DinoCity

Last updated
DinoCity
DinocitySNES boxart.jpg
North American cover art
Developer(s) Irem
Publisher(s) Irem
Platform(s) Super NES
Release
  • JP: July 17, 1992
  • NA: September 1992
  • EU: 1992 [1]
Genre(s) 2D action platformer
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

DinoCity [lower-alpha 1] is a platform video game developed and published by Irem Corporation for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Contents

The game is loosely based on the 1991 made-for-television American film Adventures in Dinosaur City by Smart Egg Pictures, and borrows many of the film's characters, settings, and basic plot while providing its own unique art direction and style. Initially released in July 1992 for Japanese audiences, the game was later made available in North America the following September. The game centers on two friends, Timmy and Jamie, young children who are accidentally transported to a world resembling prehistoric Earth populated by anthropomorphic dinosaurs. While a device which will allow them to return home exists in this environment, a critical component has been stolen by Mr. Big, leader of a gang of Neanderthals known as The Rockeys, leaving the player to guide Timmy or Jamie to his castle to retrieve it. They are assisted by Rex, a Tyrannosaurus , and Tops, a Protoceratops , each with their own play-styles.

Gameplay

A player controlling Tops and Jamie Dinocity.png
A player controlling Tops and Jamie

DinoCity is a traditional platformer-style action game where the player must move their character from left to right across the screen while avoiding obstacles, jumping on platforms, and defeating enemies. [2] Players are given the choice of controlling Rex with Timmy or Tops with Jamie at the beginning of the game as well as at the start of each new level. While Tops can throw darts to damage enemies from a distance, Rex is confined to close combat by punching them or swinging his tail. [3] Each dinosaur character can defeat enemies by jumping on them, and at any point the player may relegate control to their human riders, who can freeze enemies in place by using a special energy device. While controlling the children, the dinosaurs become immobile and may be used as platforms themselves to reach otherwise inaccessible items. The game supports up to two players who are given alternating turns at play each time the other loses a life. [3]

In order to pass each of the game's six levels (and one secret level), players must navigate through a number of screens joined by doors. Each screen resembles a different environment, and can include caves, jungles, grasslands, ice caverns, volcanoes, or cities. Once a player has passed enough screens they must battle a boss character before advancing. If a character loses enough lives, they are given the option to continue up to three times before the game is over. During gameplay a player may collect eggs which grant an extra life if enough are obtained, as well as hearts that restore lost health. The game utilizes a password system that allows players to return to the start of any level from the title screen.

Development

DinoCity was developed and published by Irem Corporation in 1992, and was led by project directors K. Okada and Y. Takashima. [4] The game was based on the American film Adventures in Dinosaur City which has been released worldwide earlier that year, with the Japanese title Dinowars Kyōryū Ōkoku e no Daibōken being the same name as the Japanese version of the movie. [5] While many of the game's characters including the heroes Rex, Tops, Timmy, Jamie and villains Mr. Big and The Rockeys were taken directly from the film, they were largely re-designed into a more anime-based style by staff artists using the pseudonyms "Munou no Hito" and "SDR 200". [4] Much of the game's art direction utilizes a colorful, cartoon-like approach to environments and enemies as opposed to the darker presentation of the original film. [6] The music for DinoCity was produced by Irem in-house composer Hiroshi Ebihara, who had previously collaborated on the score to Super R-Type . [4] Although no official soundtrack was released, select tracks were made available for listening from in-game sound test menu accessible from the title screen.

The North American version was originally marketed by Irem America under the title "Dinosaurs" shortly after the game's Japanese release in July, with the finalization of the game's title coming just before its English release. [7] Although the title was originally marked for an August release, it would later be pushed back to the following September. [8] Beginning in early 1993, Irem America held a magazine promotion where players could receive an official DinoCity t-shirt featuring Rex by sending in two UPC labels from specified Irem games. [9]

Version differences

While the majority of the game remains unchanged from one region release to another, a few graphic and gameplay changes exist between the English and original Japanese versions of the game. The cavewomen enemy character "Cindy" was originally designed as a large-busted woman whose character sprite was altered for the North American release due to Nintendo of America's policy against overly-sexual depictions of women on their consoles. [10] The Japanese version also includes the option to select "Normal" or "Hard" difficulty settings at the beginning of the game. While the Hard setting represents the default play mode on the English version, the Normal setting grants the player five health points instead of three, as well as unlimited continues. [10]

