Despite the fact that it was originally created to be played without an internet connection, the dino game has become one of the most popular and cherished games on the internet. The game pays homage to the prehistoric past, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and humanity had not yet developed technology. The game's pixelated look is based on Google Chrome's error graphics, which depict a dinosaur when there is no connection. The game's makers want to provide a pleasant and interesting method for users to pass the time while waiting for their internet to reconnect. They also aimed to make the game as simple and accessible as possible, allowing anyone to play it on any device or browser.
The game's primary character is a T-Rex dinosaur, one of the most iconic and well-known dinosaurs in popular culture. The T-Rex also refers to Marc Bolan, the lead singer of the iconic 1970s rock band T-Rex. The game's makers are admirers of the band, thus they gave it the codename "Project Bolan" throughout development. The T-Rex dinosaur races across a desert landscape that replicates the prehistoric environment in which dinosaurs lived millions of years before. The desert has a minimalist and retro appearance that complements the game's overall design.
The goal of the game is to survive for as long as possible while avoiding obstacles along the route. Cacti and pterodactyls, prehistoric species that coexisted with dinosaurs, are among the hurdles. The cactus are immobile and can be avoided by hopping over them with the spacebar or the up arrow keys. Pterodactyls fly through the air and can be avoided by ducking beneath them with the down arrow key. On mobile devices, pressing the screen causes the dinosaur to jump, whereas holding down causes it to duck. The game has no additional controls or features, making it simple to understand and play.
The game becomes more tough as the player goes. The dinosaur's speed and the number of obstacles rise steadily, making it more difficult to respond and escape them. The game also features a day-night cycle, with the background color changing from light to dark every 700 points. This provides diversity and complexity to the game by influencing the visibility and contrast of the obstacles. The game has no levels or checkpoints, so every time the player starts a new game, they must start from beginning. The only reward for playing the game is a high score, which appears in the upper right corner of the screen. The score is dependent on the distance the player has ran in meters. The game's maximum score is 99999 meters, which is extremely difficult to achieve even for expert players. Once this score is obtained, the game resets to 0 meters.
The game was first released in September 2014 as an easter egg in Google Chrome 39. An easter egg is a hidden feature or joke that can be unlocked by doing a specified activity or inputting a specific code. In this example, the easter egg can be found by entering "chrome://dino" into the browser's address bar or by seeing a dinosaur icon when there is no internet connection. The indicator shows on a page labeled "There is no Internet connection" or "Unable to connect to the Internet". The user can start the game by using the spacebar or tapping the icon. When there is an internet connection, type "chrome://dino" in the address bar to launch the game in a full window. The game is compatible with any Google Chrome-enabled device or browser, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The game is also compatible with other operating systems, including Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS. The game is also playable online on numerous websites that host it.
The game was built by three Google Chrome developers: Edward Jung, Sebastien Gabriel, and Alan Bettes. They are members of the Chrome UX (user experience) team, which designs and improves Google Chrome's interface and functionality. They came up with the game idea after witnessing how many people become frustrated and bored when their internet connection failed.