''Dino-Riders'' is an animated television series that first aired in 1988. ''Dino-Riders'' was primarily a promotional show to launch a new Tyco toy line.
Only fourteen episodes were produced, three of which were produced on VHS for the United States. The show aired in the U.S. as part of the ''

Marvel Action Universe ''Marvel Action Universe'' was a 1988–1991 weekly syndicated television block from Marvel Productions featuring animated adaptions of '' Dino-Riders'' and ''RoboCop'', along with reruns of the 1981 ''Spider-Man'' cartoon and ''Spider-Man and H ...

'' programming block. The series focuses on the battle between the heroic Valorians and the evil Rulon Alliance on prehistoric Earth. The Valorians were a superhuman race, while the Rulons comprised several breeds of humanoids (ants, crocodiles, snakes, and sharks were the most common). Both races came from the future but were transported back in time to the age of

dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...

s. Once on Earth, the Valorians befriended dinosaurs, while the Rulons brainwashed them. Ownership of the series passed to

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

in 2001 when Disney acquired

Fox Kids Worldwide ABC Family Worldwide is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Television that is responsible for the operations of the U.S. cable network Freeform. The company was originally formed as International Family Entertainment, a spin-off of the Christian Broad ...

, which also includes

Marvel Productions New World Animation Ltd., formerly known as Marvel Productions, was the television and film studio subsidiary of the Marvel Entertainment Group, based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It later became a subsidiary of ...

. The series is not available on

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...

Overview

The Valorians were a species of peaceful humanoids who lived on the planet Valoria until they were invaded by the predatory Rulons. A group of Valorians lead by Questar attempted to escape the Rulon invasion using a spaceship equipped with their "Space Time Energy Projector" (S.T.E.P.); however, something went wrong. They were sent back in time and space, to the planet Earth 65 million years back to the age of the dinosaurs. Unknown to them, the Rulon flagship, the ''Dreadlock'', locked in with a

tractor beam A tractor-beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. The concept originates in fiction: The term was coined by E. E. Smith (an update of his earlier "attractor-beam") in his novel ''Spacehounds of IPC'' (19 ...

, was also sent back through time when the S.T.E.P. was activated. After successfully landing on prehistoric Earth, the Valorians used their AMP ("Amplified Mental Projector") necklaces to telepathically communicate with the dinosaurs they encountered and eventually befriended them. On the other hand, the Rulons - led by the warlord Krulos - used brainwashing devices known as brain-boxes to control dinosaurs for their own needs. The Rulons then launched an attack on the Valorians, who called upon their dinosaur friends to assist them in fighting back. After ultimately defeating the Rulons, the Valorians renamed themselves ''Dino-Riders''. In regard to the dinosaur (and other animal) species present, the series is extremely

anachronistic An anachronism (from the Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time periods. The most common type ...

, showing late

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

species like ''

Tyrannosaurus rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...

'' alongside species from earlier eras such as dinosaurs from the

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

, and

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...

, including the

Permian The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...

genus ''

Dimetrodon ''Dimetrodon'' ( or ,) meaning "two measures of teeth,” is an extinct genus of non-mammalian synapsid that lived during the Cisuralian (Early Permian), around 295–272 million years ago (Mya). It is a member of the family Sphenacodontid ...

'', which lived 200 million years earlier, before dinosaurs existed. It also show several

Ice Age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...

animals such as the

Woolly Mammoth The woolly mammoth (''Mammuthus primigenius'') is an extinct species of mammoth that lived during the Pleistocene until its extinction in the Holocene epoch. It was one of the last in a line of mammoth species, beginning with '' Mammuthus subp ...

and the

Smilodon ''Smilodon'' is a genus of the extinct machairodont subfamily of the felids. It is one of the most famous prehistoric mammals and the best known saber-toothed cat. Although commonly known as the saber-toothed tiger, it was not closely related ...

, living alongside

Archaeotherium ''Archaeotherium'' ( grc, αρχαιοθήριον, meaning "ancient beast") is an extinct genus of entelodont artiodactyl endemic to North America during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs (35—28 mya), existing for approximately . ''Archa ...

, which lived during the

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...

16 million years before the Ice Age. Plus, it shows

Neanderthal Neanderthals (, also ''Homo neanderthalensis'' and erroneously ''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis''), also written as Neandertals, are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. While th ...

s coexisting with Smilodon, and the

Megatherium ''Megatherium'' ( ; from Greek () 'great' + () 'beast') is an extinct genus of ground sloths endemic to South America that lived from the Early Pliocene through the end of the Pleistocene. It is best known for the elephant-sized type species ' ...

which lived in North and South America, while Neanderthals lived in Eurasia.