Reception

DinoCity received mostly good to average reviews during its North American release. Electronic Gaming Monthly was impressed with the game's "colorful" graphics and "cute" character designs, stating that it "seems geared for kids, but adults can play too." [13] However, the magazine ultimately declared that "although [the game] enjoys some of the nicest SNES wallpaper yet, the theme is less than exhilerating[ sic ] while the pace remains stuck in molasses ... the overall execution of this title was cooler than it should be." [13] GamePro magazine similarly declared that "the colorful cartoon-style graphics create an ancient, humorous atmosphere ... thematically the game seems aimed at the younger set." [15] Despite its target demographic, the magazine still found it to be challenging enough for "intermediate adventurers." [15] Nintendo Power praised the game's "colorful and very detailed" graphics and "very good" music, but found the overall experience to be "a little too difficult for beginning players." [6]

A more contemporary review of DinoCity from the website Allgame was largely in agreement with earlier editors, referring to it as "a (relatively) challenging and interesting game featuring a mind-boggling variety of levels." [17] The game's vibrant graphics were once again touched upon, with the website calling them "not only adorable, [but] sophisticated as well. The backgrounds vary greatly from level to level and the characters are nicely animated and drawn in a cartoon-like manner. Also, the game is colorful to the extreme.". [17] IGN placed the game tenth on its "Top 10 Prehistoric Games" list in February 2007, stating that "If you never got a chance to play Dino City on the SNES, we feel bad for you." [18] DinoCity maintains a 69% average score from the aggregate review website GameRankings. [11]

Entertainment Weekly gave the game a B+ and wrote that "With a tail-wagging reptile straight out of Super Mario World, cavemen reminiscent of the Flintstones, and peril-laden scenery popularized by countless action games, most kids will find DinoCity instantly familiar. Whether or not they enjoy it will depend on their tolerance for cutesy-poo characters (in this case, a small boy and his dinosaur pal) and a pace more thoughtful than frenetic. DinoCity is the perfect introductory cartridge for post-kindergarteners, a brief way station of innocence before they discover the joys of video games' heavy armament." [14] Super Gamer gave an overall score of 78% stating: "A platformer packed with slick graphics and plenty of gameplay but too easy." [19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Dinowars Kyōryū Ōkoku e no Daibōken (Japanese: ダイナウォーズ 恐竜王国への大冒険, lit. Dinowars: Adventures in the Dinosaur Kingdom)

Related Research Articles

<i>Super Mario World</i> 1990 video game

Super Mario World, known in Japan as Super Mario World: Super Mario Bros. 4, is a platform video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan in 1990, North America in 1991 and Europe and Australia in 1992. The player controls Mario on his quest to save Princess Peach and Dinosaur Land from the series' antagonist Bowser and the Koopalings. The gameplay is similar to that of earlier Super Mario games: players control Mario through a series of levels in which the goal is to reach the goalpost at the end.

<i>River City Ransom</i> 1989 video game

River City Ransom, known as Street Gangs in PAL regions, is an open world action role-playing beat 'em up video game originally for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is an English localization of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari for the Famicom. The game was developed by Technōs Japan and released in Japan on April 25, 1989.

<i>Yoshis Safari</i> 1993 video game

Yoshi's Safari is a 1993 light gun shooter developed and published by Nintendo for its Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It is the only Mario franchise game to feature first-person shooter gameplay and requires the SNES's Super Scope light gun. As Mario and his pet dinosaur Yoshi, the player embarks on a quest to save the kingdom of Jewelry Land from Bowser and his Koopalings, who have kidnapped its rulers and stolen 12 gems. The game features 12 levels in which the player shoots enemies like Goombas and Koopas, and collects power-ups and coins. At the end of each level, the player engages in a boss fight with an enemy, a Koopaling, or Bowser. Nintendo commissioned its R&D1 department to develop Yoshi's Safari in response to the waning popularity of the Super Scope. Yoshi's Safari was the first Super Scope title to use the SNES's Mode 7 graphics mode, and the future of the peripheral depended on the game's performance.

