Dinosaur Game Explained

Dinosaur Game
Developer:Google
Platforms:Google Chrome
Released:2014
Genre:Endless running game

The Dinosaur Game[1] (also known as the Chrome Dino)[2] is a browser game developed by Google and built into the Google Chrome web browser. The player guides a pixelated t-rex across a side-scrolling landscape, avoiding obstacles to achieve a higher score. The game was created by members of the Chrome UX team in 2014.

Gameplay

When a user attempts to navigate to a web page on Google Chrome while being offline, the browser notifies the user that they are not connected to the Internet, with an illustration of a pixelated Tyrannosaurus rex shown on the page.[3] The game can then be launched either by pressing or on desktop, or by tapping the dinosaur on Android or iOS mobile devices. Additionally, the game can be accessed by inputting chrome://dino or chrome://network-error/-106 into the Omnibox.[4]

During the game, the dinosaur continuously moves from left to right across a black-and-white desert landscape, with the player attempting to avoid oncoming obstacles such as cacti and pterosaurs by jumping or ducking.[5] Pressing,, or tapping the dinosaur on mobile devices will cause the dinosaur to "leap", while pressing the key will cause the dinosaur to "crouch". As the game progresses, the speed of play gradually increases until the user hits an obstacle or a pterosaur, prompting an instant game over.

Once the player reaches around 700 points, the game switches from dark gray graphics on a white background to pale gray graphics on a black background, representing a shift from day to night, with daytime sky graphics also becoming nighttime sky graphics. The color scheme then alternates as the game progresses.[6] [7] The game was designed to reach its maximum score after approximately 17million years of playtime, in reference to how long the T-Rex existed before it went extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.[8]

If a network administrator disables the Dinosaur Game, an error message appears when attempting to play the game, which features an image of a meteor heading towards the player character.[9]

Development

The game was created by members of the Chrome UX team in 2014, which consisted of Sebastien Gabriel, Alan Bettes, and Edward Jung.[10] Gabriel designed the player character, named the "Lonely T-Rex".[3] During development, the game was given the codename "Project Bolan", in reference to Marc Bolan, the lead singer of the band T. Rex. The developers chose the dinosaur theme as a reference to the game's function, a joke that not having an internet connection is equivalent to living in the "prehistoric ages". The game was released in September 2014; initially, it did not work on older devices, so the code was updated and re-released in December of the same year.[11] The pterosaurs were added as obstacles with a browser update in 2015.[12]

In September 2018, an Easter egg was added to the game in celebration of Chrome's 10th birthday and the game's fourth birthday, with a birthday cake appearing in the desert and a birthday hat appearing on the Lonely T-Rex if the cake is "eaten".[13] In November of the same year, Google introduced a feature to save the player's high score.[14] The game's source code is available on the Chromium site.[15]

In 2021, Google introduced a widget in March for iOS 14 which led players to chrome://dino;[16] a similar widget was introduced to Android later that year.[17] In July, an Olympic torch Easter egg for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics simulating various Olympic activities was added.[18] Upon reaching the torch, the dino transforms into various Olympic games such as swimming, running, and many others. Instead of the usual cacti and pterosaur obstacles, the dino now encounters challenges related to the Olympics.[19]

Reception

The game received widespread recognition, with the creators revealing in September 2018 that approximately 270 million games were played monthly.

In popular culture

thumb|255px|right|Statue of the Chrome Dino from Google's offline game, located in Gyulagarak, Armenia.[20] The Dinosaur Game is referenced in the "couch gag" opening segment of the season 34 premiere of The Simpsons, "Habeas Tortoise".[21] [22] [23]

Related media

In May 2020, a Microsoft Edge update added Surf, a game where players control a surfer attempting to evade obstacles and collect powerups. Like the Dinosaur Game, it is accessible from an error page when the browser is offline. The game allows for character customization and multiple control schemes.[24]

