Quarter Circle Forward: Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D

A logo shouting “DINOSAURS” caught my eye initially. The little kid inside me gave those puppy dog eyes and said, “BUY IT!” with a curled lip. Thirty seconds later forty bucks was deducted from my account and I was off with my first Nintendo 3DS game purchase.

Gleaming with hope for a Fossil Fighters or Primal Rage experience I shredded the shrink wrap. Jammed the cart into my freshly opened handheld and sat in amazement as a swirl of purple and white poured from the edges of the screen. The Ubisoft logo sat before me in glorious 3D. Oh Ubisoft, you roller coaster ride of quality. What kind of trip is this going to be?

Once a game is started some things have to be taken care of. Four types of dinosaurs stand at your beck and call. Predators entail the meat eaters like T-Rex. The defenders encompass the armored lizards such as the Stegosaurus. Raptors make up the hunters. The last category includes chargers similar to Triceratops. A certain level of customization goes into each character. The player can select from predefined patterns and color sets. Equipment earned throughout the game can be attached to each dinosaur to up their stats. With a complete dino in tow the game begins.

Skipping the introductory, the stages look absolutely stunning. The way the camera pans through the forest in pursuit of the lead dinosaur is breathtaking. Thick layers of trees and shrubs line the pathway. Leaves fall from trees. Meteors explode on impact. Heat waves rise from the lava. It’s a real graphical showcase for what the Nintendo 3DS can do.

Getting back into the action, the player drives the dinosaur through the winding stretches. Smashing sticks and stones sometimes unlocks new equipment or adds to the campaign’s collection of bones. As that collection grows new patterns, colors, outfits, and dino facts become available. Along the way other dinosaurs will cross your path. Battle time!

The first fight is brain dead simple. Pound on the attack button until the match is over. With each new area, new game mechanics are sprinkled in. By the end of one campaign your dinosaur will be able to dodge, counterattack, blitz, push (for ring outs), and perform special attacks. At one point a back-up buddy joins the fray. Difficulty ramps up slowly in the form of health saturated and high level attack heavy opponents.

After the third campaign, it becomes glaringly obvious that Dinosaurs 3D has little to offer. Combat boils down to dodge and attack. Equipment management consists of slapping on the newest doodad. The bone grinding doesn’t quite rise up to any satisfying standards (bad puns intended!). The education driven side of the title is buried in sub menus and not even a facet of the game play. Outside the dinosaurs and nice 3D, the action certainly doesn’t have me clamoring for more. Save your inner child. Save your own kid from disappointment.