<i>Kung-Fu Master</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Kung-Fu Master, known as Spartan X in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat 'em up game developed by Irem as an arcade game in 1984, and distributed by Data East in North America. Designed by Takashi Nishiyama, the game was based on Hong Kong martial arts films. It is a sequel to the Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung film Wheels on Meals (1984), called Spartan X in Japan, with the protagonist Thomas named after Jackie Chan's character in the film. The game is also heavily inspired by the Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1972), which was the basis for the game's concept. Nishiyama, who had previously designed the side-scrolling shooter Moon Patrol (1982), combined fighting elements with a shoot 'em up gameplay rhythm. Irem and Data East exported the game to the West without the Spartan X license.

<i>Jurassic Park</i> (SNES video game) 1993 video game

Jurassic Park is an action-adventure video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), based on the 1990 novel and 1993 film of the same name. It was developed and published by Ocean Software in 1993 in North America and PAL regions, and published by Jaleco in 1994 in Japan.

<i>Super Adventure Island</i> 1992 video game

Super Adventure Island is a side-scrolling platform game by Hudson Soft released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 and later re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console download service in 2011. It was the first Adventure Island game released for the SNES and came out between the releases of the NES games Adventure Island II and Adventure Island 3. It was later followed by Super Adventure Island II. The game's soundtrack was composed by Yuzo Koshiro.

<i>Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards</i> 2000 platform video game by Nintendo

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a 2000 platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). It is the first Kirby game to feature 3D computer graphics and follows Kirby as he attempts to reassemble a sacred crystal shattered by Dark Matter. Gameplay is viewed from a 2.5D perspective and is similar to previous Kirby titles; the player traverses levels and obtains powers by eating enemies. Kirby 64 introduces Power Combos, the ability to mix powers to create more powerful ones. In a multiplayer mode, up to four players can compete in three minigames.

<i>Hook</i> (video game) Video game based on the eponymous 1991 film

There have been several video games based on the 1991 film Hook. A side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy was released in the United States in February 1992. Subsequent side-scrolling platform games were released for the Commodore 64 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and an arcade beat ‘em up by Irem later in 1992, followed by versions for the Sega CD, Sega Genesis, and Sega's handheld Game Gear console in 1993.

<i>Joe & Mac</i> 1991 video game

Joe & Mac, also known as Caveman Ninja and Caveman Ninja: Joe & Mac, is a 1991 run and gun platform game released for arcades by Data East. It was later adapted for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, Zeebo, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

<i>Cosmo Gang the Video</i> 1992 video game

Cosmo Gang the Video is a 1992 fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. A home conversion for the Super Famicom was released the same year. Controlling the Hyper Beat starship, the player is tasked with ridding the galaxy of the Cosmo Gang, a race of aliens that cause mischief across Earth. Gameplay involves shooting enemies and avoiding projectiles. Power-up items can be collected to grant the player additional abilities. It ran on the Namco System 2 arcade board.

<i>Undercover Cops</i> 1992 video game

Undercover Cops is an arcade-style beat 'em up video game developed and published by Irem, originally for the arcades in 1992. It is Irem's first attempt in the modern beat 'em up genre that was founded by Kung-Fu Master. Players control "city sweepers", a police agent-like group who fight crime by taking down thugs in New York City in the year 2043.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Side-scrolling video game</span> Video game genre

A side-scrolling video game is a game viewed from a side-view camera angle where the screen follows the player as they move left or right. The jump from single-screen or flip-screen graphics to scrolling graphics during the golden age of arcade games was a pivotal leap in game design, comparable to the move to 3D graphics during the fifth generation.

<i>Mr. Heli</i> 1987 video game

Mr. Heli, fully titled in Japan as Mr. HELI no Daibōken is a multidirectional scrolling shooter developed and published in arcades in 1987 by Irem. It was released in North America as Battle Chopper.

<i>Radical Rex</i> 1994 video game

Radical Rex is an action platforming video game released in 1994 in North America, Europe and Australia. It is a remake of the 1993 Game Boy game Baby T-Rex. It was published by Activision and developed by Australian game studio Beam Software for the Super NES, Genesis, and Sega CD. A Microsoft Windows port of the Super NES version published by Piko Interactive was released on March 7, 2019. Piko also released the game as part of the Piko Interactive Collection 1 for the Evercade on June 8, 2020.

<i>Adventures in Dinosaur City</i> 1991 American film

Adventures in Dinosaur City is a 1991 American science fiction children's film directed by Brett Thompson. The film stars Omri Katz, Shawn Hoffman, Tiffanie Poston, Rob Sherwood, Patrick Labyorteaux, and David Jolliffe.

