Jurassic Park

"The toughest game when I was a kid..."

Introduction:

I'm a big fan of Jurassic Park. I must've seen that movie at least 100 times. So when I saw that there was a game for it, I begged my parents to buy it for me. After I got it, I spent days playing it, memorizing where to go, what items were where, etc. It was a good game.

Gameplay: This game uses mostly 2D elements combined with a primitive 3D first person shooter. You go around the park, clearing objectives, collecting items, figuring out ways around obstacles, and trying to survive. There are a few weapons at your disposal, including cattle prods, shotguns, explosive bolas, gas grenades, tranquilizer darts, and my personal favorite, rocket launchers. Movement is pretty straightforward here; you walk with the directional pad, shoot, pick up items, and jump with various buttons. The first person shooter mode pertains to when your character is inside a building. The left and right buttons can be used for turning. Also, let's not forget that this game be played with the Nintendo mouse used for a controller.

Story: You are paleontologist Alan Grant, one of the world's foremost authorities on dinosaurs. You are invited to an island in the South Pacific by John Hammond, a rich entrepreneur. Hammond has secretly used DNA and created dinosaur clones, and intends to display these clones as an amusement park for all to see. The dinosaurs are controlled and monitored by the park's intricate computer system. However, the computer goes down due to the hacking of an inside saboteur named Dennis Nedry, who intends to steal dinosaur embryos and sell them to his highest bidder, Biosyn. With the computer down and dinosaurs roaming freely on the island, it's up to you to get out.

Graphics/Sound:

Graphics are decent, all things considered. Apparently this game was meant to be three dimensional, but walking around outside, all you can see is the top of Dr. Grant's wicker hat. Good effort nonetheless. Also, this is the first game I owned that had any sort of first person shooter playing style. You get to explore buildings in a three dimensional perspective, as opposed to running around outside in only two dimensions. It's still good for the Super Nintendo.

Play Time/Replayability:

Here's where this game hurts. There's no save function for this game, so if you're going to play it, be prepared for hours of game time. I became quick at this game through trial and error; I played through objectives so many times that I memorized where everything was. I've completed this game once, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I'd probably breeze through it now, but as a kid I found it extremely difficult.

Final Recommendation:

Good luck trying to find this game. It's challenging and rough around the edges, but it's still a good game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/26/04