Difference between revisions of "Dinosaurs for Hire"

From Sega Retro

(→‎Gameplay: added character sprites)
(expanded)
Line 18: Line 18:
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is a [[Mega Drive]] game based on [[wikipedia:Dinosaurs for Hire|the comic book series of the same name]]. It was only released in North America.
 
{{stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is a [[Mega Drive]] game based on [[wikipedia:Dinosaurs for Hire|the comic book series of the same name]]. It was only released in North America.
 +
 +
==Story==
 +
The "dinosaurs" are actually intelligent aliens who resemble smaller versions of Earth dinosaurs. After their spacecraft malfunctions in Earth's atmosphere and crashes into the ocean, they are stranded on Earth and become mercenaries for hire.
  
 
==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
−
It is a side-scrolling action/platforming game similar to Contra but involving a group of dinosaurs who fight crime. The player can play as a tyrannosaurus rex named Archie, a triceratops named Lorenzo or a stegosaurus named Reese. Each has a gun which can be upgraded ''Contra''-style (shoot with {{B}}), a close-up attack ({{A}}: Archie beats enemies with his gun, Lorenzo with his horns, and Reese with his tail), and a traditional jump ({{C}}, and no matter how you press it you cannot control the intensity of the jump).
+
[[File:Dinosaurs for Hire, Introduction.png|thumb|200px|Introduction]]
 +
 
 +
It is a side-scrolling run-and-gun game similar to ''Contra'' but involving a group of dinosaurs who fight crime. The game mostly involves blasting enemies as they pour in, but there are also some platforming elements. The players can choose from one of three dinosaurs, who all play the same. In two-player games, each player chooses a different dinosaur. The dinosaur is moved with {{left}} and {{right}}, lies down with {{down}}, and jumps with {{C}}. The dinosaur has a gun that can be aimed in eight directions with the D-pad and fired with {{B}}. The gun can be upgraded by finding items. Each dinosaur also has a close-up attack with {{A}}, which is the only way to attack enemies that come within the minimum range of the dinosaur's gun. Guns can be fired while lying down or jumping, but the close-up attack can only be done while standing. Both can be done while moving, but the dinosaur stops to do the close-up attack. The dinosaurs can jump between the foreground and background layers of some stages with {{down}}+{{C}} and {{up}}+{{C}} and can climb ladders with {{up}} and descend them with {{down}}.
 +
 
 +
Dinosaurs also have a Smart Bomb that can be detonated with {{A}}+{{B}}+{{C}}, which destroys all enemies on screen (except bosses, who are merely damaged). Dinosaurs can find more Smart Bombs within the stages and hold up to four. In two-player games, items effects are not shared and each dinosaur has his own stash of Smart Bombs.
 +
 
 +
The dinosaur has a health bar that goes down as he takes damage from enemies. Dinosaurs are also injured from falling from heights. When the health bar is emptied, the dinosaur loses a life and restarts the level if he has an extra life remaining, losing any weapon upgrades he may have. If he has no more lives, the game ends but can be continued if the player has continues remaining. There are items that replenish health or give extra lives. In two-player games, the players have separate health and lives but share continues. Players are revived in place (rather than the beginning of the level) when they die. However, if one player dies with no more remaining lives, the player cannot be revived until the other player gets a game over and uses a continue.
  
 
===Characters===
 
===Characters===
Line 27: Line 36:
 
| title=Archie
 
| title=Archie
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Archie.png | 1.25}}
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Archie.png | 1.25}}
−
| desc=
+
| desc=The cool-headed leader of the group, a ''Tyrannosaurus'' who wears a leather jacket. He likes ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' and wants to wrestle Shadow Yamoto (from ''[[Eternal Champions]]'', also developed by [[Sega Interactive]]). His close-up attack is bashing enemies with his rifle.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Lorenzo
 
| title=Lorenzo
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Lorenzo.png | 1.25}}
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Lorenzo.png | 1.25}}
−
| desc=
+
| desc=A ''Triceratops'' who wears Hawaiian shirts like ''Magnum P.I.'' He likes Chun Li and dislikes Ryu and Ken (from ''[[Street Fighter II]]''). His close-up attack is goring enemies with his horns.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Reese
 
| title=Reese
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Reese.png | 1.25}}
 
