We report on lots of retro-inspired titles, and sometimes they really catch the eye. That was the story for Dino Quake, a new single-screen arcade platformer from developer Neutronized due for release later in 2025. Although we don’t have lots of details about what retro enthusiasts can expect, a short demo of Dino Quake has given us some insight into how the gameplay loops will work. We put the demo through its paces, and the bottom line is Dino Quake looks set to be a great homage to the Bubble Bobble series in both presentation and design.
The game opens with a bold pixel art cutscene accompanied by a decent chiptune that could’ve come straight from the arcades of the late 80s. Everything about Dino Quake feels as though it has come straight from the Taito factory that produced hit after hit during that time, especially the Bubble Bobble series. Dino Quake has more in common with the later Parasol Stars title from that series, and anyone who has played that brilliant game will understand the mechanics of Dino Quake straight away.
The game stars Mina and Kiwi, who are on a mission to stop the alien invasion. Players take control of them to first daze enemies before giving them a whack to clear them from the screen. The aim is to clear the entire level of enemies before moving on to the next stage. After each level, a bunch of extra points in the shape of fruit, cake and other goodies drop and players need to dash to grab them. Dino Quake can be played alone or with a friend in local co-op, and it has the feel of a game you’d play with a friend back in the day.
The gameplay loop is only interrupted when a special boss level appears, with many having a light puzzle element to them. The bosses were interesting and looked great as well. In fact, the overall aesthetic of Dino Quake is very 16-bit, as is the music and sound. While Dino Quake controlled fine, there were a couple of times that controlling our dino felt a tiny bit stiff, although everything else felt great. Dino Quake is shaping up to be a great homage to the arcade games of yesteryear, and retro fans should be getting this on their wishlists.
