Dinosaur Island

Build your own Jurassic Park in a box!

The number one reason I want to purchase a new board game is when the game differs from the others I own. I am a major Jurassic Park fan, so what better way to get my dinosaur kick than building my own little Jurassic park? Growing up, I always played tycoon games, so this was a great way to bring those memories back to life in board game form.

In Dinosaur Island, you are the creator of your own Jurassic Park and must be able to manage a large variety of factors: staff, attractions, food vendors, and, most of all, dinosaur exhibits. For your park to succeed, you must drive enough excitement for visitors to check out your park and have the capacity for them to view your exhibits. But beware, showing off dinosaurs comes with a cost; it's extremely risky. All security measures must be in place to keep your visitors alive! Ultimately this game drives home the tycoon theme and how it feels to juggle the aspects of running a prehistoric park. To add flavor, you must also work with scientists to research new dinosaurs and gather their DNA. Every factor of Jurassic Park that I love is covered by a mechanic in this game.

While the game appears daunting, the mechanics are straightforward. For dinosaur lovers like me, this game is an excellent medium-weight play for your friend group. If you don't like dinosaurs, this is just another simple worker-placement and resource-management game like the rest.

Mash Up Of: Terra Mystica, Agricola, or any game where you take actions equal to the number of workers you have to put yourself in a better position

ART: 5/10

The retro color scheme is eye-catching. The art style feels like a graphic novel, appealing to some more than others. Whether it fits this theme or not, that's for you to decide.

STORYTELLING: 4/10

I really feel like I am managing a theme park and having to be aware of all the factors that go into success. Even the DNA portion makes me feel like I am trying to solve a puzzle and create the most exciting dinosaur. The flavor is there, but authentic storytelling needs improvement. A player needs to be invested in the theme for it to feel nostalgic.

COMPONENTS: 8/10

Who doesn't love a dinosaur meeple?! And they're plastic, which is resistant to any accidental spills. The dice look like amber, which is very on-theme. The research boards are indented, which makes holding cubes extremely convenient. Even the visitor meeples are colorful and plastic, stored in a lovely, embroidered velvet bag. The tiles for different upgrades are all designed well and shaped, as I would expect for the type of upgrade it is.

COMPLEXITY: 5/10

The rules are straightforward, like any worker placement game. You get money. You buy things you need to win. You use your people for actions that improve your chances of making more money. There are a LOT of steps and decisions that could make strategizing harder for some folk.

TRAVEL-FRIENDLY: 0/10

Just no. It takes me about 5-10 mins just to insert the components back into the box in JUST the right way to ensure the lid closes. That is all I will say.

UNIQUENESS: 6/10

Though I am writing this article now, I have had this game for a while. I have never encountered a game with so many resource tracks (the DNA portion) with the idea of "maximum capacity" that also had to be managed. There are also five different phases where my focus has to be on vastly different areas of the "board" as each round progresses. In most games, I have to focus on one aspect and compare it with my opponents to determine if I'm doing well. Here, I am playing three games in one! The dinosaur threat mechanic is also neat. Not giving top stars here because some of the phases are like other worker placement games.

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Publisher: Pandasaurus Games

Game(s) Pictured: Dinosaur Island