The Jurassic Park Collection Still Holds Up Today

Turning on my Switch to see the classic Jurassic Park logo in all its pixelated glory took me back to my childhood in moments. As a dinosaur-loving nerdy pre-teen when the original Jurassic Park movie came out, I was exactly the right age to fall in love with it. It was the very first film I ever saw in a cinema with friends and I felt very grown up. A later repeat viewing with my brothers led to us getting the Jurassic Park game for the Sega Mega Drive - that’s the Genesis, to all our American readers.

All these years later, it turns out that hitting the button to select ‘Play As Raptor’ is just as exciting now as it was then. The Limited Run edition of classic 8-bit and 16-bit Jurassic Park games includes other titles as well, but I still just love running around as a raptor, eating Jurassic Park employees.

Jurassic Park 8-Bit, originally released on the NES, is a classic of the era. You play as Dr Grant, apparently, but in the 8-bit era, he is just a tiny figure with an orange shirt and zero facial features running around a pixelated park with a tranquilizer gun shooting escaped dinosaurs and collecting supplies to restore the power. It’s the perfect game for anyone who enjoys the good old days when they made games to be as hard as nails and very simple. A bit of platforming, some dodging, some weaving, an occasional puzzle, and a gun that is difficult to aim as it shoots from an indecipherable part of the tiny figure are all present and correct.

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The Game Boy version, billed here as Jurassic Park Portable, is much of the same, except with the distinctive green glow of a Game Boy classic. While it initially appears identical to the NES version, it’s more forgiving and has more of a focus on planning ahead, especially in later levels. You’ll need to think more to get through this one and it can’t be underestimated just how much nostalgia the colour scheme evokes.

I didn’t play on a Game Boy until years after they were in any way relevant, but even for me the distinctive style was still the most enjoyable part. It also helps the game feel more atmospheric somehow since it’s the very definition of back-to-basics. If you love the Game Boy charm and are after a simple title that’s a little easier on your reflexes, this one takes the edge over the NES version.

As we reach the next generation, the SNES, both the game and graphic quality ramp up. In this one Dr Grant has a face, kind of. He also has a taser, which I much preferred over the randomly directional gun. There are more places to explore, and there’s even a story. This top-down action-adventure has similar vibes to early Zelda titles, but obviously includes far more dinosaurs and death.

If you want to see all the games in the collection ranked, then you're in luck. One of my colleagues has ranked them all, so I don't have to make those tough choices and filter through the social posts and emails telling me I suck because all I care about it being a raptor. Thanks Zack!

As you explore, there’s less focus on timing and more on just taking your time. It’s a well thought out game, which actually includes enough Jurassic Park-specific lore and detail to feel less like a generic dinosaur game than many of the others. I hadn’t played this one before, and it’s a standout in this collection. When you go back to retro graphics and restrictions you need something to keep you hooked, and the storyline and pace of this one pull it off.

If I look at this game series, Jurassic Park Genesis is objectively a weaker game than 16-bit. The levels are simpler yet it’s more difficult, and it’s much faster-paced as you speed through the side-scrolling levels, avoiding the hazards and seeking your target. On paper, this should not be a win for me over the SNES version. However, the fact you can choose to play as a raptor sells this to me every time.

Yes, I am very bad at this game. No, I have not even gotten close to finishing it. No, I do not care. The raptor jumps higher than Dr Grant and instead of firing a gun he just eats people in his way. Why would you not want to do that? I’m more concerned by anyone who chooses to play this game as Dr Grant, because if you can be a dinosaur, why would you not be a dinosaur?

Next is Jurassic Park Part 2, also for the SNES, which takes place after the first movie and before Jurassic Park: The Lost World. Here you are taken into a side-scrolling adventure that even has quests. It’s very similar to the first SNES game and keeps the theme of an engaging narrative and gameplay that has a point. The list of tasks can get a little repetitive, but it does at least feel like there’s a purpose to them. Jurassic Park has suffered and you can help restore it.

The Game Boy title also has a sequel, which adds missions as well. Like the SNES sequel it takes the core elements of the original and expands on them. As a portable experience of a certain age, it is still very limited, even compared to the console titles, but a fun time can still be had in that green-hued world.

Finally, Jurassic Park Rampage Edition really lives up to its name. It’s basically the Genesis game but more in every way. There are more guns, more dinosaurs, more levels, and more speed. You can still play as a Raptor and now you can kick, tail swipe, and chomp on anyone in your way. There’s no story here. Raptors care not for story, only for destruction. How much and how fast is the name of the game, and this arcade-style version will have you racing through the jungle with a spring in your step and a dinosaur stomped beneath your feet.

Retro games mostly have value in their nostalgia, but these ones still hold up pretty well. They cover a variety of genres, and the gameplay is as enjoyable as many titles today. If you want huge depth then you won’t find it here, but if you want to run around killing dinosaurs, or even better, being one, then you can’t beat this slice of dinosaur delights.

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