Zoo Tycoon is one of my favourite games. Though I played it the first time around 2003, today, after more than 20 years, I still miss it. It is a Windows game, and I have switch to Linux for more than ten years, I still want to play it. Here is how to play it on Ubuntu.

This article assumes that you already have its two CDs as ISO files. I cannot tell where to download them.

Released in 2001, where PCs are just 32-bit, this game can only run in 32-bit environment. This is a key to remember.

1. Enable i386 software installation with this command:

$ sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

2. Install Wine 32-bit and Winetricks.

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install wine32:i386 winetricks

3. Mount first CD ISO file, by right-click on the file and choose "Open with Disk Image Mounter".

4. Run Winetricks, from here you have two directions to go, create a Win32 environment (see the next section) or choose the one you created before.

5. After preparing Win 32 environment, Winetricks will show the next dialog. Choose "Run an arbitrary executable (.exe/.msi/.msu)" then "Ok".

6. Winetricks will open File Chooser dialog, find and choose the "setup.exe" in the folder that you mounted ISO file in previous step.

Done, now Zoo Tycoon game shows up.

Create Win32 environment

1. In the first dialog of Winetricks, choose "Create new wineprefix"

2. Next, choose "32" for "Architecture" and name it "WinXP".

3. Back to the dialog of choosing prefix, choose the "WinXP" (which we created previously).

4. Next, choose "Change settings"

5. Choose "Set Windows version to Windows XP"

Let's enjoy.