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Reese.png | 1.25}}
−
| desc=
+
| desc=A one-eyed ''Stegosaurus'' and the "loose cannon" of the group. He likes Clint Eastwood and ''[[The Terminator]]''. His close-up attack is sweeping enemies with his tail.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Pterodactyl
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Cyrano.png | 1.25}}
 +
| desc=A ''Pterodactyl'' who occasionally appears to advise the group. Not a playable character.
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
Line 45: Line 59:
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Level 1
 
| title=Level 1
−
| screenshot=DinosaursForHire MD Level1.png
+
| screenshot=Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-4.png
 
| desc=
 
| desc=
 
}}
 
}}
Line 70: Line 87:
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
==Trivia==
+
===Items===
−
{{Trivia}}
+
Items are usually found in capsules that must be broken open first.
−
'''Some curious facts about the game{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20000108075051/http://www.geocities.com:80/SoHo/1354/dinos.htm}}''':
 
  
−
In the game's plot, is revealed that dinosaur Lorenzo likes Chun-Li.This was a reference to [[Street Fighter II]], and amazingly it got past Sega's legal department.
+
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
−
 
+
{{InfoRow
−
Archie the Dinosaur's ambition is to wrestle Shadow Yammoto. This was a reference to programmers next game [[Eternal Champions]].
+
| title=Weapon Upgrade
−
 
+
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
−
According to Cyranno the Dinosaur, the Mega Minotaur's real name is Hoyt. This was a tribute by programmer [[Steven Lashower]] to actor Hoyt Pollard who played the bald, inbred ''Banjo Boy'' in the movie ''Deliverance''.
+
| desc=Upgrades the power of the dinosaur's gun, up to five times.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Multishot
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Turns the dinosaur's gun into a spread shot. Upgrades it to two streams initially and then three if the item is found again.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Power Field
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Gives the dinosaur temporary invincibility.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Dino Juice
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=48 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Fully replenishes the dinosaur's health.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Dino
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Gives the player an extra life.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Nuclear Holocaust
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=80 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Gives the player another Smart Bomb.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Universal Firepower
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=96 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Fully upgrades the dinosaur's weapon.
 +
}}
 +
}}
  
 
==Production credits==
 
==Production credits==

Revision as of 08:42, 4 February 2022

n/a

Dinosaurs for Hire Title.png

Dinosaurs for Hire
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$49.9949.99[2] 1050
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		044580

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

Dinosaurs for Hire is a Mega Drive game based on the comic book series of the same name. It was only released in North America.

Story

The "dinosaurs" are actually intelligent aliens who resemble smaller versions of Earth dinosaurs. After their spacecraft malfunctions in Earth's atmosphere and crashes into the ocean, they are stranded on Earth and become mercenaries for hire.

Gameplay

Introduction

It is a side-scrolling run-and-gun game similar to Contra but involving a group of dinosaurs who fight crime. The game mostly involves blasting enemies as they pour in, but there are also some platforming elements. The players can choose from one of three dinosaurs, who all play the same. In two-player games, each player chooses a different dinosaur. The dinosaur is moved with Left and Right, lies down with Down, and jumps with C. The dinosaur has a gun that can be aimed in eight directions with the D-pad and fired with B. The gun can be upgraded by finding items. Each dinosaur also has a close-up attack with A, which is the only way to attack enemies that come within the minimum range of the dinosaur's gun. Guns can be fired while lying down or jumping, but the close-up attack can only be done while standing. Both can be done while moving, but the dinosaur stops to do the close-up attack. The dinosaurs can jump between the foreground and background layers of some stages with Down+C and Up+C and can climb ladders with Up and descend them with Down.

Dinosaurs also have a Smart Bomb that can be detonated with A+B+C, which destroys all enemies on screen (except bosses, who are merely damaged). Dinosaurs can find more Smart Bombs within the stages and hold up to four. In two-player games, items effects are not shared and each dinosaur has his own stash of Smart Bombs.

The dinosaur has a health bar that goes down as he takes damage from enemies. Dinosaurs are also injured from falling from heights. When the health bar is emptied, the dinosaur loses a life and restarts the level if he has an extra life remaining, losing any weapon upgrades he may have. If he has no more lives, the game ends but can be continued if the player has continues remaining. There are items that replenish health or give extra lives. In two-player games, the players have separate health and lives but share continues. Players are revived in place (rather than the beginning of the level) when they die. However, if one player dies with no more remaining lives, the player cannot be revived until the other player gets a game over and uses a continue.

