They say that kids who are into dinosaurs show a higher level of intelligence. If that is the case, my son must be a super genius because that is all this kid cares about. From LEGO sets to every Jurassic World Rebirth toy ever made to video games and YouTube videos, the kid is obsessed. Luckily for him, Dad also loves dinosaurs and is more than willing to bankroll his passion.
The Switch is the perfect console for kids with a passion for dinosaurs because most of these games don’t need the high-resolution graphics that are expected of the other consoles.
The Switch is all about the love of the game, and its unique portable design makes it perfect for younger kids to bring their passion with them wherever they go. The rise of indie games and the ease of accessing Nintendo’s digital shop also make it easier than ever to access dinosaur video games.
There is a little something for everyone here. Whether your child wants to be a dinosaur, ride a dinosaur, or hunt one, there is a game on this list for them.
These games are listed by age based on presumed skill level, but there are sometimes other factors considered, like violence and language, that will sometimes be mentioned. Many titles ultimately come down to parental discretion.
Gigantosaurus: The Game Is an All-Around Game for Younger Kids
Recommended Age Range: 4-8
What Sets Gigantosaurus: The Game Apart: This game is based on a Disney Jr. show of the same name, which is usually poison for video games, but the developers of Gigantosaurus: The Game did a pretty good job making this a game worth playing for young kids.
The game takes on the same light-hearted but educational tone that the show has, as kids play as one of the four main characters. Gigantosaurus: The Game is best described as an action game where kids control their favorite characters while traversing semi-open maps, going on quests, and solving puzzles to help their friends.
My favorite part of this game is that each level ends with a kart race, so kids get a mixture of action/adventure and racing.
Why Gigantosaurus: The Game Is Great For Kids: The Gigantosaurus TV show is meant for preschoolers, so it makes sense that the game is targeted toward the same demographic. While the controls are pretty simple, the youngest players may still find figuring out some of the puzzles a little challenging.
I love that this game has an “easy” mode that helps out those younger kids with tips to solve the puzzles. My son never got into the Giganosaurus show, but if he had, I feel like this game would have been a perfect starter game for him.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Dino Ranch: Ride to the Rescue Is The Perfect Pre-K Starter Game
Recommended Age Range: 4-8
What Sets Dino Ranch: Ride to the Rescue Apart: This is another dinosaur video game based on a Disney Jr. TV show. Usually, TV/Movie to video game transfers don’t work, but when they are aimed at super young kids, it actually makes sense.
This game is exactly what you would expect a game for preschool-aged kids to be: it’s fairly linear, easy to control, and nothing scary or inappropriate. This task-based game splits the characters into groups that have different specialties, like fixing items around the ranch, hatching eggs, and taking care of baby dinos.
There isn’t a ton of gameplay, but it makes sense for a game aimed at pre-K kids. Since the game is short and based on a popular kids’ show, there is plenty of replay value.
Why Dino Ranch: Ride to the Rescue Is Great For Kids: This game is perfect for kids because it was designed for kids. The controls are as simple as they can be, so kids as young as four can easily play this game without adult assistance.
Kids as old as eight may continue to enjoy this game based on their own kid nostalgia, but its simplicity will lose its appeal as kids age.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Dino Race: Dinosaur Ride Ranch is an Interesting Concept
Recommended Age Range: 4- 8
What Dino Race: Dinosaur Ride Ranch Apart: This game is not winning any awards for its graphics, which is a disappointment because that is probably the weakest area of the game. As the title suggests, this is a racing game like Need for Speed or Gran Turismo, except instead of driving cars, kids are at the helm of a dinosaur. While the concept is similar, there are notable differences between a dino racer and a car racer that make this the perfect introductory racing game for younger kids.
The dinosaurs move at a notably slower pace than cars, and they can jump over obstacles, which is rare in racing games. There are speed boosts, comparable to racing games, that help speed up your dinosaur for short distances. For better or for worse, this is a single-player game, which is great for younger players, but the lack of a challenge from simple AI makes it easy to get bored for older kids looking for a more significant challenge.
Why Dino Race: Dinosaur Ride Ranch Is Great For Kids: This is a great introductory game for young kids who love dinosaurs. It is a single-person game, so there is no online interaction, and the stakes are incredibly low.
