- BGG rank
- BGG #7,050
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Dinosaurs of the Lost World
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,395
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Dinosaur Chess
1993
Rules assistance for Dinosaur Chess
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Dinosaur Chess
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dinosaur Chess is a board game released in 1993 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Richard Oldham and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Modular Board.
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About the game
A not too "Chess-like" game with dice and shifting continents on a huge Hex map. Players place the continents first for a setup never be the same twice, then deploy their "Dino-armies" as they like and start the game. Each turn, both dice are rolled and determine a continent and the direction, to which it is moving one hex. Then, the player moves one of his pieces: Dino or "Time Traveler", who is the most important, yet least mobile, piece of the game. Each species has a different type of movement, mostly considering land / sea or both, too. The winner is the player who manages to first capture the opponent`s Time Traveler or getting his own TT over the Equator into the opponent`s hemisphere.
Editions
- Dinosaur ChessenAmerican River Games1993
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- American River Games
Questions and answers
Dinosaur Chess supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Dinosaur Chess is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dinosaur Chess for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dinosaur Chess has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dinosaur Chess belongs to these categories: Animals, Abstract Strategy, and Prehistoric. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Modular Board. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dinosaur Chess are: Richard Oldham. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dinosaur Chess as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.