Bleep, there goes three monkeys, plop, hey look 4 hippos, ding, wow, bye bye you cute little lions. Ok right what's next, hmm, lets see, lets see, where are you? What can go next? Agghhhh I'm running out of time, stop shaking you crazy animals, STOP IT! Game Over. Damn, this is such an annoying game! Ok, let's play again.

Welcome to the world of Zoo Keeper. You, as if it wasn't obvious yet, are a Zoo Keeper and your mission is to get rid of animals, reach the quota and clear the level. To reach your quota you must match up at least three animals of the same type from within the zoo, making these animals disappear. These rather strict orders have been handed down from your work obsessive and quite round boss. To make the game get progressively harder he will up the quota on each level. That is an obvious standard when it comes to games but what this one also offers is the addition of new animals and also stricter time limits. As if you have all day to tidy up all these animals, its not as if you're a zoo keeper now is it. Ah, wait, yes you are. Back to work you lazy scum!

Zoo Keeper is a simple game. When playing the game you will notice that its graphics on the main screen are in two dimensions. On the second screen is a simple picture of the lucky animal in question. This is of course the animal, which gets you more points than the average bear. Although the graphics aren't the best seen, I have seen better Game Boy Advance graphics, they are in fact colourful and very eye-catching. The simple movements of the animals as they swing happily from side to side are also quite enjoyable or when you only have one more type of animal to get, they start acting all grumpy and have an evil scowl on them. This can offer a good distraction from the game play but obviously can cause a problem when trying to get on the scoreboard.

If there was ever a down side to a game and there always is, it would be its horrible in game music. It drives you mad with its repetitive bib bob bib bob bib bob. May I assure you that the best way to play is with the sound turned right down, if not off. Not only will it drive your fellow people mad but it also doesn't help you when the time starts to run out and all the animals set off shaking.

As well as your standard game there are three other modes to keep you coming back to this game, time and time again. The first on the list is Tokoton. This mode has you trying to reach a quota of 100 animals on each level. Obviously to progress to the next level you have to reach the quota as in the standard game, only this time the levels get hard and pretty quick. The introduction of new animals and stricter time limits happen each level, so the points gained take a lot of effort. Although it does take a while to work your way up through the stages, the fun kicks in when you start to reach you 100 animals. Every time you get a 100 of any sort, you go up a level, hooray. Right behind that is another 100, marvellous, were getting some points now. Next, another 100, ok now were getting somewhere. The points start piling on and the entertainment value is through the roof, especially when that timer is getting low and you need to get on that scoreboard.

Next on the list is Quest, the hardest of all modes. Your boss will give you 10 challenges to complete. For example, you must collect a row of each animal. If you collect more than one row of any animal you have to restart. It may sound easy enough but once you have every other animal except the giraffe and there are three of them dotted around the screen, you may become a little agitated. If you do well in a challenge, he will be proud of you and award you a few more points. If you anger him in any way he comes down on you and hard. Taking away up to 50 maybe 70%, he is a mean one that boss of yours. As the standard is high in this mode and you get different challenges it feels as if it is a different game and gives it that varied feel. This allows you to feel happier with your work as a Zoo Keeper and as if you really need to show your boss how good you really are.

There is also the multiplayer section of the game. As one would have thought, you do need two DS' but thankfully only one copy of the game. Praise be for the download play option! The aim is to beat your friend into submission by getting chains and special power-up options, much like the one that turns your opponent's screen grey. By getting chains you reduce your friend's time, meaning they have to play hard to do the same to you. The way to beat them is to chain a lot. Oh and also push them around if there close enough, it puts them right off.

Now on to my favourite mode called Time Attack. The object of this mode is to get as a high a score as possible in the lean 6-minute time limit. Obviously it's not much time to get to high a score but the quota is low on each level meaning that you can get to a high a level quickly and get those hard to reach scores. When playing Time Attack your under pressure, the clock is ticking, so by using your skills earned from playing so many times you get higher and higher on to that scoreboard. Thus showing how much cooler you are than your friends, ah good fun had by all.

The lifespan on this puzzler isn't overly large, as really all you have to do is collect animals. Don't let that throw you off, as I have found new life in this game by challenging my friends to beat my scores. Unfortunately they did, but this brought new meaning to the game, I had to beat them. So make sure your friends get a hold of this one, and you will be playing for decades.

A lot of people would equate Zoo Keeper's simplicity with poor quality, but this would be a terrible mistake. Often the best things in life are the simplest ones: Tetris; the guitar chords on Smells Like Teen Spirit; biscuits in tea. Zoo Keeper; the videogame equivalent of biscuits in tea…almost beautiful in its simplicity.

What can I say about this game except for a rather obvious; don't play this game unless you have the rest of the day to thrash out your anger on the small, cute zoo animals. Just try not to play it before you go to bed, the horrible sight of pandas staring down at you as you close your eyes is a horrible one. Totally addictive and very much worth the little it costs. Go out and buy this one now.