Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues

Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues (also known as Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues) is a 1995 video game and a non-canonical continuation of the Jurassic Park series, developed and published by Ocean Software for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues was originally scheduled for release in December 1994,^[1] but was ultimately released in January 1995.^[2] A Game Boy version, with a different storyline, was released in February 1995.^[3]

Gameplay

SNES version

BioSyn's leaders plot their attack

The SNES version features a cinematic opening explaining that the main competitor of InGen, BioSyn, is sending in troops and scientists in an attempt to gain control of Isla Nublar for their own purposes.

The SNES instruction booklet indicates that John Hammond, the head of InGen, planned to reopen Jurassic Park and had sent a heavily armed team to assess the island after the initial incident there. According to the booklet, Hammond's team was overrun by dinosaurs. The booklet states that following BioSyn's invasion, Hammond has personally asked Dr. Alan Grant to stop BioSyn, because of his familiarity with the island and its dinosaurs. Hammond has authorized a tactical sergeant named Michael Wolfskin to accompany Grant. Hammond requests that Grant not harm the expensive animals, except for the dangerous tyrannosaur and velociraptors.^[4]

Blockade mission, with Grant alone

Jurassic Park 2 is a side-scrolling run and gun game. The player controls Grant, while an optional second player controls Wolfskin. The player can select a level from a list and play through the game's stages in any order; however, "emergency" missions also appear after each level is completed, and the order of these stages does not change. Some stages offer a simple flat design, some have a platforming focus and others feature a maze of doorways which must be navigated to locate the exit.

The player can choose among three lethal weapons (rifle, machine gun, shotgun), and three non-lethal weapons (electric stun gun, tranquilizer gun, and gas grenade launcher). The lethal rounds are effective against humans and dinosaurs, while the non-lethal rounds are designed to incapacitate dinosaurs without killing them, so as to preserve InGen's investment; if the number of dinosaurs killed with lethal weapons by the player becomes too high, the game will end. Non-lethal rounds do not affect humans, while killing raptors with lethal rounds will not affect the number of dinosaurs killed.^[4]

Game Boy version

Biosyn is not featured in the Game Boy version. The player controls Grant, whose vehicle at Jurassic Park has stopped functioning as the result of an intentional power outage. Grant moves through a rain forest and later takes a raft down a river, where he encounters aquatic reptiles. Grant ultimately reaches Jurassic Park's headquarters, where most of the power remains off.^[3]

The Game Boy version is also a side-scroller, played across four zones on different parts of the island.^[3][5] A common quest requires the player to collect magnetic card keys to open security gates.^[3] Enemies include raptors and pterosaurs.^[3][5] The game also features several boss enemies,^[5] including a Triceratops.^[3]

Additionally, the game features a stage in which Grant must flee a Tyrannosarus rex.^[3][5] Obstacles such as fire and spikes must also be avoided.^[3][5] First-aid kits can be collected to replenish the player's health, while identification cards can be collected for bonus points.^[5]

Reception

Only one of Electronic Gaming Monthly's four reviewers was impressed with the SNES version of the game. The other three expressed disappointment that the series had turned from the adventure gameplay of the original to a generic run-and-gun with repetitive missions and drab graphics. Despite this, they scored it a 7 out of 10.^[6] Though they praised the audio, GamePro likewise dismissed the game as having drab graphics and over-familiar run-and-gun gameplay, concluding "you've seen this type of game play in a hundred other games; unfortunately, nothing new is added here to improve upon mediocrity."^[7]

Next Generation magazine gave the SNES version an "Average" rating of two stars out of five and praised its graphics, sound and introduction opening, but noted, "The action, no matter what the situation, ultimately waters down to the usual 'run-and-shoot' cash-cow."^[8] Super Play magazine also commented on the lack of freshness to the gameplay, but gave the game an 83% and noted the difficulty level, calling it "tough."^[9] VideoGames rated the SNES version 6 out of 10 and called it, "Yet another tarnished jewel on the Jurassic Park franchise crown". The magazine praised the sound and music, but criticized the game for "boring adventures" and "screens that begin to look a bit too familiar level after level. The graphics are pretty cool, but that doesn't save this game from being a sustained exercise in tedium."^[10]

Nintendo Power praised the SNES version for including a two-player option, and complimented the sound effects and music, but criticized it for, "Unbalanced play. (Some basic enemies are virtually impossible to destroy while others are simple.) Weapons have little stopping power."^[2] Nintendo Power praised the Game Boy version for its "Good play control" and "Good music," and wrote that "in some ways," it was better than its SNES counterpart. However, Nintendo Power criticized it for having no Super Game Boy features and for not being challenging enough.^[3]

References