pack is worth the price you pay for it. The species they add perfectly reflect the region they are from.

While one can make a case for a few more unique species from these countries (one Reddit thread suggested Kakapo), the chosen set is quite delightful, nevertheless. The high appeal of Quokka and the Spectacled Flying Fox will surely make them hotly sought-after creatures that players will want to add to their zoos.

The Oceania Pack also brought forth a common sentiment among the Planet Zoo fanbase - clamoring for the Aviary/Bird Pack. That's something that has been requested for the longest time now.

While there's no official confirmation or hint that I am aware of regarding whether the developers are at all working on it, Oceania Pack is another solid addition to the game that players will surely love picking up.