Just who doesn’t like dinosaurs?
They may be extinct, but prehistoric creatures still live on in our minds. Many of us are fascinated about the majestic beasts that roamed the lands millions of years ago, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise really. They came in all shapes and sizes, were both ferocious and docile, and more importantly than anything, they were mysterious.
We think we know a lot about about dinosaurs, but in reality we probably know little. That’s what makes them exciting though, and it also allows for them to be easily used for entertainment purposes. If you’re a gamer for example, you might love games that include dinosaurs. If that’s the case, cast your eyes over our list of the best dinosaur games you can play right now. Okay, so it’s pretty much a list of all the dinosaur games that are currently available, but they do all have something good to offer in their own way.
Want to support GameSpew? If you decide to buy any of the games on this list, please consider using our Amazon affiliate links, included below each entry. It won’t cost you anything extra, but we’ll get a small slice of the purchase.
This article was first published in 2017 and has been periodically updated since.
1. Jurassic World Evolution 2
- Available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC
Based on the hit franchise, Jurassic World Evolution 2 lets you develop your own dinosaur theme park. It’s also one of the best dinosaur games available.
You need to think about which dinosaurs you’ll have on display and where to locate them. And once you’ve attracted visitors to your park you need to make sure that their needs are met and that they’re safe. Admittedly though, the fun really starts when your dinosaurs escape, causing havoc. Whether or not you rush to gain back control of your theme park is up to you.
If you’ve ever watched a Jurassic Park/World film and wanted to try your hand at making and managing your own prehistoric attraction, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the game for you.
Read our review of Jurassic World Evolution 2
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2. Monster Hunter Rise
- Available on Switch and PC
While the monsters in Monster Hunter Rise aren’t strictly dinosaurs, many of them are very close to them. They’re completely fictitious for one, but it’s easy to see that many of them have been modelled on actual dinosaurs that we know to have existed.
And so, if you like the thought of slaying giant dinosaur-like beasts and existing alongside them in a world where they roam free, Monster Hunter Rise is well worth diving into. Its latest expansion, Sunbreak, is worth picking up too, adding many more monsters and missions into the mix.
Read our review of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
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3. Exoprimal
- Available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC
When Capcom revealed it was working on a new game featuring dinosaurs, we got our hopes up that it was going to be a Dino Crisis reboot or sequel. Instead, we got Exoprimal, a competitive and co-operative multiplayer game. We’d say we’re disappointed – and granted, we are a bit – but when the action is so much fun we can’t complain.
Set in a future where dinosaurs have miraculously made a return and have ravaged the world as we know it, Exoprimal finds you donning a robotic suit and battling against hordes of them in competitive games. Jump into a mission, and chances are you’ll have to kill hundreds of Velociraptors, countless Pteranodons, and perhaps even a dinosaur or two more fearsome such as a Carnotaurus or Triceratops. Needless to say, if you’re after the best dinosaur games you can play right now, this is a must-play.
Check latest prices of Exoprimal
4. Time Carnage
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC
Managing dinosaurs is fun, but shooting them as they run at you is probably even more so. You’ll have to make some progress in Time Carnage before you come up against them, but a whole range of dinosaurs are included. Standing on the spot, you’ll have to manage your selection of weapons effectively if you’re to survive their onslaught. It’s a hell of a lot of fun though, and Time Carnage is also playable in VR on PS4 and PC for extra immersion.
Time Carnage is one of the best wave-based shooters available, and the inclusion of dinosaurs just makes it all the better.
Read our review of Time Carnage
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5. ARK: Survival Evolved
- Available on PS4, Xbox One and PC
If survival games float your boat just as much as dinosaurs, ARK: Survival Evolved is an absolute must-have. Placed onto an island stark naked, your first task is to gather some materials to give yourself some decency. And then from there, it’s all about your continued survival. You need to keep yourself fed and hydrated. Find or build somewhere you can go to get warm and be safe. Oh yeah, and you also need to avoid or make use of dinosaurs.
Some dinosaurs can be used as valuable assets to help you survive or move around the open world. Others, however, are so dangerous that they’re just better off avoided. In any case, if you want a game that involves dinosaurs and provides a lasting challenge, ARK: Survival Evolved certainly fits the bill.
Check latest prices of ARK: Survival Evolved
6. Gigantosaurus: The Game
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC
If you have young children, you might have been subjected to Gigantosaurus, the hit TV series. Well, there’s also a game based on it, and while it’s definitely aimed at kids, it’s fun for all ages.
There are four dinosaurs for you to take control of in Gigantosaurus: The Game, each with their own special skills. You’ll need to use them if you want to find all of the eggs hidden in each of the game’s levels, though it’s not something you have to do alone. Thanks to local co-op support, up to four players can get in on the action.
With kart racing sections, colourful graphics and whole host of collectables to find, Gigantosaurus: The Game will leave those seeking blood and guts cold. For those looking for some family friendly dinosaur-themed action, however, it’s bound to go down well.
Read our review of Gigantosaurus: The Game
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7. Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt
- Available on PS4, Xbox One and Switch
There have been many entries in the Carnivores series, but Dinosaur Hunt is the latest to appear on consoles. It’s not brand new, however, as it’s actually a remaster of Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter. With that in mind, you shouldn’t expect cutting edge gameplay or visuals. There are dinosaurs though, and it’s your job to hunt them.
Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt is pretty much devoid of a story, instead just letting you get on with the task of hunting dinosaurs before claiming their lifeless bodies as trophies. There’s a range of environments to visit, each containing a unique assortment of dinosaurs for you to hunt, but you’ve got to put some work in if you want to unlock them all. In fact, you can’t even hunt certain dinosaurs until you’ve bought the licences to do so.
