Are you looking for the best dinosaur games on Switch and mobile? We love dinosaurs over here at Pocket Tactics towers, from Apatosaurus to Zuniceratops, we’re more obsessed with the giant ancient lizard/birds than Alan Grant on a day trip to Isla Nublar. Sadly, dinosaurs no longer roam the Earth (for now), and the best we can do is look at a chicken really close up so the perspective looks massive.
If you don’t own or have access to a chicken, the next best thing we can do is show you the best dinosaur games for Switch and mobile. Virtual dinosaurs are better than no dinosaurs, and it’s the only way you’ll ever see the front end of a T-Rex without becoming a tiny fraction of two tonnes of backdoor dino-paste.
This list breaks down several ways to interact with our prehistoric pals, whether you want to look after some and raise them like giant deadly children, ride alongside them and explore a post-apocalyptic open-world, or even if you want to make mincemeat out of a dinosaur’s brain with the cerebral bore. They’re virtual, so PETA can’t do a thing, enjoy this selection of dino-mite digital experiences.
Here’s our guide to the best dinosaur games for Switch and mobile.
Dinosaur games
Play Now
Jurassic World Evolution – Switch
Did you watch Jurassic Park and think to yourself “I reckon I could have run the park better?!” Well, now’s your chance Mr Know It All, as Jurassic World Evolution is a simulation game that lets you care for your own magnificent menagerie of megalodons and other giant scaly creatures.
You must balance running the park with caring for the beasts, and whatever you do, don’t hire anyone called Ned. You can lose hours to the fun of caring for individual dinosaurs, rearranging attractions, and creating the Jurassic Park of your dreams in the palm of your hand.
ARK: Survival Evolved – Switch and mobile
A very different type of game… ARK: Survival Evolved mixes a survival action title with dinosaurs, slapping huge robotic weapons on the already intimidating creatues and tasking you with waging war to survive. You can ride around on a velociraptor like a slightly bitey pony, and you can use a swathe of great weapons – or improvise some on the fly – while doing whatever it takes to stake your claim in the cold and difficult world. A great title for the action fan in your life, but don’t expect all the dinosaurs to survive.
Play Now
Turok 1 + 2 – Switch
Right, so we all love dinosaurs. But what if, and stick with me, you bloody hate them and want to decimate them limb from limb before obliterating their flesh into a bucket of jumbo-sized chicken nuggets? Welcome to Turok. These classic N64 games were of the same era as classics like Goldeneye, pioneers of the first-person genre with some great new ideas to push the genre forward.
The story mode has you fighting against dinosaurs to survive, utilising a mixture of barbaric blunt melee weapons and some futuristic technology to delicately remove these dinos from the mortal plane. The sequel adds in even more futuristic weapons and a great local multiplayer mode, where you can use your dino-dicing expertise on your mates. Both are of the time, but still a great ride down memory lane.
Play Now
Lego Jurassic World – Switch
Following on from the wild success of the mediocre movie Jurassic World, Lego and Traveller’s Tales provide a superior way to experience this story by simply removing Chris Pratt’s smug face.
Lego games are great for kids and offer simplistic but still engaging gameplay, as well as sacks full of secrets to uncover for the more adult players in the crowd. It’s a really fun way to go over the story again, and features all the normal polish and humour we’ve come to expect from Lego titles. Check out our guide to all of the Lego Jurassic World dinosaurs to find out what creatures you can stumble upon.
Jurassic Monster World 3D – mobile
Alright, we’ve been mates with dinos, fought alongside them, fought against them, and now it’s time to take it up a notch. Jurassic Monster World 3D is an online FPS where you’re dropped into an arena, using a gigantic dinosaur armed to the teeth with bionic enhancements and more firepower than the USA.
The game is still under active development, so the developer is taking feedback and providing updates where they can, but if you want a quick blast of chaotic action with some dinosaurs thrown in the mix, this is a great little title to download from the App Store or Google Play now.
Archaeologist: Dinosaur games – mobile
One for the younger gamers, Archaeologist: Dinosaur games is a great introduction to the world of palaeontology, with a series of different games designed to educate and entertain children on the magic of our favourite giant lizard pals. Put together dinosaur bones you find in a dig, learn about all your favourite dinosaurs, and set your little ones off on the path to becoming the world’s next paleontologist, with this colourful and creative title. The fedora and red neckerchief aren’t included.
Download this title from the App Store or Google Play now.
That’s it, pals! Our guide to the best dinosaur games for Switch and mobile is complete, but if we’ve missed your favourite then be sure to get in touch and we’ll update where we can. If you’re hungrier than a vegetarian T-Rex for more games though, be sure to check out our cracking guide to the best Switch simulation games to find your new favourite game today.