Characters

Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Archie.png
 Archie
The cool-headed leader of the group, a Tyrannosaurus who wears a leather jacket. He likes Jurassic Park and wants to wrestle Shadow Yamoto (from Eternal Champions, also developed by Sega Interactive). His close-up attack is bashing enemies with his rifle.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Lorenzo.png
 Lorenzo
A Triceratops who wears Hawaiian shirts like Magnum P.I. He likes Chun Li and dislikes Ryu and Ken (from Street Fighter II). His close-up attack is goring enemies with his horns.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Reese.png
 Reese
A one-eyed Stegosaurus and the "loose cannon" of the group. He likes Clint Eastwood and The Terminator. His close-up attack is sweeping enemies with his tail.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Characters, Cyrano.png
 Pterodactyl
A Pterodactyl who occasionally appears to advise the group. Not a playable character.

Levels

Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-1.png

Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-2.png

Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-3.png

Dinosaurs for Hire, Stage 1-4.png

Level 1

Notavailable.svg

Level 2

Notavailable.svg

Level 3

Notavailable.svg

Level 4

Notavailable.svg

Level 5

Items

Items are usually found in capsules that must be broken open first.

Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Weapon Upgrade
Upgrades the power of the dinosaur's gun, up to five times.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Multishot
Turns the dinosaur's gun into a spread shot. Upgrades it to two streams initially and then three if the item is found again.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Power Field
Gives the dinosaur temporary invincibility.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Dino Juice
Fully replenishes the dinosaur's health.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Dino
Gives the player an extra life.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Nuclear Holocaust
Gives the player another Smart Bomb.
Dinosaurs for Hire, Items.png
 Universal Firepower
Fully upgrades the dinosaur's weapon.

Production credits

Program Code/Design (C) 1993 Sega
All Rights Reserved
Source:
In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Dinosaurs for Hire/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #15: "October/November 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[4]
Cool Gamer (RU)
60
[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
68
[6]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[7]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
78
[8]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
35
[9]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U
64
[10]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-U
69
[11]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
63
[12]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
83
[13]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
58
[14]
Todo Sega (ES)
91
[15]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
73
[16]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-U
40
[17]
Sega Mega Drive
 64
Based on
14 reviews

Dinosaurs for Hire

Mega Drive, US
DFA MD US Box.jpg
Cover
DFH MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
DinosaursForHire MD US manual.pdf
Manual
DfH MD US pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, BR
DFH MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
DFH MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 39351146
MD5 e4c6cbf1a2ea36404fb69667cd080b4f
SHA-1 d006efbf1d811e018271745925fe00ca6d93f24f
1MB 1993-06 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 8954dee9
MD5 c6d15f7e64341c1a12fd093108231b1a
SHA-1 2a04b30cf4930631bdb6c031ecd12c23387c278b
1MB 1993-05-02 CD-R disc[18] Page
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 16000453
MD5 2c64241c31024f877d30307f0d28f21d
SHA-1 944af2e25e9ab5ecf82fe5da1c55113edeee8709
1MB 1993-04-27 CD-R disc[19] Page
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 54c77d3e
MD5 7b38a12a0673b86c542d9d601f3bf6f9
SHA-1 101b97769ddd54e04f6c0c1d46d194fc78cb6f22
1MB 1993-04-26 CD-R disc[20] Page

References

  1. ↑ GamePro, "April 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 110
  2. ↑ GamePro, "October 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 74
  3. ↑ Sega Visions, "February/March 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 97
  4. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 60
  5. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 63
  6. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 50
  7. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 306
  8. ↑ GamePro, "October 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 72
  9. ↑ Mega, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 46
  10. ↑ MegaTech, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-20), page 74
  11. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-11-30), page 78
  12. ↑ Sega Power, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 72
  13. ↑ Sega Pro, "Xmas Special 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 50
  14. ↑ Sega Zone, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-23), page 48
  15. ↑ Todo Sega, "Julio 1993" (ES; 1993-0x-xx), page 30
  16. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 51
  17. ↑ Video Games, "3/94" (DE; 1994-02-23), page 85
  18. ↑ Hidden Palace: Dinosaurs for Hire (May 2, 1993 prototype)
  19. ↑ Hidden Palace: Dinosaurs for Hire (Apr 27, 1993 prototype)
  20. ↑ Hidden Palace: Dinosaurs for Hire (Apr 26, 1993 prototype)


Dinosaurs for Hire

Dinosaurs for Hire Title.png

Main page | Maps | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1993-04-26 | 04-27 | 05-02
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Dinosaurs_for_Hire&oldid=751465"