Dinosaur Planet (1970). Play online

Summary

Dinosaur Planet was Rare’s ambitious, never‑released N64 venture, conceived in 1997 as an open‑world adventure that borrowed heavily from the style of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The game promised two intertwined storylines starring a wolf named Sabre, a fox called Krystal, their quirky sidekicks Tricky and Kyte, and a mysterious wizard named Randorn. Planned for the 512‑megabit cartridge with Expansion Pak support, it ran alongside Jet Force Gemini and was showcased in a massive E3 2000 demonstration.

When the N64’s lifespan faded, the project morphed into Star Fox Adventures, re‑skinning the world with Star Fox characters for the GameCube while the original Dinosaur Planet was abandoned. A late‑development build dated December 2000 surfaced online in February 2021, offering the most complete glimpse of what could have been.

Storyline

Dinosaur Planet follows the intertwined adventures of Sabre and Krystal as they explore a mysterious dinosaur‑filled realm. The game’s story is split into two parallel narratives that converge as the plot unfolds.

Alongside them are their quirky sidekicks, Tricky and Kyte, who provide comic relief and assistance. Their mentor, the wizard Randorn, is revealed to be Sabre’s biological father and Krystal’s adoptive father, tying the characters together.

A central gameplay element, the SwapStone, lets players instantly switch control between Sabre and Krystal, allowing each narrative thread to be experienced from both perspectives.