Color a Dinosaur

Color a Dinosaur

Overview & History

Released by Ocean Software in 1993, Color a Dinosaur is a uniquely bizarre piece of NES software that functions more as an interactive digital coloring book than a traditional video game. Developed very late in the console's lifespan, it targets toddlers and pre-schoolers, completely forgoing any combat, platforming, time limits, or traditional win-or-lose objectives. Instead, the non-existent storyline simply drops players into a prehistoric art studio alongside a cute, smiling cartoon dinosaur companion who eagerly awaits a vibrant makeover. Despite its lack of conventional gaming elements, it has achieved cult-classic status among retro enthusiasts for its sheer novelty and infamous reputation as one of the most passive titles ever programmed for Nintendo’s 8-bit hardware.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Gameplay revolves around selecting and applying digital hues to line art of various prehistoric reptiles. Players are presented with a palette of vibrant colors located at the bottom of the screen. Using a cursor controlled by the standard directional pad, you select a color and then click on specific sections of the dinosaur—such as its scales, belly, spikes, or background environment—to fill them in instantly with solid paint. There are no complex puzzles or action moves; the "character moves" are limited to the cursor gliding smoothly across the canvas. Once a dinosaur is fully shaded to your liking, you can save your customized creation temporarily, print it out via the elusive Game Boy Printer accessory (if using compatible hardware), or simply wipe the canvas clean to start a brand new artistic masterpiece from scratch.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move the paintbrush cursor across the palette and coloring canvas
• Action Keys: Select a color or fill a selected section with paint (A/B buttons)
• Enter: Start / Pause and access the main menu options