The same year in August, MSCHF and 100 Thieves partnered to create a modified version of the game titled Dino Swords, which featured a small arsenal of weapons and time-slowing pills; when mismanaged, the weapons could backfire and harm the dinosaur.[25]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dinosaur Game. 2024-03-01. Dinosaur Game. en-US.
  2. Web site: Li . Abner . May 10, 2021 . Chrome 90 for iPhone rolling out with search, Dino widgets . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210510175059/https://9to5google.com/2021/05/10/chrome-90-iphone-widget/ . May 10, 2021 . May 10, 2021 . 9to5Google.
  3. Web site: Tumblison . Craig . March 7, 2014 . Interview with Sebastien Gabriel, a Google Chrome Visual Designer . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150326230139/https://www.omgchrome.com/interview-with-sebastien-gabriel-google-chrome-visual-designer/ . March 26, 2015 . October 11, 2020 . OMG! Chrome!.
  4. Web site: Biersdorfer . J. D. . November 14, 2017 . When Dinosaurs Roam in Chrome . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171115060204/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/14/technology/personaltech/chrome-dinosaur-internet-connection.html . November 15, 2017 . September 3, 2018 . The New York Times.
  5. Web site: Roshan . Azar . August 5, 2017 . Google Easter Eggs: 15+ Best Google Easter Eggs & Google Tricks 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170805055813/https://feedsyouneed.com/google-easter-eggs-google-tricks/ . August 5, 2017 . October 11, 2020 . Feeds You Need.
  6. Web site: Sneddon . Joey-Elijah . September 25, 2014 . This is Chrome's Newest Easter Egg. And It's Awesome . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150122021535/https://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-easter-egg-trex-game-offline/ . January 22, 2015 . December 19, 2021 . OMG! Chrome!.
  7. News: Matos . Clinton . May 20, 2016 . Google Chrome's offline "Dinosaur Game" now has a day-night cycle . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160521170449/https://www.htxt.co.za/2016/05/20/google-chromes-offline-dinosaur-game-now-has-a-day-night-cycle/ . May 21, 2016 . June 7, 2016 . HTXT.
  8. Web site: September 6, 2018 . As the Chrome dino runs, we caught up with the Googlers who built it . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180908043120/https://www.blog.google/products/chrome/chrome-dino/ . September 8, 2018 . June 18, 2021 . The Keyword.
  9. Web site: March 31, 2021 . How to disable Dinosaur game in Google Chrome when device is offline . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210331110948/https://www.thewindowsclub.com/disable-dinosaur-game-in-google-chrome . March 31, 2021 . October 22, 2021 . The Windows Club.
  10. Web site: Dinosaur Game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200812130819/https://poki.com/en/g/dinosaur-game . August 12, 2020 . December 18, 2021 . Poki.
  11. Web site: Hughes . Matthew . September 7, 2018 . 4 years later, Google finally explains the origins of its Chrome dinosaur game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411181331/https://thenextweb.com/news/4-years-later-google-finally-explains-the-origins-of-its-chrome-dinosaur-game . April 11, 2021 . December 19, 2021 . TheNextWeb.
  12. Web site: Sneddon . Joey-Elijah . June 18, 2015 . Chrome's Hidden Dinosaur Game Just Got Even Better . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905212924/https://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-dinosaur-game-pterodactyl-upgrade/ . September 5, 2015 . December 18, 2021 . OMG! Chrome!.
  13. Web site: Torres . JC . September 4, 2018 . Chrome T-Rex offline game parties with birthday hat, cake . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180905013247/https://www.slashgear.com/chrome-t-rex-offline-game-parties-with-birthday-hat-cake-04544344/ . September 5, 2018 . September 16, 2018 . SlashGear.
  14. Web site: Kerns . Taylor . November 30, 2018 . Show off your Chrome dino-game skills with the arrival of cross-device high score sync . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181201132608/https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/11/30/show-off-your-chrome-dino-game-skills-with-the-arrival-of-cross-device-high-score-sync/ . December 1, 2018 . January 20, 2021 . Android Police.
  15. Web site: Agarwal . Amit . October 26, 2015 . Play the Dinosaur Game Hidden inside your Google Chrome . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150121062236/https://www.labnol.org/software/chrome-offline-dinosaur-game/28781/ . January 21, 2015 . December 19, 2021 . Digital Inspiration.
  16. Web site: Abrams . Lawrence . April 17, 2021 . Google is adding its Dinosaur Game as an iPhone widget . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210418103441/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-is-adding-its-dinosaur-game-as-an-iphone-widget/ . April 18, 2021 . December 19, 2021 . Bleeping Computer.
  17. Web site: Bradshaw . Kyle . July 19, 2021 . Android is getting a homescreen widget for Chrome's famous 'Dino Run' game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210719221257/https://9to5google.com/2021/07/19/android-chrome-dino-run-widget/ . July 19, 2021 . April 22, 2022 . 9to5Google.
  18. Web site: Bradshaw . Kyle . July 21, 2021 . Chrome's Dino Run game gains in-depth Tokyo Olympics easter egg . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210721180528/https://9to5google.com/2021/07/21/chromes-dino-run-game-tokyo-olympics-easter-egg/ . July 21, 2021 . July 23, 2021 . 9to5Google.
  19. Web site: Finn . John . July 22, 2021 . How To Find & Play Chrome's 'Dino Run' Olympics Easter Egg Game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221023115409/https://screenrant.com/google-chrome-dino-run-trex-hidden-olympics-easter-egg-game/ . October 23, 2022 . March 31, 2023 . Screen Rant.
  20. Web site: The famous Chrome Dinosaur “No Internet” in Gyulagarak, Armenia . 2024-08-08 . 2023-12-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208092837/https://desuden.com/the-famous-chrome-dinosaur-gyulagarak-armenia/ . live .
  21. Web site: Wang . Jules . 2022-09-26 . The Simpsons run Chrome's offline desert gauntlet in latest couch gag . 2022-09-26 . Android Police . en-US.
  22. Web site: Li . Abner . 2022-09-26 . 'The Simpsons' 'couch gag' pays tribute to Chrome Dino game . 2022-09-26 . . en-US.
  23. Web site: Reichert . Corinne . September 26, 2022 . The Simpsons Season 34 Opening Couch Gag Pays Homage to Chrome's T-Rex Game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926225425/https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/the-simpsons-season-34-opening-couch-gag-pays-homage-to-chromes-t-rex-game/ . September 26, 2022 . September 27, 2022 . CNET.
  24. Web site: Warren . Tom . Microsoft is adding a secret SkiFree-like surfing game into its Edge browser . The Verge . 25 March 2022 . en . 26 February 2020 . April 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220414013714/https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/26/21154821/microsoft-edge-surf-game-easter-egg-secret-skifree-modes . live.
  25. Web site: Google's Dinosaur browser game gets a dope mod that includes double swords . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200824171830/https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/24/21395971/google-chrome-dinosaur-game-mschf-100thieves-mod-version . August 24, 2020 . January 20, 2021 . The Verge. August 24, 2020. Alexander. Julia.

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