Tom Mason’s Dinosaurs for Hire is a quintessential 16-bit run-and-gun shooter that perfectly encapsulates the "extreme" attitude of the early 1990s comic book scene. Developed by Sega of America’s Deep Water team, the game casts players as a group of well-armed mercenary dinosaurs—Archie, Lorenzo, and Reese—tasked with stopping a global threat through sheer ballistic force. Heavily inspired by the mechanics of the Contra series, the gameplay focuses on multi-directional shooting, explosive power-ups, and massive, screen-filling boss encounters that push the Genesis hardware to its limits.
Visually, the game stands out with its bold, comic-accurate sprites and vibrant color palettes that deviate from the grittier aesthetic of many contemporary shooters. Each of the three playable characters offers a slightly different feel, though the core loop remains centered on frantic projectile dodging and constant firing. While it occasionally suffers from slowdown when the action becomes particularly congested, the sheer variety of the levels—ranging from urban jungles to subterranean labs—keeps the momentum high. The inclusion of two-player cooperative play is where the title truly shines, turning the screen into a chaotic ballet of laser fire and prehistoric scales.
Despite being a licensed title, Dinosaurs for Hire avoids many of the pitfalls common to the genre by leaning heavily into its satirical tone and solid mechanical foundation. It doesn't quite reach the technical mastery found in Treasure's Gunstar Heroes, but it remains a highly entertaining and overlooked gem in the Mega Drive's extensive action library. It serves as a loud, proud reminder of a time when licensed properties were allowed to be weird, violent, and genuinely fun.
