Paw Patrol: Dino World review – A fun-loving adventure for young children

We’ve had more than half a dozen Paw Patrol games over the last several years, and now there’s a new one. Released to tie in with the cinema release of Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, Paw Patrol: Dino World sees the popular cartoon pups embark on an adventure to save an island filled with dinosaurs.

Jurassic Park this is not, however. Aimed at young children, this is a game free from peril (unless you count that scoundrel Mayor Humdinger) and rather than being ferocious beasts, the dinosaurs you meet here are as innocent at kittens, needing the dogs’ help to make them feel safe.

While Paw Patrol: Dino World is story driven, with a marker leading you from one mission to another, it is technically an open-world adventure, with plenty of reason for players to wander off the beaten path. There are plenty of collectibles to pick up, as well as hidden dinosaur eggs to be found. Exploring is optional, but it’s nice to have a reason to go back to the game once the story’s over and done with.

Each pup has a unique ability: Skye can glide over gaps, Marshall can use his hose to clean dirty objects, and Rubble can use his drill to break down rocks, for example. You’ll need to frequently switch between dogs to utilise all of these abilities to solve missions and to get around the island. Switching can be a little tiresome and it would be nice if you’d auto-switch to the correct pup, but it’s at least seamless to do, with a simple press of circle/B to bring up a menu of all available pups. It’s also not immediately obvious what dog you need if you’re not familiar with their abilities – but wait a few seconds and an audio cue will point you in the right direction.

Switching pups and using their ability is as difficult as anything gets in Paw Patrol: Dino World. Developer 3DClouds has done a good job in ensuring this is simple and accessible for all age groups, and I anticipate children as young as three or four will have no problem getting to grips with the game, as long as they’re versed in holding a controller. You can run on foot or switch to a vehicle on the fly, and the only time you’ll ever “fail” is if you miss a jump and fall of a ledge. There’s no failstate or ‘game over’ screen to be found here.

With characters in the game being fully voiced, it’s easy for the whole family to enjoy, too. Young children don’t need to worry about needing to read subtitles to understand what’s going on, and parents can keep up with the story even if they aren’t the ones playing. A co-op mode means you can even join in with your little one if you want, or let them enjoy the experience with siblings or friends.

Considering that it’s aimed at young children, Paw Patrol: Dino World is a sizeable game, with four distinct areas to explore, each having their own dinosaurs and collectibles to find. Given that children can go at their own pace, exploring at their own will, I’d expect most players to get upwards of 12 hours or more of fun out of this, which isn’t bad going for a ~£35 release. For Paw Patrol fans, then, consider this a game very much worth owning – particularly if your little one is into dinosaurs too.