Predating Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs, the Triceratops is notably the first ever prehistoric creature included in the Zoo Tycoon series as a hidden unlockable within the first base game. Players could unlock it as an adoptable animal by completing the "Breeding the Panda" scenario, but it could also be unlocked earlier by renaming an exhibit to "Cretaceous Corral".

Notably, with the installation of the aforementioned Dinosaur Digs expansion pack, the Triceratops' sprite is modified to be much smaller in size and duller in color; it also now functions like the other dinosaurs, such as now requiring to be hatched out of an egg and be taken care of by a scientist (as opposed to a zookeeper), and will break out of all fences from the base Zoo Tycoon game.