To keep the action interesting there are new weapons to buy, as well as upgrades, so if you’re a huge fan of dinosaurs, and hunting, it might be worth the effort. Many will get bored visiting the same locations and hunting the same dinosaurs over and over again, however. Still, it’s a dinosaur game you can play right now, so it makes the list.
8. Second Extinction
- Available on: Xbox One (Game Preview) and PC (Early Access)
Made with co-op in mind, Second Extinction isn’t much fun if you play it solo. Get some friends together, however, and it’s a blast. After readying up, Second Extinction drops you on a big map. It’s then up to you to complete a number of objectives, dealing with hordes of dinosaurs along the way. And did we mention that they’re mutant dinosaurs? Yeeaaah. Because normal dinosaurs aren’t terrifying enough, the ones you’ll find in this game are extra-aggressive and have some nasty tricks up their sleeves.
As it’s currently in Early Access, you might encounter the odd issue while playing Second Extinction. But put up with a few hiccups, and you’ll find that this is one of the best dinosaur games available right now. Especially if you like to engage in a bit of online co-op action.
Check latest prices of Second Extinction
9. LEGO Jurassic World
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC
LEGO games are fun no matter how old you are, and if dinosaurs are your thing LEGO Jurassic World is the best. Combining the events of all three of the Jurassic Park films and Jurassic World into one game, LEGO Jurassic World is a must-have.
It has the humour you’ve come to expect of LEGO games, loads of content, and of course, dinosaurs. And the best thing is that you can enjoy it in co-op. Got a friend or relative that’s as much into games and/or dinosaurs as you? Get them to play it with you on the couch. There’s no better way to experience it. Whether you love LEGO or not, this is definitely one of the best dinosaur games available right now.
Read our review of LEGO Jurassic World
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10. Turok
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC
Turok may be a little long in the tooth (ha!) now, having originally released way back in 1997 on the Nintendo 64. But no dinosaur games list would be complete without it, especially considering it has been remastered and re-released onto modern formats.
Turok might well be the ultimate in dinosaur games. For those unfamiliar, it’s a 3D action game that puts you in the shoes of a, well, a dinosaur hunter. You’ve a big open world to explore, puzzles to solve and numerous ferocious dinosaurs to go toe-to-toe with. It might look a little aged – it is 25 years old, after all – but there’s no denying it still has some charm.
11. ARK Park
- Available on PS4 and PC (VR only)
ARK Park tries to be a jack of all trades and ends up being a master of none. It’s still worth playing if you’re dinosaur mad though. Requiring a VR headset to play, it allows you to explore multiple environments, gathering resources that allow you to progress on your adventure. When you want to do something a little more exciting though, you can ride a dinosaur and enjoy the sights, or even engage in a shooting minigame. And for those who don’t know much about dinosaurs and want to find out more, it has a wealth of information that can be consumed at your leisure.
While lacking in focus, ARK Park definitely has its merits. It has been improved since launch too. You can now move around freely, for instance. There’s something to be said for existing alongside dinosaurs in VR, and that alone makes this worthy of a place on our list of best dinosaur games.
12. Primal Carnage: Extinction
- Available on: PS4 and PC
Fans of competitive online games looking to engage in some dinosaur-versus-human action would be wise to check out Primal Carnage: Extinction.
Look, we’ll be honest here. Primal Carnage: Extinction isn’t a great game. It’s not even a good game, all things considered. But it is the only game that we know of that lets you take control of a T-Rex and eat somebody. And, frankly, that’s about all we want from a dinosaur game.
Allowing you to engage in team-based battles or take on waves of computer controlled dinosaurs, Primal Carnage: Extinction may be rough around the edges but there’s nothing else quite like it.
Read our review of Primal Carnage: Extinction
13. Pinball FX3
- Available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC
Okay, so Pinball FX3 isn’t a dinosaur game per se, but it does feature some Jurassic Park/World themed tables. You can download and try Pinball FX3 for free, and we highly recommend that you do so as it’s a heck of a lot of fun.
If you want to see some dinosaurs in it though, you’ll have to pay. The Jurassic World Pinball DLC pack contains three dinosaur filled tables and costs less than a tenner, making it essential for fans of the films, pinball and prehistoric creatures. Those looking for a more hands-on experience with dinosaurs may find that Pinball FX3 doesn’t meet their needs, but if you just want to see a T-Rex and hear it roar you’ll be perfectly happy.
14. Caveman Warriors
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch & PC
Not enough games let you play as cavemen. Or women. Let’s just call them cave people, shall we? Caveman Warriors puts you in the shoes of multiple cave people, running and jumping their way through dinosaur-filled levels. That’s right, it’s a platformer, and a tough-as-nails one at that. And while it isn’t perfect, it can be great fun when played with friends.
With support for up to four player local co-op, Caveman Warriors is a game in which you’ll shout and stab at dinosaurs rather than observe and learn about them. You’ll feel cheated as you die time and time again, but when you finally take that Pterodactyl down once and for all you’ll be elated, and that’s what matters.
Read our review of Caveman Warriors
15. Dino Frontier
- Available on PS4 (VR only)
In Dino Frontier, dinosaurs are both a danger and an asset. Assuming the role of a Mayor overseeing the development of a settlement, Dino Frontier is a game in which the Wild West and dinosaurs collide. It sounds a bit crazy, and indeed it is.
In between managing resources and building your town you’ll need to fend off bandits, and what better way is there of dealing with them than on the back of a Velociraptor or Triceratops? Dinosaurs are just as much of a threat as the bandits though, in certain circumstances. If you have a PSVR headest and want to try something a little bit zany and different, Dino Frontier for PS4 is worth a shot.
