Whenever I think about Jurassic Park, its automatic association with that first scene from the movie comes up - the breathtaking view of an island, mighty dinosaurs, the deafening presence of danger. So naturally, when I played my first Jurassic Park game, I expected the same sensation of excitement and wonder. But after spending years trying out one title after another, it became evident to me that despite the potential, no Jurassic Park game has ever captured that thrilling experience as I imagined it would. Does the good Jurassic Park game exist? Let's get into my ups and downs with the franchise's various attempts.
Back in 1993, I was really excited when the first Jurassic Park came out for Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. It had the potential to capture the magic of one of the best movie franchises. But somehow, it failed to convey the wild rush of the film. I could play as either Dr. Grant or Dr. Sattler with different objectives. The graphics were good for the time, but the gameplay felt like any other action-platformer. While running through jungle environments from dinosaurs was fun at first, it didn't offer the immersive experience I expected. Not a bad game, but I never got hooked enough to finish it, just a quick fix, leaving me wanting more.
Moving on to the year 2003, Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis at last gave me something to really sink my teeth into. The game is about building and managing your dinosaur park, just right for the franchise. I was suddenly in charge of creating enclosures, breeding dinosaurs, keeping my guests safe, and ensuring my park ran smoothly.
What really caught my heart was the complete management. Sure, it was a bit dated from today's perspective; however, the thrill of managing a park gone wild was a force for great enjoyment. I spent hours just putting together my perfect park ... only to have my T-Rex break loose and throw everything into pure chaos. At that very moment, I realised that Operation Genesis was the very first game to catch the spirit of Jurassic Park - the excitement and danger of coexisting in a world full of giant, naturalistic beasts.
It was not a perfect game, but for far too long, it had been my best experience with Jurassic Park to date!
A real breath of fresh air with its stunning beauty and sheer magnitude was Jurassic World Evolution. Fantastic-looking dinosaurs were bathed in the gorgeous light of the stunning environments. But after a handful of hours, a feeling of monotony ensued. Managing your resources, tending to dinosaur diseases, and pleasing your guests were all activities that proved rather repetitive. The dinosaurs breaking loose was an exciting occurrence, however, and the missions themselves soon became extremely similar; that buzzy feeling I had when playing Operation Genesis was nowhere to be found anymore. It was somewhat on the right track, but I wanted it all to be a little more dynamic, a little less planning and maintenance, and a little more unpredictable, wild chaos.
The Jurassic Park: The Game approach takes a step back from conventionality to focus on narrative-driven gameplay. Developed by Telltale, the game is an episodic adventure full of puzzles, quick-time events, and tension. I enjoyed the telling of the story, which was set immediately after the events of the first film, yet I was unsatisfied with the gameplay itself.
The puzzles annoyed me, and I found the constant quick-time events to be more irritating than enjoyable. The open world and park management freedom were things I missed. Instead, I was restricted to following a linear path with only scant interruptions of running from dinosaurs and solving extremely simple puzzles. While there were a few good moments, the game as a whole never really pulled off the excitement of Jurassic Park.
Having played through all these different titles, I can confidently say that no Jurassic Park game has ever lived up to the full promise of the franchise. Operation Genesis barely comes close, delivering the adrenaline rush of managing a dinosaur park filled with danger, but it still had its flaws. Jurassic World Evolution attempted a modern setting to bring the concept to life, but there was still that missing factor; something spontaneous that would truly kick chaos into gear in the park.
For fans of Jurassic Park, there are some fun moments across the series, but none truly manage to capture the magic of the movies. From chaos building a park to the thrill of escaping dinosaurs, it's a strong concept; however, the execution has yet to be perfect. I still have hope that someday we will get a Jurassic Park game worthy of the franchise. Until then, I keep going back to Operation Genesis because, although it is archaic, it is still the closest thing I have to the Jurassic Park magic I have been endlessly searching for.