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Parkasaurus

Parkasaurus

Washbear Studio · released Aug 12, 2020

SimulationStrategy

Parkasaurus is a dinosaur tycoon management simulation where you take care of your dinosaurs by constructing well-designed exhibits, researching specialized technologies, and maximizing profits to expand into the ultimate dinosaur theme park. Do you favor development for guests or your dinosaurs?

Steam page ↗OpenCritic ↗
86
VGC Score
■Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Update #64: New Dino Toys!” (2y ago)

85%
At launch
93%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
90%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)–769
All-time Steam reviews93%881000
Metacritic user ratings––0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)90%84291
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 3, 2024) · 291 reviews sampled · 235 total reviews in window · weighted 196.2 up / 21.4 down · computed 6h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (15)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 65
    Pure NintendoPure Nintendo
    trust 80Jun 7, 2022

    “Parkasaurus can get tiresome, especially when playing this Switch port. It won't grab hybrid players who aren't already genre fans. But an instructive campaign mode, combined with a sandbox mode, means plenty of content is here, ultimately making for a decent (though certainly not great) game.”

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    NintendoWorldReportNintendoWorldReport
    trust 69May 5, 2022

    “For my 4-year-old, he had a sandbox where he could screw around and set up whatever dream-like dinosaur scenarios he wanted to. We were able to do all this with a charming-as-heck visual aesthetic and a complex but workable user interface. Life finds a way.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Chalgyr's Game RoomChalgyr's Game Room
    trust 67Aug 31, 2020

    “Parkasaurus is a solid simulation that is fun and not too hard to get into. Don't let the looks of this game fool you if you enjoy simulation games like I do as you will most likely enjoy your time with it.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    TheSixthAxisTheSixthAxis
    trust 65May 23, 2022

    “Parkasaurus is a delightful park management sim. Its cute dinosaur designs and relaxed pace will suit all Jurassic fans, despite the obvious lack of Jeff Goldblum.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    LadiesGamers.comLadiesGamers.com
    trust 64Apr 28, 2022

    “I can happily say that I have enjoyed my time with Parkasaurus. It’s less about beholding the majesty of the dinosaurs, and more about silly fun. Park management elements feel much tighter and snappier than I expected. I watched new exhibits populate the map. Arranged flowerpots, donation boxes, and benches. I witnessed my losses slowly turn to profits. And most importantly: I put hats on my dinosaurs! Sure, there are some drawbacks with the Switch version, including occasional stutters, small text, and inexact controls, but none of those detracts from the irresistible charm of Parkasaurus.”

    read full review ↗
  • 65
    TechRaptorTechRaptor
    trust 63Aug 19, 2020

    “Parkasaurus is a charming take on dinosaur theme parks, but it has some small shortcomings that keep it from being a truly great experience.”

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    DarkZeroDarkZero
    trust 63Aug 13, 2020

    “Over the many hours that I played Parkasaurus, I have to say that I did feel very relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the simple yet goofy style picking out appropriate hats for all my dinosaurs.”

    read full review ↗
  • 72
    GideonsGamingGideonsGaming
    trust 62Aug 13, 2020

    “It’s a great creative park builder, with a deep simulation system that the game fails to ever properly use, the lack of challenge means you never need to use any management skills which is missing the point of a business simulation game. Even if it’s one about cartoon dinosaurs.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    GamelinerGameliner
    trust 62Aug 13, 2020

    “Parkasaurus is a light-hearted, cheerful and slightly derpy management game starring alien dinosaurs. The game has a story, but that is otherwise not really interesting or logical. The game is easy to pick up and offers enough possibilities for more depth. This is unfortunately underused, especially in Campaign mode, so you won't be penalized if you don't micromanage everything. This in turn ensures that the game remains light at all times. Digging for fossils through the puzzle minigame is a nice addition that provides some variety, but in my opinion they could have exchanged the first-person mode for ultrawide support. All in all, the game mainly provides liters of light-hearted entertainment and that is of course the most important thing. Oh, and something about hats.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    But Why Tho?But Why Tho?
    trust 58Aug 17, 2020

