Ah yes, the classic story of a perpetually hungry caveman on a quest to satisfy his belly. These classics from the early 90s – Prehistorik 2 in particular – were something else.
What if you wanted something with a similar vibe, but modern? Well, there are two games that you should check out.
The Charm of Prehistorik Classics
Prehistorik is a platformer classic all about running, jumping, and whacking all sorts of prehistoric beasts – dinosaurs included – with your trusty club, collecting all sorts of items along the way. Prehistorik 2 is particularly revered for its gameplay which does everything its predecessor did, but better.
And you can still pick up these classics on either Steam or GOG, but what if what you’re after is not the actual game, but its vibe? You’re in luck. While there aren’t many platformers with the whole “cavemen versus dinosaurs” and “Stone Age as it never happened” theme, there are two super fun games that you might love.
Jet Kave Adventure – A Modern Prehistorik
The first one is Jet Kave Adventure. Some people compare it to Donkey Kong instead, but this one totally has that “modern Prehistorik” feel. You play as Kave, a chieftain exiled by his own kin, and end up racing to save the world as you know it from impending doom. Turns out an alien crash-landed on Earth and what he wants to do is set off a volcanic eruption just to fix his ship. You stumble upon his jetpack, though, which is what you need to stop the space invader.
Utilizing your jetpack is obviously the key gameplay mechanic, but you also get to club them dinos, mastodons, and carnivorous plants to death, use your slingshot to snipe enemies and solve simple environmental puzzles, occasionally defeat some bosses and glide. You can also stock up on food to use it as a medkit if you need more health.
Jet Kave Adventure simply screams “yo, this is modern Prehistorik,” even though its gameplay is somewhat different – both game are platformers, though. It nails that comedic “cavemen vs. dinos vs. aliens” vibe and has a fantastic atmosphere.
It’s like playing a spiritual successor to Titus’ classic, though Jet Kave does its own thing. Its gameplay is elegant, not overly complicated, and the game’s not very difficult, either, meaning it’s a great entry point for aspiring platformer fans. Which is a good thing, considering the fact that Prehistorik, especially P2, is a pretty challenging title.
Primal Planet – A Darker Stone Age Adventure
OK, but what if you wanted the same theme, but more serious? Well, turns out there’s a game that does just that. It’s Primal Planet, a Metroidvania that has it all: cavemen, dinos, and aliens, coupled with pixel art aesthetics. It begins very much in the vein of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal.
Your family is attacked by a ferocious T-Rex, setting you on a quest to reunite with your loved ones. But wait, what are the aliens doing here? Primal Planet is a mix of Metroidvania-style platforming, survival, crafting, and exploring the world with your trusty Sinosauropteryx friend at your side.
There’s even a co-op mode, but be wary: player two controls the little dino, meaning they’ll have a very limited skill tree, meaning they won’t have as many options as the player controlling the caveman. This might be disappointing for those who expected both players to control a caveman with equal potential. Keep that in mind if you wanted to get this game strictly because it’s a co-op Metroidvania. Other than that, it’s a fun little game that feels like Prehistorik turned into a “serious” title.
Anyway, these are the two games that can scratch that Prehistorik itch without being a carbon copy of that classic platformer, but something unique, something doing its own thing. Don’t sleep on them!