Parents' Guide to

Gigantosaurus

By Michael Lafferty, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Charming, smile-worthy adventure for young players.

Game Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One 2020
Gigantosaurus Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Sara5432
Sara5432 Adult
July 19, 2020
age 6+

A little bit scary for 5-year-olds

My 5 year old was showing interest in games so we decided to see what was available on ps4 for kids his age. Online reviews said this game was “too easy” and very derivative of some older Mario games which was fine with me so we got it. It has 1-4 players so we were able to play with our 5 year old. He likes the puzzles and learning basic platforming skills, he loves the characters etc. I don’t think it’s too easy for a young child. Although most areas if you fall you can just keep trying again, he regularly needs to repeat things until he gets them right and is definitely learning some skills. Unfortunately he actually he finds the game stressful. There are only a few “bad guys” and no major consequences if you get hit/stung but he finds the bees/scorpions and the idea of “losing lives” terrifying. We’ve used it as a teaching moment about things that are pretend and just for fun, but after two levels he’s decided he wants a break because it’s too scary. I think in a year or two he would be fine with it. He’s not generally a super fearful child but controlling a character who is being attacked is too much for him.
PapaSteve8
PapaSteve8 Parent of 5 and 7-year-old
June 16, 2022
age 5+

Poorly Designed Controls and View of Characters

This is for the Nintendo Switch version. Be aware that the Common Sense Media rating for Ease of Play does not address the poorly designed controls. One of the issues is that the controls are not very forgiving. Slightly off on a jump? Often your character falls back to the ground and you have to climb back. When you're ready to try a jump onto a platform and another character moves your view changes right when trying to make a jump successfully. Your view of the character is also poorly designed. It too often swings around and can cause you to fall, again. The poor controls and poorly designed view proved very frustrating for a 5-year-old and 7-year-old playing with one adult. I cannot recommend this game.
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What’s It About?

There's a problem in the land of GIGANTOSAURUS: THE GAME, and it comes in the form of a giant meteor that's blocking Giganto's volcano. It falls to four small dinosaur friends (Rocky, Tiny, Mazu, and Bill) to avoid the obstacles, advance through the land by solving small puzzles along the way, and save the day. Of course, the world is prowled by the tyrannosaurus rex, Giganto, but that big roaring character may actually help the mission. Featuring puzzle-driven (but directed) missions and some kart racing between map areas, Gigantosaurus is geared toward younger players. It allows up to four players to team up and solve the game together or to race against each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Geared toward the younger player, with a colorful and fun look based on the cartoon, this is a game parents can feel good about. Gigantosaurus: The Game features charming characters, a storyline that's easy to follow, bright and happy sounds, and easy missions that have players trekking through five settings collecting eggs (10 total scattered across a stage) and restoring them to nests before kart racing to the next area. Each of the dinosaurs has a different ability, so players may need to switch between the four to get through a level. For example, Tony the triceratops head-butts objects or opponents, while Mazu the anklyosaurus can fix broken levers. While players can advance by collecting three eggs, it will take some work to collect all 10, and that's where the game gets its length.

Although this is very much a wash-rinse-repeat formula, it's meant for younger players and the emphasis is on succeeding. The platform elements are simple, and children should get the hang of it all quickly. The game scores on looks (not as bright as the cartoon, but still nice) and sound effects. There's even an easy mode for the youngest players. Where the game falters, although just a little bit, is in the repetitive nature and the lack of replayability. The kart racing element borrows heavily from other games like Mario Kart but provides a different element that players should find fun. It's not perfect, but Gigantosaurus: The Game provides children with a nice entry point to adventure games with platforming elements, helping them succeed as they build hand-eye coordination.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the world of dinosaurs and what that world may have looked like. Which dinosaurs were dangerous? Which dinosaurs are the four main characters (Rocky, Tony, Mazu, and Bill) based on?

  • What did players like about the story? How did the story draw them in to the game and make it fun?

Game Details

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