Characters

Valorians

The Valorians are a race of superhumans from the planet Valoria who were renamed as the Dino-Riders and the main protagonists of the series. * Questar (voiced by

Dan Gilvezan Daniel John Gilvezan (born October 26, 1950) is an American actor, known for playing Peter Parker / Spider-Man in the 1981 animated series, ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'' and Bumblebee in the original 1984-1987 '' The Transformers'' seri ...

) – The leader of the Valorians who is strong-willed and courageous.
* Mind-Zei (voiced by

Peter Cullen Peter Claver Cullen (born July 28, 1941) is a Canadian voice actor. He is best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the original 1980s ''Transformers'' animated series, reprising the role many times since 2007. He has also voiced many other c ...

) – A blind elderly warrior with a sixth-sense for detecting people around him, and who's an expert at hand-to-hand combat. He offers advice to Questar and is also Serena's grandfather. * Yungstar (voiced by Joe Colligan) – Young and eager for action, is prone to letting pride get in his way. He rides a ''

Deinonychus ''Deinonychus'' ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, ''Deinonychus antirrhopus''. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million ye ...

'' and flies a

Quetzalcoatlus ''Quetzalcoatlus'' is a genus of pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous period of North America (Maastrichtian stage); its members were among the largest known flying animals of all time. ''Quetzalcoatlus'' is a member of the Azhdarchidae, ...

in later episodes. * Serena (voiced by Noelle North) – Able to heal other beings and can sense when someone is in trouble. She is also the granddaughter of Mind-Zei. * Turret (voiced by

Charlie Adler Charles Michael Adler (born October 2, 1956) is an American voice actor and voice director. He is known for his roles as Buster Bunny on ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Ed and Bev Bighead on ''Rocko's Modern Life'' and Ickis on ''Aaahh!!! Real Monst ...

) – A

technician A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skill and technique, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Specialisation The term technician covers many different speciali ...

and

scientist A scientist is a person who conducts Scientific method, scientific research to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, ...

. Turret is in charge of the S.T.E.P. crystal. * Llahd (voiced by

Stephen Dorff Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr. (born July 29, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Roland West in the third season of HBO's crime drama anthology series ''True Detective'', PK in '' The Power of One'', Stuart Sutcliffe in ''Backbe ...

) – The youngest of the Dino-Riders. * Gunnur (voiced by

) – A hardened war veteran and high-ranking official who often helps train other Dino-Riders. * Tagg (voiced by

Wally Burr Walter Story Burr (June 2, 1924 – July 9, 2017), also credited as Wally Burr and Walter Burr, was an American voice actor and director. As the voice director for '' The Transformers'' and '' The Transformers: The Movie'', Burr was known for h ...

) – A mid-level official who also helps instructs in the training of the Dino-Riders. He rides a

Pachycephalosaurus ''Pachycephalosaurus'' (; meaning "thick-headed lizard", from Greek ''pachys-/'' "thick", ''kephale/'' "head" and ''sauros/'' "lizard") is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs. The type species, ''P. wyomingensis'', is the only known species, ...

. * Ikon (voiced by

Cam Clarke Cam Clarke is an American voice actor, known for his work in animation, video games and commercials. Among his notable roles are Leonardo and Rocksteady in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated series, Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 ...

) – A

statistician A statistician is a person who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. It is common to combine statistical knowledge with expertise in other subjects, and statisticians may wor ...

as well as a pragmatist. Ikon is one of Questar's top advisors. He possesses a staff that allows him to answer Questar's questions almost instantly. * Vector (voiced by

) – Vector is one of Questar's top advisors. He is a

general contractor A general contractor, main contractor or prime contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout the course of ...

who has a computerized wrist strap that allows him to assess projects that need carried out such as camp expansion and infrastructure repair. * Aero (voiced by

) – The competitive rival of Yungstar. He flies a

and can maneuver it better than anyone. * Tark - A high-ranking Dino-Rider official. Questar would often consult with Tark on a number of important matters, his years of experience, and his vast amount of knowledge has earned him respect from his peers. * Ayce – He usually teaches training and equipment familiarization classes. * Aries – Aries is a young warrior who is frequently unsure of himself and is always seeking guidance from the other Valorians. He mainly mans the artillery of the

Diplodocus ''Diplodocus'' (, , or ) was a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs, whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The generic name, coined by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1878, is a neo-Latin term derived from Greek διπ� ...