<i>Trog</i> (video game) 1990 Maze arcade game from Midway, later ported to NES and DOS

Trog is a maze arcade video game developed and published by Midway Manufacturing in 1990 in North America under the "Bally/Midway" label and later by Williams Electronics in Europe. In the game, players control one of four dinosaurs chased by the titular cavemen. Its gameplay includes elements of Pac-Man—collect all items in a maze, eat a special item to turn the tables on pursuers—but supports up to four players at once. Initially envisioned as a hybrid puzzle/strategy project, its original concept was later reworked into a Pac-Man-like title after poor reception from testers and features claymation graphics, advertised as "Playmation" by Midway. Conversions for the Nintendo Entertainment System and MS-DOS were released by Acclaim Entertainment in 1990 and 1991 respectively, reducing the number of simultaneous players to two. Both the arcade and NES versions garnered positive reception from critics.

<i>The Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy</i> 1991 video game

The Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy is a 1991 platform video game by Taito for the Nintendo Entertainment System and based on the animated series The Flintstones. Taito would later release another Flintstones game for the NES titled The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak in 1994.

<i>The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak</i> 1994 video game

The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is a platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System released by Taito in 1994. The game was never released in Japan unlike its predecessor The Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy.

<i>GunForce</i> 1991 video game

GunForce is a side-scrolling run and gun video game produced by Irem for arcades in 1991. The game was ported by Bits Studios and published by Irem for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. The sequel, GunForce II, was originally known in Japan as Geo Storm.

<i>Dino Rex</i> 1992 arcade video game

Dino Rex is a fighting arcade video game developed and originally released by Taito in Japan in November 1992. Set during the 25th century BC on a prehistoric South America, players assume the role of a warrior commanding his dinosaur companion as he enters a tournament held by the current titular king in order to become the next ruler while facing matches against other rivals. Its gameplay consists of one-on-one fights, with a main three-button configuration, featuring special moves and combo techniques.

References

  1. ↑ "Dinocity Release Information". GameFAQs . Retrieved 2013-01-13.
  2. ↑ Irem America Corp. (1992). DinoCity Instruction Manual. p. 3. SNS-DW.
  3. 1 2 "Player's Guide to DinoCity". Nintendo Power . No. 40. Nintendo of America. September 1992. pp. 78–85.
  4. 1 2 3 Irem America Corp. (1992). DinoCity Instruction Manual. p. 33. SNS-DW.
  5. ↑ "Adventures in Dinosaur City (1992) - Release dates". Internet Movie Database. 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  6. 1 2 3 Rob Noel; George Sinfeld (September 1992). "DinoCity Review". Nintendo Power . No. 40. Nintendo of America. p. 102.
  7. ↑ "Pak Watch - A Look at Games of the Future". Nintendo Power . No. 38. Nintendo of America. July 1992. p. 111.
  8. ↑ "Dinosaurs for Nintendo Super NES". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 36. San Francisco, California: Ziff Davis Media. July 1992. p. 82.
  9. ↑ Irem America Corp. (January 1993). "DinoCity Free T-Rex T-Shirt Offer". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 42. San Francisco, California: Ziff Davis Media. p. 97.
  10. 1 2 Irem Corporation (1992). Dinowars Kyōryū Ōkoku e no Daibōken Instruction Manual (in Japanese). SHVC-DW.
  11. 1 2 "DinoCity Reviews". GameRankings. 2006. Archived from the original on 2019-05-13. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  12. ↑ Nick (October 1992). "Dinosaurs". Control . No. 2. pp. 36–39.
  13. 1 2 3 Alessi, Martin; Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Sushi-X (August 1992). "DinoCity Review". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 37. San Francisco, California: Ziff Davis Media. p. 18.
  14. 1 2 "DinoCity | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly .
  15. 1 2 3 Earth Angel (September 1992). "DinoCity Review". GamePro . No. 38. IDG Entertainment. p. 70.
  16. ↑ "Dinosaurs". Mean Machines . No. 24. September 1992. pp. 52–54.
  17. 1 2 Weiss, Brett Allen (2005). "DinoCity > Review". Allgame . Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  18. ↑ "IGN: Top 10 Tuesday: Prehistoric Games". IGN. 2007-02-27. Archived from the original on 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
  19. ↑ "DinoCity Review". Super Gamer. United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing (2): 122. May 1994. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.