The controls pretty much boil down to stop, go, and jump, so kids as young as four can master them. The more you win, the more dinosaurs and tracks you unlock, but kids older than eight will probably find the graphics and pace a little boring as they age.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Yoshi’s Crafted World Puts a Fan Favorite Front and Center
Recommended Age Range: 5+
What Sets Yoshi’s Crafted World Apart: There is some debate online over whether or not Yoshi is even a dinosaur, but we here at Parenting Patch firmly believe he is. Yoshi usually has to play second fiddle to Mario, so when he gets his own game, it’s something to celebrate.
As Nintendo is known to do, this game takes elements from many of its classic Mario games to create something entirely different – like the Taco Bell menu. Despite sharing a similar aesthetic to the Paper Mario series, Yoshi’s Crafted World is definitely not a knock-off or spiritual predecessor. Fans of the second game in the Mario franchise may find that this game is more closely aligned to that one in terms of mechanics than a traditional Mario game.
Yoshi uses his egg-throwing ability to uncover secrets and collect different items throughout the game. It’s a fun game that is easy to finish but more challenging to master.
My two favorite aspects of this game are that every level can be flipped to find more collectibles hiding on the backside of the map, and it’s a couch co-op, so I can drop in and play with my son whenever I have free time. Of course, you can find Yoshi all over Nintendo property games, but it is rare that he gets to be the star of the show like this one.
Why Yoshi’s Crafted World Is Great For Kids: There is nothing not to like about this game. It is fun and engaging enough to keep an adult’s attention, but simple enough that kindergarteners have a solid grasp of the game. Combine those features with one of the Mario franchise’s most beloved characters, and you get the perfect dinosaur game.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Amber Isle is Dinosaurs Meets Lifestyle Sim
Recommended Age Range: 5+
What Sets Amber Isle Apart: The lazy comparison for this game is Animal Crossing, because just like that game, you are an anthropomorphic animal. The biggest difference here is that you get to be a dinosaur or other prehistoric creature.
The game follows a cookie-cutter formula of cleaning up and rebuilding a cottage and turning it into your shop. With the money you earn from the shop, you can build out your island and encourage more dinosaur friends to move in.
There is no stress to this game whatsoever, with your main goal being to grow your shop and make friends. The most challenging aspect is probably catering your goods to your clientele since a long neck isn’t going to want the same products as a sharp tooth.
Why Amber Isle Is Great For Kids: This is an amazing low-stakes game that allows you to be a dinosaur while taking part in decidedly human activities. It teaches real-life lessons about relationships and responsibilities in a fun and light way that even a kindergartner can resonate with. While younger kids can figure out the controls, there is enough reading involved that this feels like a game for kids who have begun to read.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Dinosaurs: Mission Dino Camp Creates a Whole New Thing by Trying to Be Jurassic Park
Recommended Age Range: 6+
What Sets Dinosaurs: Mission Dino Camp Apart: You can tell from the start that this game was influenced by the famous dinosaur franchise, but the final product strays from the original. The game was allegedly made to promote a toy line, but fans of the Jurassic Park series will notice some similarities to the second Jurassic Park movie.
Players control a team of dinosaur hunters as they search an island where dinosaurs roam free to help, heal, and capture the dinosaurs for transport. I love that there is some diversity of play in this game, as kids get to explore on foot, by car, and sometimes even in a helicopter.
The game doesn’t focus solely on finding and capturing dinosaurs either; there are side quests to complete tasks like collecting herbs and make medicine for the dinosaurs in your care. The game is very structured and linear, with each day being a new mission that kids have to accomplish. The elephant in the room with Dinosaurs: Mission Dino Camp is the graphics.
The low-quality graphics undermine what could be a gorgeous game set in a dense rainforest with interesting plants and animals. Instead, it takes you out of the game a bit since it’s so unrealistic.
Why Dinosaurs: Mission Dino Camp Is Great For Kids: This is a fantastic dinosaur game for younger kids because it allows them to do a lot of the same things that the older kids’ dinosaur games do, but without the more mature content.
The most excitement you get out of this game is a couple of raptor jump scares, but there is no blood and no violence. There is a little reading involved, but the controls are relatively simple, so kids six and older shouldn’t have a tough time playing this game on their own.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Paleo Pines is the Coziest of Cozy Dino Games
Recommended Age Range: 6+
What Sets Paleo Pines Apart: Paleo Pines is what happens when Jurassic Park meets Stardew Valley. The art style is soft CGI comparable to Disney Jr. cartoons, so you can tell from the start that this is going to be a calm game.
