Dinosaur Game: Chrome’s Hidden Offline Adventure

1. Introduction

The Dinosaur Game, also known as the Chrome Dino or T-Rex Runner, is a simple yet iconic browser game that appears in Google Chrome when there’s no internet connection. Developed by Google's UX team, this endless runner game features a cute pixelated T-Rex running through the desert—dodging obstacles and testing your reflexes, all without needing Wi-Fi.

2. How to Play

The Dinosaur Game activates automatically when you’re offline and try to open a webpage in Chrome. A gray screen with a pixel dinosaur and the message “No internet” will appear. To start playing:

• On desktop: Press the spacebar.

• On mobile: Tap the screen.

Once the game begins, your dinosaur starts running forward. Your objective is simple: jump over cacti and duck under flying pterodactyls to survive as long as possible.

Controls:

• Jump: Press the spacebar or tap the screen

• Duck (after 500 points): Press the down arrow key

3. Game Mechanics and Scoring

The Dinosaur Game is an endless runner, which means there’s no final level—only increasing speed and difficulty.

Key Mechanics:

• Speed gradually increases the longer you survive.

• The environment shifts between day and night as your score increases.

• Pterodactyls begin to appear after your score passes around 500 points.

• The score maxes out at 99,999 before resetting.

There are no power-ups, no coins—just your timing and reflexes.

4. Visual Style and Design

The Dinosaur Game uses a retro black-and-white pixel art style that gives it a nostalgic arcade feel. It’s clean, minimalist, and easy on the eyes—making it perfect for short, casual play sessions.

• The landscape features cacti, ground textures, clouds, and flying enemies.

• Transitions between day and night add variety to the look without changing gameplay.

5. Origin and Fun Facts

• The game was created in 2014 by Chrome's UX developers.

• Internally, it was nicknamed "Project Bolan", a reference to Marc Bolan, the lead singer of the band T. Rex.

• According to Google, the T-Rex was chosen because it's a funny metaphor for a time when the internet was "prehistoric"—aka unavailable.

• The code for the game is available in Chrome’s DevTools and is often used by developers for fun or experimentation.