DinoGenics
- Players
- 1-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.9 / 5
- Year
- 2019
About the game
DinoGenics puts players in charge of building and running their own dinosaur park across a competitive island setting. Each season, players send agents to the mainland to gather DNA and resources, then use them to build fences, facilities, and populate their park with prehistoric creatures. Prestigious dinosaurs attract more visitors, but neglected or poorly contained ones can escape and wreak havoc across the park. Players can splice mutant dinosaurs, exploit the black market, or run an honest operation on their way to corporate dominance.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's editorial team enjoys DinoGenics' tension between growing an impressive park and keeping dangerous dinosaurs properly contained: the escape mechanic genuinely keeps players on edge. The worker placement and tile placement systems work well together, and the inclusion of a solo mode is a nice bonus. It leans into a similar space as other dinosaur park builders, so fans of that theme will find plenty to love. We're fairly confident in this assessment but flag it for review given some uncertainty in direct title comparisons.
What we like
- Escape mechanic creates constant tension around dinosaur containment.
- Multiple viable strategies, from honest parks to black-market dealing.
- Solo mode offers a satisfying single-player experience.
- Strong theme integration between DNA collection and park building.
Keep in mind
- Worker placement blocking can create notable downtime.
- Moderate rules overhead for newcomers to park-building games.
- Escape and rampage effects can swing outcomes unpredictably.
Who it's for
Great for strategy gamers aged 14+ in groups of 1-5 who enjoy park-building and worker placement games.
