Total Game Boy
28th December 2000
Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Machine: Game Boy Color
Published in Total Game Boy Issue 15
Just don't ask us what the title means...
Dinosaur 'Us
Loads of millions of years BC (Before Celebrity chefs) dinosaurs apparently used to jump around on tiny little platforms and eat apples. Well, according the latest cash-in-type game from Electronic Arts.
Pokesaurus!
Basically, Dinosaur'Us is, in essence, a Pokemon... 'spin-off', shall we say. A few issues back we gave it a rave preview, but, after all this waiting, it's really not very exciting, unfortunately. You start off with a newly-hatched dinosaur of your own, which you control as the group make their way around their prehistoric world, perching on ridiculously small platforms (some of which are moving, which is rather odd) eating apples and rodents. The levels see you avoiding falling logs and fireballs and getting into loads of scraps with other nasty dinosaurs.
Walk The Dinosaur?
These scraps are "Pokemon-style", but lack the variety of moves and clever point distribution that Pokebattles have. The graphics are quite nice, but the sprites are very clumsy and nasty to control, and starting all over again becomes a pain. Naming your dino's has got to be the best part. Dinosaur'Us is worth a try, and has hours of gameplay in it if it's your kind of thing. Unfortunately, attempting to marry Poke-fighting with dull platform gameplay has only resulted in a bit of a prehistoric mess.
Verdict
Graphics 100%
Really quite nice.
Sound 60%
As atmospheric as a shoe.
Playability 60%
Clumsy sprites make Hulk angry!
Lastability 80%
A little at a time!
Overall 73%
Dinosaurs meet Pokemon!