Jurassic Park III: Park Builder

Summary

In Jurassic Park III: Park Builder, the goal is to construct and manage a dinosaur theme park on an island, much like in Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis. To start, players dispatch an excavation team to one of eight global sites to retrieve fossilized mosquitoes carrying dinosaur DNA, which is then used to hatch creatures. The park can be outfitted with hotels, restaurants, and shops, though hurricanes and earthquakes may cause damage. Advertising draws in visitors, who experience the dinosaurs from tour buses; initially three are available, with more purchasable later.

Up to eight holding pens are allowed, and the island offers six environments, such as jungles, a beach, plains, and a desert. Sick dinosaurs require medical care and are placed in habitats that match their natural surroundings. The game includes 140 creatures, among them Brachiosaurus, Mosasaurus, Pteranodon, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus. These dinosaurs are sorted into six categories based on size and aggression: three for carnivores and three for herbivores.

Reception

The game received average to mixed reception, with GameRankings scoring it 68.54% and Metacritic giving it 65 out of 100. AllGame criticized the few sound effects and generic background music, as well as the need to constantly switch between menu screens, making it easy to forget what needs to be done. IGN wrote a positive review but criticized the lack of a tutorial mode, noting the game's complexity and the absence of basic guidance for beginner park builders.