Let’s be honest: there aren’t nearly as many dinosaur video games as there should be. Living fossils have so much potential in the gaming space, so it’s a shame we haven’t seen more experimentation when it comes to history’s most fascinating creatures. However, the Xbox One still has a nice plate of dino delights, so we took the time to excavate and present them here in list form just for you.
#11 Exoprimal
Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: July 14, 2023
Steam | Playstation | Xbox
Welcome to a future where one of the most essential sources of energy in the world comes from dinosaurs. No, really, that’s the world of Exoprimal that you live in.
But instead of focusing on the crazy sci-fi plot of the game, let’s instead focus on killing dinosaurs with mech suits! That’s what you and other players will do in the game. You’ll load up and outfit your mech with weapons and abilities to take on hordes of dinosaurs either by yourself or with a crew.
Numerous modes will let you tango with these dinos, so don’t miss your chance to beat the prehistoric age with a few bullets from the future.
#10 Caveman Warriors
Caveman Warriors lets you play solo or team up with up to three caveman pals in a platforming adventure filled with—you guessed it—dinosaurs. Developer JanduSoft wears its inspirations on its sleeve, specifically referencing games like Joe & Mac, New Super Mario Bros., Metal Slug, Castle Crashers, and Trine as titles it looked to during development. This eclectic mix of platforming greats positions Caveman Warriors as a challenging prehistoric addition to the sub-genre. Plus, with an art style like this, it’s full of reasons to keep playing.
#9 Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt
Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt is a straightforward dinosaur-hunting adventure, but that means it might be exactly what you’re looking for. Its premise is simple: track, stalk, and take down ferocious dinosaurs. The simulation elements are what make Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt truly special, though, with players tasked with keeping track of their prey’s mannerisms and surroundings. With unique environments like beaches, jungles, plains, and deserts to hunt in, Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunt does its best to offer pure wish fulfillment for dino fans.
#8 Minecraft Jurassic World DLC
Minecraft lets players build anything their heart desires, and its Jurassic World DLC can make those dinosaur dreams come true. Themed after the Jurassic Park sequel trilogy of the same name, this add-on content turns Minecraft into a prehistoric playground with blocky dinos that you can train and build homes for. The Minecraft Jurassic World DLC offers more than simple re-skins, with the collections of scaley beasts ranging from t-rexes and pterodactyls to triceratopses and even the mosasaurus. Add in its vehicles and 21 iconic skins and Minecraft can suddenly become the ideal dinosaur experience.
#7 Second Extinction
Systemic Reaction’s Second Extinction lays on the action and never lets up. This four-player co-op survival game takes heavy inspiration from the Left 4 Dead series, but instead of hordes of blood-thirsty zombies, players get to mow down armies of mutant dinosaurs. Classics like the velociraptor populate a now-destroyed Earth, with other, more deadly dinosaurs using strange abilities to keep humanity’s presence on the planet extinct. Those with the guts to journey to the dinosaur-infested planet can choose from a group of characters to play has, each with their own arsenals, unlocks, and skills to help keep them alive.
#6 LEGO Jurassic World
You might have seen Jurassic World, but you’ve never seen in like this. Made by TT Games, the same developers behind the iconic LEGO Star Wars video games, this LEGO-ized version of the movie series transforms its characters and story into a family-friendly brick adventure. Those familiar with TT’s work should find plenty of familiar mechanics to love as they relive tense movie moments. Getting chewed on by a dino on the hunt isn’t quite as threatening as it is in other dinosaur games, but it’s this same child-like tone that makes LEGO Jurassic World worth digging up.
#5 Dauntless
You might be tempted to compare cell-shaded MMORPG Dauntless to the Monster Hunter series, but this experience does more than enough to make it stand on its own. For starters, its soft art style keeps the visuals of its environments varied, meaning each of its fantasy-infused beasts looks unique, too. Although Dauntless’ gameplay, with customization options and a range of weapons to learn, is definitely similar to Capcom’s beast-hunting franchise, Dauntless is free-to-play. So, that means you can enjoy an original, dinosaur world at no extra charge.
#4 Monster Hunter: World
The Monster Hunter series has always been inspired by our real-life, pre-historic past, but it wasn’t until Monster Hunter: World that the series’s beast went full-on dino. This more grounded take on the franchise found a nice home on Xbox and its superior graphical capabilities, with its dinosaurs looking more realistic—and more threatening—than ever. Be warned, though: while Monster Hunter: World promises endless fun, its learning curve is plenty steep. Players will need to practice discipline as they come to grips with the game’s mechanics and demanding combat, but the overall experience is so rewarding that, if you stick with it, you’ll never look back.
#3 Jurassic World Evolution 2
Jurassic World Evolution 2 presents a bit of a change of pace. Instead of coming face-to-face with the creatures that once ruled the Earth, this management-sim gives players an aerial view of a compound filled with dinosaurs. The sandbox fun comes from building out the dino habitat of your dreams, with impressive visuals that make the experience all the more satisfying. Dressing the bulk of Jurassic World Evolution 2 is appearances from the Jurassic World cast and additional game modes to accompany the story. However, the boatload of dinosaurs that thrive in your new animal kingdom are intelligent, so it’s up to you to keep track of the behaviors.
#2 ARK: Survival Evolved
ARK: Survival Evolved might offer the most unique spin on dinosaurs in this entire list, with the game taking place in a breathtaking original universe with harsh environments and even harsher wildlife. It’s easy to compare Studio Wildcard’s survival game gameplay to Minecraft, as players learn to hunt and gather the resources necessary to deal with the world around them. While Ark: Survival Evolved does share much in common when it comes to its systems and crafting mechanics, the playground it takes place in couldn’t be more different. What Ark lacks in polish it makes up for with interesting creatures, interactivity, and a foundation that encourages experimentation.
#1 Turok
Turok—the first game to truly marry dinosaurs and video games in a bold (and violent) way. First released in 1997, players take control of the title character to take out dinos by using guns, knives, reflexes, and wits. You’ll need the arsenal of weapons to dispatch evil prehistoric creatures that roam the Lost Land, especially considering they’ll often pack heat of their own. Although Turok’s visuals are quite dated, the power of the Xbox One allows players to experience the classic in the most up-to-date way available thanks to its backward compatible functionality. Turok is an important part of gaming’s history with dinosaurs, and it will always be worth your time.
