DinoTrux, the Netflix original cartoon from DreamWorks Animation and the mind of Chris Gall, is one of our family’s favorites, so when the Dinotrux: Trux It Up! app was announced, we downloaded it immediately!
For any fans of the show, the intro is well-known and loved. The cast of Dinotrux–Ty, Dozer, Garby, Skya, Ton-ton, and Revvit, work together to build the show’s logo while the theme song plays. The theme of working together is central to the show and is exactly what the game is all about.
The Game
The main goal is to use the four Dinotrux to work together to build the logo, just like in the show’s intro. The game walks the player through how the way each Dinotrux works and what steps they perform.
Ty breaks big boulders out of the mountain with his wrecking ball, and then throws them over to Dozer.
Dozer uses his jackhammer tail to break the boulders into smaller rocks. Then he uses his shovel head to push them down the cliff to Garby.
Garby eats the rocks until his tummy is full (there is a tummy progress bar as well as tell-tale gas cloud that comes out of his back-end), at which point he “dumps” cubed blocks down a ramp to Skya.
Skya then lifts those blocks to form a base for the letters spelling out Dinotrux. As the player progresses through the game, the letters are earned one by one by getting stars for completing actions enough times.
In addition to the base actions each Dinotrux performs, they also will run out of fuel after working hard. This is where Ton-ton comes in. He is used to pick up fuel and deliver it to each Dinotrux when they need more.
There are also four mini-games in the app. The Revvit mini-game is completely standalone. Players tap flying dragonflies for Revvit to snatch up with his tape measure tongue–get enough and earn stars to also help earn letters.
The other three mini-games pop-up when a Dinotrux breaks down. One is a scratch and dent game. Clean off the mud and junk, spray on a new coat of paint, and off they go. Another requires the player to move a reptool up a conveyor belt, presumably inside the Dinotrux, to pick up screws and bolts that have rattled lose while avoiding rocks. Pickup enough, and the Dinotrux is repaired, take too long or don’t get enough before reaching the end of the belt, and start over. The last mini game involves re-bolting on panels to the Dinotrux. There are four possible bolt shapes, so the player must match the right bolt with the right bolt hole before screwing them on.
The Verdict
My son is three-years-old, loves Dinotrux, and loves this game. He was able to do almost everything successfully himself. He did need help on a couple of things–the mini-game with the reptool requires using controls on either side of the app to move the reptool left and right. He hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. Also, Dozer, Garby, and Ton-ton all move the same way–tap and hold where you want them to go and they drive towards your finger. He had a hard time not trying to swipe them where he wanted them to go so they would start and stop a lot. He’s getting the hang of it now, but it’s something to watch out for.
Dinotrux: Trux It Up! is available for $3.99 from the iTunes store. There are no in-app purchases or advertising which is always a huge bonus for kids games. If your family enjoys Dinotrux, it’s definitely worth the price. Even though my son “finished” the game, he still asks to play it multiple times a day!
GeekDad also has two codes for free copies of the game! Use the form below to be entered to win. Winners will be selected on Friday, June 24th at 5pm Pacific Time.
Note: I received Dinotrux: Trux It Up! for review purposes but all thoughts and opinions above are my own.