The main goal is similar to that of many other cozy games, where players customize their space and complete tasks. In this game, players can create their own ranch and use dinosaurs to tend to the farm.
There are three main areas to explore, with some light puzzles to solve and secrets to unlock. Ultimately, like most cozy games, Paleo Pines is way more about the experience than it is about moving toward any specific goal.
Why Paleo Pines Is Great For Kids: Paleo Pines is the perfect dinosaur game for kids six and older because it takes everything that makes cozy games great and adds dinosaurs.
There is no violence, no romance, and no inappropriate language, so parents don’t need to worry about what their kids are playing. While kids younger than six can absolutely get enjoyment from this game, navigating menus and understanding all of the written dialogue may be a challenge for them.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
LEGO Jurassic World is LEGO at Its Best
Recommended Age Range: 7-12
What Sets LEGO Jurassic World Apart: There is too much to love about LEGO Jurassic World. Despite the name, this game is actually home to LEGO Jurassic Park 1-3 in addition to LEGO Jurassic World. The games follow their corresponding movies perfectly, but replace the violent scenes with funny and goofy scenarios instead. For instance, instead of the lawyer getting eaten in the infamous bathroom scene, we later see him scrubbing the T. Rex’s teeth with a toilet scrubber.
I can’t tell you how many hours my daughter and son have put into this game, but I know they restart it about once every six months. I love it because it’s a couch co-op that they can play together, and I don’t have to worry about the game’s content.
I also love how there is a critical-thinking element to it because each character comes with their own abilities that help solve puzzles and advance in the levels. The game can be challenging, but it is far from impossible, and there are so many characters to unlock that your kid can put a lot of hours into this game.
Why LEGO Jurassic World Is Great For Kids: I called in my seven-year-old for this one, and he says it’s because there are no deaths in the game. He’s not wrong; this game is awesome for kids because it tells the story surprisingly closely, but chooses to replace violence with humor. The controls are simple, with most abilities only needing a single button held.
The most challenging part of the game is probably driving, which doesn’t come up too much and isn’t necessary to complete the game. The hardest part for kids under seven is probably figuring out some of the puzzles, and kids over twelve will likely graduate past some of the more childish elements. For now, my son has been playing it since he was five and doesn’t show any signs of being bored with it yet.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Island Saver Dinosaur Island DLC Teaches Environmental Responsibility
Recommended Age Range: 7+
What Sets Island Saver Dinosaur Island DLC Apart: Island Saver is a free game that focuses on environmental stewardship. The free game isn’t explicitly about dinosaurs, but it can be if that’s what your kid is into. The game comes with three free islands to clean up, but there is a paid DLC that unlocks Dinosaur Island. It is a surprisingly fun, low-stakes adventure game where kids can run around with a “trash blaster” to clean up litter, wash away spills, and rescue animals.
In the downloaded expansion, Dinosaur Island, the animals you save are fourteen different types of dinosaurs, which give money when you save them. This DLC adds more depth to the storyline as you help Newton the Pig pay his electricity bill to get his lab back up and running. So, not only does this game feature dinosaurs and teach about conservation, but the dinosaur DLC also helps kids learn about fiscal responsibility.
The Dinosaur Island DLC follows a similar idea to the original islands, but added features make it feel like its own separate game entirely.
Why Island Saver Dinosaur Island DLC Is Great For Kids: My seven-year-old adores playing this game. His favorite part is sucking up and shooting water with the trash blaster. It’s a perfectly harmless game that is easy to master for young kids and teaches important life lessons along the way.
While kids can get much enjoyment out of the entire game, if your kid only cares about dinosaurs, the $5 DLC is well worth the money, and Dinosaur Island has enough play time to make the $5 worth it. Kids under seven may have trouble reading and comprehending some of the dialogue in this game.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Manitas Kitchen Proves Cozy with Dino is a Winning Combo
Recommended Age Range: 8+
What Sets Manita’s Kitchen Apart: This game does not need to be dinosaur-themed to be fun, but it does add to the overall experience. Kids play as a dinosaur named T-Rexito who dreams of becoming the world’s best pizza chef. Like most cozy games, this is a task-based game where you and a small team of dinos figure out the most efficient and effective ways to make pizzas. It starts pretty simply with one of two recipes for T-Rexito to make and simple controls to top the pizza, put it in the oven, and deliver it to a waiting customer.
