Dinotopia (video game)
{{Short description|1996 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| collapsible =
| state =
| italic title =
| title = Dinotopia
| image = Turner Interactive.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| developer = The Dreamers Guild
| publisher = Turner Interactive
| series =
| engine =
| platforms = MS-DOS
| released = 1996
| genre = Adventure
| modes = Single-player
}}
Dinotopia is a 1996 adventure game developed by The Dreamers Guild and published by Turner Interactive for MS-DOS. It is based on the Dinotopia book series by James Gurney.
Gameplay
Development and release
Dinotopia was developed by The Dreamers Guild and published by Turner Interactive. The game features cutscenes with live actors, as well as animatronic dinosaurs created by Andre Freitas and his special effects company, AFX Studios. Turner gave Freitas a small budget of $85,000. Dinotopia was released in 1996.{{cite web |last=Rochefort |first=Simone de |title=Dinotopia is the best dinosaur game, and it's got puppets |url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/22751018/dinotopia-dinosaur-game-puppets |website=Polygon |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=October 29, 2021 |archive-date=July 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727185511/https://www.polygon.com/videos/22751018/dinotopia-dinosaur-game-puppets |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Rochefort |first=Simone de |title=Using Jurassic Park tech to make the Dinotopia video game |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JG6jvpkEmk |website=Polygon |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=February 18, 2022 |via=YouTube |archive-date=July 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727185511/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JG6jvpkEmk |url-status=live }}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| title =
| subtitle =
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| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev2 = Just Adventure
}}
Scorpia of Computer Gaming World found it too simplistic and wrote, "This isn't so much a game as a Dinotopia travelogue".{{cite magazine |author=Scorpia |date=September 1996 |title=Jurassic Lark: Scorpia Roams With The Dinosaurs in Dinotopia |magazine=Computer Gaming World |location=United States |issue=146 |pages=121–122}} Next Generation stated, "All told, this is only a slightly above-average adventure title. The story is nothing special, and the puzzles won't be a serious challenge to hard-core players. It would make a great light hearted adventure to play with kids."{{cite magazine|title=Finals|magazine=Next Generation|issue=20|publisher=Imagine Media|date=August 1996|pages=95–96}} Dennis Michael of CNN wrote "its apt combination of intellect and humanity makes the game a winner for new players looking for something to share with the family".{{cite news |last=Michael |first=Dennis |title='Dinotopia:' CD-ROM fantasy for the whole family |url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9604/11/dinotopia/index.html |access-date=July 27, 2022 |work=CNN |date=April 11, 1996 |archive-date=July 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727185511/http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9604/11/dinotopia/index.html |url-status=live }}
Popular Science praised the game's high production values, noting its use of 3D graphics, motion video, and "lifelike" dinosaur puppets. It was also praised for having a "warm and inviting atmosphere" and "a storyline worth following".{{cite web |title=A Dinosaur's World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tblziB7YDJoC&dq=%22dinotopia%22+%22turner+interactive%22&pg=PA28 |website=Popular Science |access-date=July 27, 2022 |page=28 |date=July 1996}} Steven Forbis, writing for Entertainment Weekly, praised the game for its "lively characters, humor, and the island's day-to-day life".
Simone de Rochefort of Polygon praised the game in 2021, calling it "delightful and weird" and the puppets "incredible".
Reviews
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/dinotopia Dinotopia] at MobyGames
{{Dinotopia}}
{{The Dreamers Guild}}
Category:Single-player video games
Category:The Dreamers Guild games
Category:Video games about dinosaurs