With the highly anticipated release of Jurassic World on June 12, I though it would be pertinent to continue with the reviews of class Jurassic Park games. Next up the NES version!
This was THE first Jurassic Park game to ever be created. And it’s a good one! Ocean was a busy game company during the year of 1993. They published 3 Jurassic Park games on 3 different systems all within the same year:
- Jurassic Park – NES
- Jurassic Park – SNES
- Jurassic Park – Sega Genesis
I already hit on the SNES version. The NES version is similar in a lot of ways but the biggest difference would be the 8-bit limitations of the system. Jurassic Park for the NES doesn’t change perspectives like the SNES game and this is a good thing. The top down approach for these games is a lot less difficult and more enjoyable.
This game has a fantastic introduction and great music (even though its not the music from the film). Check it out:
Oh the 8-bit glory! I love how the dinosaurs (even the tiny ones) explode into a puff of atomic smoke when you shoot them with your tennis ball gun. Your mission for the first level is to save that annoying kid from the movie, Tim. To do this you have to collect or destroy the raptor eggs, scattered throughout the park.
The open world approach to this game is interesting. It is not as well done as say other NES games, like The Legend of Zelda. But that is not a fair comparison as Zelda is one of the greatest games of all time. I supposed the game developers wanted you to explore the terrifying and treacherous world of Jurassic Park.
Look at the graphic detail on that newspaper
You are required to also find the security keys and enter the buildings to continue your heroic mission. Of course these buildings are lurking with velociraptors! You better grab the blue tennis ball bullets if you want to survive the more ferocious dinosaurs.
The game play varies slightly once you find Timy as you have to drag him through a triceratops stampede. Once you complete this task you move on to level 2! Oh great… Tim’s equally annoying sister is hiding in the T-Rex pen… wonderful! The next level plays similar to the first level so I can see where this game is going. Check back later for a full play through!
Here are the high and low points for this game:
Nuking dinosaurs with tennis balls is fun
Good Graphics + Music
Better than the SNES game (which I found interesting)
Question mark pickups are cute but annoying
CN2: Central Nerd Network 