As the narrative unfolds, there are more aspects to manage, like keeping T-rexito’s stress level down so the store doesn’t close early, and fixing the store as rivals break your stuff to try to slow down their competition. Your pizza cooking team must be unlocked one at a time, and each has special abilities that help you get the pizza from the kitchen to the customer faster.
Why Manita’s Kitchen Is Great For Kids: This is perfect for the young dinosaur lover in your house because they get the theme without all the action that usually comes with a dinosaur game. The art style is adorable and lends itself to the low-stakes feel of the game.
Kids younger than eight will likely struggle with later levels when there is much to balance at the same time, and could possibly get upset when corporate sabotage inevitably happens. Kids eight and up will enjoy having a low-stress game they can play that still features their favorite animals.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is a Blast From the Past
Recommended Age Range: 10+
What Sets Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection Apart: I was nine in 1994, which made a movie about giant dinosaurs eating lawyers off the toilet just about the greatest thing I had ever seen. Then, I went to my friend’s house, and he had Jurassic Park on the Sega Genesis, which absolutely blew my mind. Recently, three classic Jurassic Park games: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues, and Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition.
Each game gives kids a taste of their parents’ nostalgia with eight and sixteen-bit graphics and reminds them that video games weren’t as “easy” as they think they were when we were growing up. I distinctly remember rage-quitting the Genesis version on multiple occasions.
What’s super cool about this collection is that there is a mix of game styles depending on the game and the console it was released on, so kids get a taste of side-scrolling, overhead action/adventure (which is the version I remember), and some rudimentary first-person shooting a la DOOM.
Why Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection Is Great For Kids: Despite the lax rules around childhood entertainment in the late 1900s, these games are not as bad as they could have been. While there is plenty of fantasy violence, there isn’t a ton of blood, and it is all pixelated graphics. There is a lot of shooting, but it is described as a “tranquilizer gun” versus an actual rifle with bullets.
Unlike when I was playing this game on the Genesis, there are HUD maps and the ability to save in this updated version, making it much easier than the original versions.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
PixArk Combines Two Genres to Make One Fun Game
Recommended Age Range: 10+
What Sets PixArk Apart: In my personal experience, there are a few things that kids love more than dinosaurs and Minecraft, and this is as close as you can get without downloading the dinosaur DLC in the actual Minecraft game.
This game is based on a more mature game called Ark: Survival Evolved, so it shares many of the same elements. It marries the overall plot idea of beginning on an Ark and building out whole worlds from there, but with many of the sandbox elements one would expect from Minecraft.
Kids can explore endless maps while crafting items and buildings, and fighting off roaming dinosaurs and other mythical creatures who want you for a snack. Just like in Minecraft, you can play in single, multiplayer, or creative modes. Multiplayer is the most challenging because you have to watch your back from creatures and other players alike.
This game isn’t purely dinosaur-centered, as there are some mythical creatures involved, and each creature has its own strengths and weaknesses. Kids can tame each of the over one hundred creatures to find unique abilities for both crafting and battle.
Why PixArk Is Great For Kids: This one is a little challenging because it is a fantastic game for kids as young as five. However, there are many elements in PixArk that are a little more mature than its play style. Items like machine guns and blood might not sit right with some parents, along with some of the story elements like crude humor and fantasy violence. For these reasons, kids should probably wait until the upper end of elementary school for this game.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Parkasaurus is Dinosaur Tycoon
Recommended Age Range: 10+
What Sets Parkasaurus Apart: The best way to describe Parkasaurus is being in charge of your own Jurassic Park, like the Tycoon games of old. The graphics aren’t even close to polished, but the game is about the experience more than the visuals. Much like Zoo Tycoon, this game is fun, but it also teaches a lot of responsibility as kids need to manage the park’s finances, research new technologies, and keep both patrons and exhibits happy.
One of the many ways the dinos stay happy is through exhibits tailored to each dinosaur’s specific biome, which is another sneaky way this game teaches through play. This kid-friendly park sim is a great way to teach responsibility with extremely low stakes.