    “Overall, Parkasaurus is a wonderful management simulator. There are intricacies to the management system that will delight hardcore sim players. That said, simplified building mechanics, specifically the grid feature and color-coding biome environment elements help to break down some of the more daunting characteristics of the game-type for newcomers. Plus, who doesn’t want an exhibit of T-Rexes in witch’s hats?”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    NaviGamesNaviGames
    trust 54Aug 26, 2020

    “Parkasaurus is a game full of heart, with a colorful and light hearted mood, but that doesn't mean its mechanics are not deep. All in all, one of the best tycoon games in recent times.”

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    GamingTrendGamingTrend
    trust 52Aug 18, 2022

    “Sea Monsters DLC for Parkasaurus is an absolute pleasure to play. With new aquatic and semiaquatic creatures, new biomes and enclosures, and three new story missions you will have plenty of things to do in your park. For just $6.99 this DLC comes packed to the brim with content, and most importantly you get new hats. Parkasaurus continues to be my favorite dino park builder on the market, and the Sea Monsters DLC brought in some of my favorite species such as the Megalodon and Mosasaurus.”

    read full review ↗

…and 3 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Update #64: New Dino Toys!
    Jun 3, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  2. Free toys for everyone!
    May 28, 2024
  3. Update #63: Ghostly Dinos
    Oct 25, 2022
  4. Sea Monsters DLC + Update 2.0
    Aug 11, 2022significant · resets scoring window
  5. Update #62: Sea Monsters DLC
    Aug 10, 2022
  6. Update #61: 2.0 Sea Monsters
    Aug 8, 2022significant · resets scoring window
  7. Update #60: DLC Sea Monsters - Looking for a few brave souls
    Jun 28, 2022
  8. Update #59: Below Ground
    May 2, 2022
  9. Update #58: Above Ground
    Apr 13, 2022
  10. Update #56: Nintendo Switch & PC
    Dec 22, 2021
  11. Update #55: Halloween
    Oct 28, 2021
  12. Realistic Update
    Feb 7, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  13. Update 52 : Holiday Update!
    Dec 20, 2020
  14. Update #51: Halloween!
    Oct 31, 2020
  15. Update 50 : Exhibit Themes
    Oct 11, 2020
  16. Update 49 : Pax Indie Showcase Finalist!
    Sep 12, 2020
  17. Update 48 : Week 1 Post Release
    Aug 22, 2020
  18. Parkasaurus 1.0 released!
    Aug 13, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  19. Performance Update
    Jun 25, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  20. Update #46: Elevated Walkways
    Jun 6, 2020
  21. Update #45: Community Park Video
    May 23, 2020
  22. Update #44: Dinosaur Variety
    May 8, 2020
  23. Update #43: Info Booths
    Apr 25, 2020
  24. Dr. Dino
    Mar 20, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  25. Update #42: Dino Food
    Mar 6, 2020
  26. Update #41: Office Computer
    Feb 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  27. Update #40: Chain Lights
    Feb 7, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  28. Update #38: Tuning & Testing
    Jan 11, 2020
  29. Breeding Preview
    Nov 15, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  30. Pumpkin Patch
    Oct 11, 2019
  31. Campaign: Episode 1
    Sep 20, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  32. Update #34: Energy & Tools
    Aug 17, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  33. Update #33: Summer Days
    Aug 3, 2019
  34. Update #32: Campaign Themes
    Jul 20, 2019
  35. Update #31: Campaign Construction
    Jul 6, 2019
  36. Update #30: New Hires at the Zoo
    Jun 22, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  37. Update #29: Workshop
    Jun 8, 2019
  38. Workshop Update
    May 24, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  39. Update #28: Analytics
    May 3, 2019
  40. Update #27: Dino Mobility
    Apr 19, 2019significant · resets scoring window

…and 35 earlier patch announcements.