. * Neutrino – He assists in various training courses. Although much of Neutrino's time is spent training others, Neutrino is more than capable on the battlefield.

Commandos

The Commandos are a special forces military unit within the Dino-Riders. * Astra (voiced by

Townsend Coleman Townsend Coleman is an American voice actor who has performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo from ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Wayne Gretzky on '' ProSta ...

) – A hardened war veteran and leader of the Commandos. Formerly a teacher at the Valorian University and once counted Questar as a student. * Bomba (voiced by

) – An explosives expert who is utilized to make clearings or remove obstacles. * Kameelian (voiced by

Rob Paulsen Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and three Anni ...

) – Specializes in surveillance and reconnaissance. Kameelian is a master of disguise. * Glyde (voiced by

Frank Welker Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American voice actor. He began his career in the 1960s, and holds over 860 film, television, and video game credits as of 2022, making him one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. With ...

) – Aerial reconnaissance and artillery cover. Uses a glider to navigate through the air. * Faze (voiced by

) – Artillery expert. * Rok – Expert in crossing rocky terrain such as mountains.

Cro-Magnons

The Valorians have also made allies with a tribe of

Cro-Magnon Early European modern humans (EEMH), or Cro-Magnons, were the first early modern humans (''Homo sapiens'') to settle in Europe, migrating from Western Asia, continuously occupying the continent possibly from as early as 56,800 years ago. They ...

s. Among the known Cro-Magnons are: * Zar (voiced by

) – Leader of a clan of Cro-Magnons. He leads his clan against the evil Neanderthals of Grom and refuses to succumb to his powers like the other tribes before him. * Kub (voiced by

Ike Eisenmann Ike Eisenmann (born July 21, 1962) is a former American actor, producer, and sound effects specialist who has been active in the entertainment industry since childhood. Early life and education Eisenmann was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Rut ...

) – A young but courageous Cro-Magnon who lost his father during an earlier attack by Grom. He helps the Valorians in their fight with the Rulons ever since going with them to the past to reunite with the Dino-Riders. * Maya (voiced by Liz Georges) – Maya is a compassionate Cro-Magnon who is the Cro-Magnon equivalent of Serena as she is the healer of the tribe.

Rulons

The Rulons are a race of aliens that are the enemies of the Valorians and the main antagonists of the series. *

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Krulos (voiced by

) – The evil leader of the Rulons who rules them with fear. Krulos is a

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

-like humanoid creature in an armored suit who seeks world domination. He mostly uses a

Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...

when going into battle. * Rasp (voiced by

) – Rasp is a cobra-like creature who is the leader of the Viper group and Krulos' second-in-command. Rasp always tries to usurp Krulos's place while keeping Hammerhead and Antor from trying to take his status. * Hammerhead (voiced by

) – Hammerhead is a

hammerhead shark The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a cephalofoil. Most hammerhe ...

-like creature who is the leader of the Sharkmen and one of Krulos' top generals. Hammerhead usually vies with Rasp and Antor for second-in-command status. * Antor (voiced by

) – Antor is an

ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...

-like creature who is the leader of the Antmen and one of Krulos' generals. Antor usually vies with Hammerhead and Rasp for second-in-command status. * Krok (voiced by

) – A

crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to inclu ...

-like creature and one of Krulos' generals. He is entirely obedient to Krulos and focuses on serving his master rather than getting involved in the petty-squabbling in which his fellow generals engage. * Skate (voiced by

) – Skate is a

manta ray Manta rays are large rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, '' M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, '' M. alfredi'', reaches . Both have triangular Pectoral fin#AnchPect ...

-like creature who is a low-ranking official of the Rulons. * Lokus (voiced by

) – Lokus is a

locust Locusts (derived from the Vulgar Latin ''locusta'', meaning grasshopper) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstanc ...

-like creature who is a low-ranking official of the Rulons. * Algar - A crocodile-like creature. * Buzz - A locust-like creature. * Dedeye - A member of the Viper Group. * Demon - An Antman. * Drone - An Antman. * Fang - A member of the Viper Group. * Finn - A Sharkman. * Fire - An Antman. * Gill - A Sharkman. * Gorr - A crocodile-like creature. * Gutz - A crocodile-like creature. * Kraw - A crocodile-like creature. * Mako - A Sharkman. * Pox - A locust-like creature. * Rattlar - A member of the Viper Group. * Rayy - A manta ray-like creature. * Sidewinder - A member of the Viper Group. * Six-Gill - A Sharkman. * Skwirm - A member of the Viper Group. * Sludj - A manta ray-like creature. * Snarrl - A crocodile-like creature. * Squish - A locust-like creature. * Sting - An Antman. * Termite - An Antman.