Why Parkasaurus Is Great For Kids: There is another, more famous park that has its own game that is better for teens.
This game is perfect for kids because it offers all the fun of tycoon games but in a more cozy atmosphere, both through imagery and gameplay. Kids under ten may struggle with juggling all of the responsibilities of the park, so ten and older seems appropriate for this game.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Curious Expedition 2 Uses Dinosaurs Non-Chalantly
Recommended Age Range: 12+
What Sets Curious Expedition 2 Apart: Curious Expedition 2 isn’t a pure dinosaur game, but dinosaurs do play a significant role. The game lands somewhere between a cozy game and a lifestyle sim with some RPG sprinkled in, set in the 1800s.
Players join an explorer club and explore islands while managing their group’s sanity, rations, and relationships. While dinosaur encounters are not the main theme of the game, players will come across dino nests in their explorations, and if they are lucky, they will find an egg. The egg hatches into a baby Velociraptor after 50 days in the game, and can either become a part of your expedition team or a wild dinosaur that wants to eat you.
The main theme isn’t about dinosaurs, but they do intertwine their way into the game, like the ability to collect raptor skins, triceratops horns, and even full dinosaur skulls as trophies during your expeditions.
Why Curious Expedition 2 Is Great For Kids: Curious Expedition 2 has many of the features that make simulation games a fantastic choice for parents and kids. They learn responsibility, resource management, and relationship building, among other real-life skills.
This game has some violence and depictions of substance use, so it is best left for the older crowd. This puts the presence of dinosaurs in this game at the perfect age level for kids who probably still enjoy dinos but aren’t infatuated with them on the level they were at six or seven.
Also Available On: PlayStation
Primal Planet is a Delicious Throwback
Recommended Age Range: 12+
What Sets Primal Planet Apart: This one may be more for the dads than the teens, but this indie throwback is tons of fun. It reminds me of the 2D side-scrollers I grew up with on PC that wanted to be Contra so bad. While you get that pixelated aesthetic and the 2D movement, everything else has been updated for the 21st century.
So, while there is a lot of side-scrolling hacking and slashing, there are more elements to the game, like crafting objects and increasing various skills. The game isn’t entirely scientifically accurate as you play as a caveman facing off against dinosaurs while a mysterious alien presence lurks.
Don’t be fooled by its antiquated look; it is more challenging than it seems and takes some preparation to beat. There are so many excellent elements to this game, including your tiny dinosaur companion that grows as the game progresses.
I especially like this feature because a second couch co-op player can hop in and take control of the dinosaur, much like playing as Diddy Kong in the Donkey Kong games. This is truly a fun throwback to the games of the 90s and will keep teens entertained for hours.
Why Primal Planet Is Great For Teens: Some teens may take one look at this pixelated indie game and think it’s a lame game from the late 1900s, but if you can convince them to play, they will immediately get hooked.
The only reason this game is meant for older kids is the depictions of violence and pixelated blood. Younger kids may also find it challenging to solve some puzzles and understand the crafting and skill elements.
Also Available On: PlayStation
Dinosaur RPG Is a Pure Dinosaur Simulator
Recommended Age Range: 13+
What Sets Dinosaur RPG Apart: This is not your everyday RPG, which may be a draw for some kids. I like it because it is sneakily educational despite having some action elements. Unlike most dinosaur games, where you are tasked with caring for dinos, this game lets you be part of the action by controlling a dinosaur through its lifecycle.
Kids get to be ten different types of dinosaurs, from passive plant eaters to the king of the dinosaurs. While this game is definitely an RPG as you level up abilities and stats as you grow, it also feels like a dinosaur lifestyle simulator as your main goal is to explore the immersive biomes and do what animals do: hunt, explore, defend, and survive.
Something this game does not get enough credit for is its graphics, which are not top-of-the-line but surprisingly good for a digital download for the Nintendo Switch. The graphics could be better, but the biggest knock on this game for parents is bloody dinosaur battles.
Why Dinosaur RPG Is Great For Teens: This game is relatively tame by today’s standards, but parents should be aware that there is some blood and violence in this game. You play as dinosaurs and must protect yourself by any means necessary, which means there are some bloody battles.
While younger kids would be capable of understanding the controls and gameplay, parental discretion is advised for parents who are averse to violent content.
