In each version of the game, the player takes on the role of Dr. Alan Grant and follows the events of the movie (and the book it is based on).There are numerous differences between the various versions. The titles on Nintendo's platforms were handled by Ocean Software while Sega's titles were developed by BlueSky Software.The 1993 Sega CD version, which is a point-and-click adventure game rather than an action game, has a separate page here.SNES VersionOverview The SNES version of Jurassic Park is incredibly different from its Genesis counterpart. In the game, the player controls Dr. Grant from both top-down and first-person perspectives. The former is when exploring the Jurassic Park island and the latter is when entering indoor sections.In the top-down perspective, the player has to traverse the island which is designed like a maze made up of jungle trees, rocks, canals, fences, and electric gates. It is here where the player gets to accomplish two objectives: collect 18 dinosaur eggs and head to the helipad to escape (see Objectives section for more information). Occasionally, pop-up messages will appear in this section when entering certain areas or interacting with the motion sensors. It features digitized portraits of characters from the 1993 film that will offer useful hints to the player (except for Dennis Nedry who always gives false information).When entering indoor areas, the perspective switches to first-person where majority of the objectives take place. The player has to search for ID cards, interact with computer terminals, use elevators to access different floors, and use night vision goggles to enter dark rooms. The gameplay is reminiscent of Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM. Jurassic Park supports the Super NES Mouse when playing first-person sequences or operating computer terminals. For the most part, the game is very open-ended, not unlike some earlier The Legend of Zelda games. The game requires Grant to do a lot of backtracking and hunting for items which helps progress the player through the story. Unfortunately, the game has no save or password function, so the player would have to collect all of the eggs in one sitting, a very daunting task involving lots of trial-and-error gameplay.ObjectivesAlthough it is not properly explained in the game or manual, the objectives to win the game are as follows:Collect all 18 dinosaur eggs that are scattered throughout the island.Activate the generator and turn on motion sensors.Prevent the raptors from entering the Visitor Center.Kill all the dinosaurs that are on the ship.Destroy the raptor nest with a Nerve Gas Bomb.Send S.O.S. and head to the helipad to be rescued by a helicopter.WeaponsCattle Prod - The default weapon. It acts as a Taser that's most effective on every dinosaur except the T-Rex. It can also be used to open gates.Shotgun - Shoots shells that can eliminate dinosaurs quickly.Rocket Launcher - This weapon packs a powerful punch.Gas Grenades - Puts the dinosaurs to sleep indefinitely.Tranquilizer Darts - Stuns approaching dinosaurs. They're effective with even the T-Rex.Bolas - The most powerful weapon in the game.Classic Games Collection In 2023, Limited Run Games released Jurassic Park: Classic Games Collection to celebrate the film's 30th anniversary. It was published for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The 30th anniversary version features a save function (finally!), a world map, and the ability to rewind time. In addition, the digitized portraits of the characters from the film are removed in this version, possibly due to legal issues.Game Boy & NES Versions Like the SNES Jurassic Park, the Game Boy and NES versions were also developed by Ocean Software. Also similar to the SNES version, the main goal of each stage is to simply collect a certain number of dinosaur eggs, opening access to the next area. Blocking progress through these stages is an assortment of dinosaurs, including main enemies like Velociraptors, Procompsognathus, and Dilophosaurus. To deal with these threats, the player is given one primary weapon, bearing a strong resemblance to a rocket launcher. As Grant kills dinosaurs they drop ammunition for his armament. Interspersed between levels are boss encounters, including a sequence where the player is required to dodge stampeding triceratops, as well as a fight where Grant does battle with a Tyrannosaurus.
