Jurassic Park is one of the most iconic film franchises of all time. And with that fame came decades of video game adaptations, some fun, some forgettable. But it wasn’t until 2018 that the series finally got the game it deserved. That’s when Frontier Developments, the team behind Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo, released Jurassic World Evolution. It was an instant success, a dinosaur park management game with style, polish, and enough nostalgia to bring fans back to Isla Nublar.

The sequel, Jurassic World Evolution 2, expanded on almost everything: better AI, more species, more diverse maps, and a deeper genetics system. But despite these technical upgrades, Jurassic World Evolution 2’s campaign and overall creativity felt like a step backwards. It played things too safely. And in the shadow of Frontier’s own titles like Planet Zoo, the flaws stood out even more. With Jurassic World Evolution 3 on the horizon, here’s what the sequel needs to get right.

Add more attractions

It should still feel like a theme park

Jurassic World Evolution 2 added some new buildings and improved the viewing systems, but beyond the zipline and basic gyrospheres, there really wasn't much that felt fresh. This is a park management game. Why are we still missing the core theme park elements?

Where are the riverboat tours, the Camp Cretaceous gondolas, or the baby dinosaur petting zoos we’ve seen in the movie? I mean, there aren't even amusement park rides like roller coasters or waterparks… And this is the same developer who made Planet Coaster! We have seen previews of the new building system in Jurassic World Evolution 3, which is exactly what fans wanted. But let's hope Frontier adds a lot more variety to their attractions, rides, and decorations to keep players interested.

We need more small exhibits

Make realistic enclosures for tiny dinosaurs

One of Planet Zoo’s smartest design decisions was its use of small exhibits you could place around your park. Perfect for snakes, frogs, and insects that don’t need huge custom habitats. Jurassic World Evolution 3 desperately needs something similar for its tiny dinosaurs.

Right now, species like Compsognathus and Microceratus are placed in massive enclosures alongside much larger dinosaurs, which doesn't make much sense. Guests can’t see them, players can’t manage them, and they would realistically escape through the fences within minutes. A modified version of Planet Zoo’s small exhibit system would solve this perfectly. Modular terrariums for micro-dinos could offer new gameplay possibilities, boost guest satisfaction, and add some much-needed diversity to the park layouts.

Make pathways more useful

Give us more to work with

Pathing in Jurassic World Evolution 2 took a bizarre step backward. Where the first game had a limited but acceptable set of paths, the sequel narrowed it down to two styles in three widths. It's a minor detail that has a major impact on the appearance of your park and feels unnecessarily restricted. Which is baffling given the creative freedom offered in Frontier’s other games.

But one thing we haven't seen is the ability to build stairs or create suspended pathways. This seems like a simple thing to include that could add major gameplay benefits. We could have had treetop canopy walks through sauropod exhibits or caged walking platforms going through the aviaries (like we see in the movies). A better pathing system could give players much more freedom when trying to increase dinosaur visibility in the park.

Give herbivores a fighting chance

Add better predation mechanics

One of the best parts of Jurassic World Evolution is making mixed-species enclosures. But one of the more frustrating (and immersion-breaking) issues in Jurassic World Evolution is how herbivores are treated during dinosaur battles. Despite the addition of infamy and permanent scars, there’s no real balance between carnivores and herbivores.

I understand the outcome of adding a herd of Gallimimus to the Tyrannosaurus Rex enclosure, but watching a single Velociraptor hunt a Brachiosaurus is just ridiculous. Give us a system where larger or more aggressive herbivores like Sauropods, Hadrosaurs, Ankylosaurs, and Ceratopsids stand a fighting chance in a mixed-species enclosure. The sequel needs a more nuanced combat system. Herbivores should have defensive or territorial behavior that lets them fight back, especially in herds.

Fix avian and aquatic dinosaurs

Third time's the charm?

The aquatic and avian systems introduced in the Dr. Wu DLC for Jurassic World Evolution were a cool addition, and Jurassic World Evolution 2 expanded on it, if only slightly. But aviaries still felt static and awkward. Pterosaurs barely interact with the environment, and they often hover aimlessly. And aquatic species like Mosasaurus look great, but feel disconnected from the rest of the park.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 has shown off its new water terrain tools, which we will be able to use with semiaquatic dinosaurs. I'm personally hoping that this feature will also extend to some of the smaller aquatic dinosaurs. We would probably still need the existing lagoon structure for bigger dinosaurs like the mosasaurus.

Improve terrain and foliage tools

Let players have full control over their parks

Jurassic World Evolution 2 made solid progress with terrain customization, raising land, flattening surfaces, and painting biomes. But it still falls short of the tools available in other Frontier games. And that’s a shame, because building great enclosures is half the fun of a park-sim game.

Why not let players place individual trees, shrubs, or rocks? Why is foliage still tied to a single biome paintbrush? The art assets already exist, so there might as well be an optional tab letting you use the assets individually. Jurassic World Evolution 3 has already teased better terrain tools, including waterfalls, cliffs, and detailed sculpting. That’s great. But it needs to go further. And give us the tools to properly detail our enclosures.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the franchise’s second chance

Jurassic World Evolution 2 was a solid step forward in many ways. But it also felt restrained. Frontier played it safe instead of evolving. Now, with Jurassic World Evolution 3 on the way, the team has another shot to get it right. Let’s just hope they don't play it safe this time.