Also Available On: Nintendo Exclusive
Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is as Intense as it Sounds
Recommended Age Range: 13+
What Sets Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter Apart: There is a dinosaur franchise called Turok that is a bit too mature for this list, so Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is the closest thing with a T rating. It also has similarities with the Monster Hunter series, which is arguably a dinosaur-hunting game, but teeters heavily on the mature side of the Teen rating.
The premise is pretty simple: you are dropped on a distant planet inhabited by dinosaurs, and you must track and hunt dinosaurs like a big game hunter. In action, the nuances of the game are a little more challenging. For instance, you have to choose which tools to use for your hunt, like camouflage, radar, and night vision glasses.
With seven different environments to explore and seventeen different dinosaurs, there are many variables to keep the game interesting. As a parent, my favorite part of this game is that you can control certain aspects of the most violent portion of the game.
Kids can choose to simply observe the dinosaurs, capturing them with a camera instead of shooting them. There is also the option to replace bullets with tranquilizer darts instead of bullets, so they are just making the animals sleep instead of killing them.
Why Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter Is Great For Teens: This game is the perfect bridge game for kids who still love dinosaurs but are looking for something a little more grown-up. It doesn’t have quite the graphic content as Turok or Monster Hunter, but it still offers the action and adventure of those games.
Kids younger than teens can definitely play this game with the photography and tranquilizers options, but parental discretion is advised.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
Jurassic World Evolution is the King of Dinosaur Games
Recommended Age Range: 13+
What Sets Jurassic World Evolution Apart: Jurassic World Evolution is a park management game just like any other Tycoon-style game. The only difference is the Jurassic World licensing, which makes you feel even more connected to the franchise. Like most tycoon games, kids are expected to manage all aspects of the park, including incubating and hatching dinosaurs, creating new species, park maintenance, and guest safety and satisfaction.
There are three game modes to choose from, starting with campaign mode, which is the meat and potatoes of the game, where you build parks across five islands with different ecosystems and challenges. For those kids who really like to challenge themselves, there is a challenge mode where you have to race to build the best parks under difficult conditions.
The biggest mode in our house – not just in Jurassic World Evolution – is the Sandbox mode, where my son gets unlimited time and money to build his own Jurassic world to his liking. Not only do you get the highest level of graphics one could expect from a dinosaur game, but you also get the voice work of some of the most beloved characters in the franchise, from Ian Malcolm to Claire Dearing.
Why Jurassic World Evolution Is Great For Teens: From a purely skill perspective, kids younger than thirteen can grasp the basics of this game. My son is seven, and probably knows the game better than I do. However, there is some violence involved with dinosaur fights and the occasional park goer becoming a snack, so it’s probably best left for kids who understand that it’s all make-believe.
Understanding the full complexity of the game’s core instead of just building stuff in the sandbox may also take a little more maturity than a younger kid would have.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Xbox
ARK: Survival Evolved is for the Big Kids
Recommended Age Range: 14+
What Sets ARK: Survival Evolved Apart: If you have a teen (like I was) who’s still fascinated by dinosaurs into their teen years, this one may be for them. It leaves behind the cute aspects of dinosaurs and makes them a little more like how they probably were in real life, but with a twist. This game is a mixture of a lifestyle sim and an action/adventure set on an open-world map.
As is common in games of this nature, players start with nothing and have to scavenge for tools and food as they build a shelter. It can be a challenge as players battle elements, dinosaurs, and other prehistoric creatures looking for a snack. In the online multiplayer, players also have to watch their backs from other players looking to loot them.
Dinosaur lovers will enjoy the Pokémon-esque way you knock out dinosaurs, then feed them to form a bond. Once tamed, dinosaurs can have multiple jobs, including carrying items, giving rides, and fighting. There are tons of gameplay options as you progress through multiple ARKs, but the fact that there is online play means the gameplay is endless.
Why ARK: Survival Evolved Is Great For Teens: If you have a teen who is still fascinated by dinosaurs, this game mashes a bunch of genres together and then tops it off with dinosaurs. It feels like this is an incredibly niche game, which is a double-edged sword because with online play, your teens can make connections with like-minded people, but there is always risk when it comes to online interaction.
For that reason, and the other mature elements like bloody dinosaur fighting and depictions of alcohol use, this game is definitely meant for the high school crowd and up.
Also Available On: PlayStation and Nintendo
