
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Tiny Epic Dinosaurs: Laboratory Mini Expansion
- 1–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2020

2020
Rules assistance for Tiny Epic Dinosaurs
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tiny Epic Dinosaurs is a board game released in 2020 for 1–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Scott Almes and its main mechanics are Enclosure, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Contracts.
In Tiny Epic Dinosaurs, breakthroughs in modern science have dinosaurs and humans existing side by side. This has allowed for a lucrative industry. Dino Ranching! Independent ranchers have begun farming dinosaurs to sell to the highest bidders for use in their high thrill theme parks. You are one of those ranchers. Do you have what it takes to out ranch your opponents and operate the most successful dinosaur farm!? Tiny Epic Dinosaurs is a 45 minute, 1-4 player game of dinosaur ranching, worker-placement and resource management. It features classic euro game mechanics with unique twists that portray the dangers of farming these prehistoric beasts. In Tiny Epic Dinosaurs, players control a team of ranchers and will be acquiring, breeding and selling dinosaurs. The game is played over 6 rounds. With each round consisting of several short phases. In phase one, players will harvest the resources from their farm that are not being consumed by dinosaurs. In phase two, players will put their ranchers to work. This phase has ranchers wrangling and buying new dinosaurs to farm, improving their farm’s security and supplies, vying for high dollar contracts, and researching technologies and unique dinosaur breeds. These unique dinosaur breeds introduce a large variety of special benefits players can utilize to separate themselves from their competition. In phase three, ranchers return to finish their day’s work at the farm. In phase four, players arrange their ranch, making sure their ranch is suitable for the types of dinosaurs they have. Phase five is the feeding phase, and every dinosaur MUST be fed. Dinosaurs that don’t eat will escape, posing a grave threat to your enclosures’ security and your other dinosaurs. Phase six is for breeding. For each pair of matching dinosaurs you have properly enclosed, you’ll welcome a new dinosaur to your farm. -description from publisher At the end of the game, players will receive victory points for each dinosaur they have, public and private contracts they acquired and for their research developments. The player with the most victory points, wins the game.
Tiny Epic Dinosaurs supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Tiny Epic Dinosaurs is 30–60 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 Tiny Epic Dinosaurs for ages 14 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.
Tiny Epic Dinosaurs has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Tiny Epic Dinosaurs belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Animals, and Farming. Its main mechanics are Enclosure, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Contracts. 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 Tiny Epic Dinosaurs are: Scott Almes. 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 Tiny Epic Dinosaurs 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.