Summary
There are so many great things and ideas that can be included in an open-world game, with the genre offering a lot of potential for variety in the worlds that can be created. In open-worlds especially, every detail and idea can be fully appreciated by dedicated gamers, potentially providing hundreds of hours of content to explore.
However, despite the capabilities of open-world games, developers have rarely turned to bringing something as extraordinary as dinosaurs into them. While these mighty creatures have made for some fantastically exciting films, including dinosaurs in games remains relatively rare. However, there are some titles where players can live alongside or fight against huge dinosaurs in an open-world setting.
Updated May 10, 2025, by Rachael Phillips:Since their discovery in the early 1800s, dinosaurs have captured the fascination of humans, be it for their unbelievable size or formidable strength, and have become increasingly popular in media (with a lot of credit toJurassic Park). Thankfully for gamers, dinosaurs have also crossed into the realm of gaming. These are some of thebest open-world games featuring dinosaursthat allow players to roam the Mesozoic Era as a predator or that include the creatures as part of the world to be encountered, tamed, or fought.
If players are looking for a scientifically accurate game which allows them to take control of a dinosaur from egg to adulthood, thenSaurianis a great choice. Taking place in Hell Creek many millions of years ago, the game allows players the option of variousdinosaurs to take control ofand live out a life in this survival simulation.
Saurianhas some surprising features, like other dinosaurs growing more hostile as the player’s dino ages and becomes a competitor, with some even becoming cannibalistic in nature. The uniqueness of this survival game in itscarefully researched and sizable open-worldmakes for a great experience that is underrated.
Abig multiplayer gamewith a strange focus,Beasts of Bermuda, allows players to interact with each other whilecontrolling different prehistoric beasts. Attempting to survive as a creature of the player’s choice on one of the islands in Bermuda, the player becomes part of a much larger ecosystem which is player-created.
AlthoughBeasts of Bermudais another relatively underground dinosaur-themed game, this doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a look. The survival genre has few games this varied and unique, and the multiplayer style allows players to have an amusing time with a few friends in a bizarre landscape.
The Isleis a brutal online survival game set on a large open-world island where the only objective is to stay alive. The original version, known asLegacyhas been pretty much abandoned, but players can freely switch to the newerEvrimaversion, which is slightly less fleshed out but is being continually developed with plans for new dinosaurs, humans, and maps.
Currently, players canchoose between being a carnivore or an omnivore, each dinosaur having its own mechanics. The realistic (and at times challenging) style of survival, with diet, hunting, nesting, and fighting systems, and the huge community of fans, have helped it become something of a cult classic in the dinosaur genre.
Although mostLEGOgames don’t contain much by way of open-world mechanics,LEGO Jurassic Worldattempts to broach new territory. The game saw an evolution intheLEGOfranchise’s classic styleand tropes, having an amazing open world area which players can explore outside the many levelscontaining huge LEGO dinosaurs.
The classic puzzle-filled LEGO adventures have charm, simplicity, and excellent gameplay that is always filled with secrets and great references to whatever IP they’re currently tackling. TheJurassic Parkfranchise was definitely due a collab with this legendary series, andLEGO Jurassic Worldlives up to what fans would have wanted and expected from such a game.
Despite being a divisive title with its fair share of problems,ARK: Survival Evolvedremains a fascinating survival game set in a world intriguing enough that it hasearned itself an animated serieson Paramount Plus. Players are tasked with trying to survive on an island populated with almost 200 different species of dinosaurs, prehistoric creatures, and even fantasy beings.
Players get all the run-of-the-mill survival features like resource management, crafting, and base-building, but one of the more unique appeals is the taming system. Players are able totame dinosaursand train them - an asset that proves useful in combat, to gather materials, and for traveling. Beyond their functionality, though, it’s simply fun to be able to ride a dinosaur; there is no denying the charm and fun that this game has given to many players and dinosaur lovers.
ThePokemonfranchise has been going strong since the first game,Red and Green,was released in 1996, and boasts an impressive number of titles.Scarlet and Violetare the latestPokemonentries to hit the console, bringing with them a whole new direction. As the first open-worldPokemongames, they offer players new ways to experience the universe.
Many of the Pokemon designs draw inspiration from real-life references, be it folklore, domestic animals, or dinosaurs. There are plenty of the latter; inScarlet and Violet,Tyranitar, Tyrunt, and Baxcalibur are the ones most obviously resembling a T-Rex, though there are lots of other little guys that could be perceived asmythical renditions of prehistoric creatures. After all, Aerodactyl bears quite a few similarities to a Pterodactylus.
Space exploration and dinosaurs are not two things that would usually be associated with each other, but a pairing thatNo Man’s Skyseamlessly marries together in a way that seems perfectly normal. The main gameplay revolves aroundthe player exploring planetsto discover new life forms and technology that can be used both to survive and upgrade their ship/base.
As the universe is procedurally generated, there is no predicting what kind of planet players will land on, or what might inhabit it. Occasionally, however, amid the weird alien species are some familiar ones, including theDiplodocus-like “Rangifae” and T-Rex-like “Tyranocae”, though there is always the possibility of some strange variants.
Terrariais a sandboxside-scroller that goes well beyondwhat is expected of other 2D games as a procedurally generated open-world. Players are thrown right into the action, leaving them to explore and learn as they go. Fortunately, there are plenty of unique items and enemies to find, making adventuring across the biomes worth it (as well as base-building for the homebodies).
InTerraria,players can summon pets by using their respective item. In a funJurassic Parkreference, finding and equipping the “Amber Mosquito” willsummon a “Baby Dinosaur"to follow them around. While it’s only a cosmetic feature, having a little lizard running around is very cute. As a nice touch, if they are separated, aPterosaurwill carry the dino back to the player.
All dinosaur games, and most open-world games, have been completely blown away by the capabilities of theHorizonfranchise. Only two games deep, the world and adventures of young hunter Aloy have already become legendary in the gaming industry, taking place in a world taken over bymachine creatures, including dinosaurs.
Horizon: Zero Dawnis an action RPG with a lot of lore and world-building. Aloy becomes a seeker of vengeance and knowledge in a world that doesn’t want her. This fantastic game doesn’t feature dinosaurs as prominently as some other games, but players will love the experience of fighting the huge mechanical beasts in addition to all the other great elements of the game.
TheHorizonfranchise is most notable for its interesting mix of vibes, combining science fiction with prehistoric elements, andForbidden Westonlyexpands on this, being the sequeltoZero Dawn.This game once again follows Aloy as she attempts to save what remains of humanity from a deadly plague.
With a much bigger map and improved mechanics, there is a lot more to explore and do. Some of the most memorable parts of the game are therobot dinosaurs; metal mechanical beasts controlled by the rogue AI, Hephaestus. Aloy is able to override four of these machines to use as mounts and as a helping claw during combat.