Neanderthals

Zar's tribe of Cro-Magnons have been at war with a rogue tribe of

s. Among the known Neanderthals are: * Grom (voiced by

Jack Angel Jack Angel (October 24, 1930 – October 18, 2021) was an American voice actor, comedian, and radio personality. He provided voice-overs for animation and video games. Angel had voiced characters in shows by Hasbro and Hanna-Barbera such as '' S ...

) – Grom is the leader of a deadly clan of Neanderthals who seeks to control or annihilate all neighboring tribes. He has ruled his tribe for years and has struck fear into the hearts of many rival Neanderthal tribes. Following the fight against the Dino-Riders, Grom was accidentally pulled back to the Dino-Riders' time and runs off to join the Rulons.

Episodes

The ''Dino-Riders'' series consisted of a single season of 14 episodes. The first two episodes were produced for release on VHS as standalone specials, the first in 1987 and the second in 1988. Also in 1988, the series transitioned to television, with a further 11 episodes being produced and added to the specials to create a standard season's worth of 13 episodes. Lastly, in 1990, an additional VHS special was produced to promote the new range of "Ice Age" figures, released as "Ice Age Adventure" (but with the on-screen title "Dino-Riders in the Ice Age"). Below is a list of each episode along with the date it first aired.

Cast

Charles Adler Charles Adler may refer to: * Charles Adler (broadcaster) (born 1954), Canadian broadcaster * Charlie Adler (born 1956), American voice actor * Frederick Charles Adler (1889–1959), usually known as F. Charles Adler, English-German conductor * ...

– Turret, Hammerhead, Lokus *

– Grom (in "Ice Age Adventure") *

S. Scott Bullock Stuart Scott Bullock is an American voice actor. Best known for voicing various characters on ‘’Danny Phantom’’ (2004-2007). Career Bullock is known for providing voices for characters, such as Eddy in the ''Barnyard'' franchise, Glow ...

– *

– Narrator, Tagg *

– Aero, Ikonn, Krok *

– Astra (in "Ice Age Adventure"), Zar (in "Ice Age Adventure") * Joe Colligan – Yungstar *

– Gunnur, Antor, Mind-Zei, Bomba (in "Ice Age Adventure") * Shawn Donahue *

– Llahd *

– Kub (in "Ice Age Adventure") * Liz Georges – Maya (in "Ice Age Adventure") *

– Questar, Vector * Noelle North – Serena *

– Faze, Kameelian *

Patrick Pinney Patrick Cullen Pinney (born June 30, 1952) is an American television, film and voice actor. Early life, family and education Pinney was born in San Francisco County, California. His mother's maiden name is his middle name. He attended college a ...

– *

– Emperor Krulos, Rasp, Glyde

Crew

– Voice Director * Stephen Hahn - Director (eps 1,14) * Ray Lee - Supervising Director (eps 2–13) * Kayte Kuch, Larry Parr, Sheryl Scarborough - Story Editors

Toys

In total, there were four series of Dino-Riders toys: ''Series 1'' (1988), ''Series 2'' (1989), ''Series 3'' and ''Ice Age'' (1990). The ''Ice Age'' line focused on

Ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...

mammals rather than dinosaurs. The larger toys in the range also had a motorized walking action with the dinosaur's head swaying from side to side. Each Rulon faction toy came with a different self-automated trap. The dinosaurs were acclaimed for their highly detailed bodies and color, and impressed the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

, who contacted Tyco to reproduce the dinosaurs (without the motorized mechanisms and wheels) for their "Dinosaur and other Prehistoric Reptile Collection". Dinosaur illustrator

William Stout William Stout (born September 18, 1949) is an American fantasy artist and illustrator with a specialization in paleoart, paleontological art. His paintings have been shown in over seventy exhibitions, including twelve one-man shows. He has worke ...

was credited for dinosaur design on the show's credits. Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker was hired as a consultant.

Series 1 (1988)

The release of the first series of Dino-Riders toys was timed to coincide with the cartoon series on television. It initially consisted of 5 Valorian and 6 Rulon toys, along with eight 2-figure packs. A sixth Valorian toy,

Torosaurus ''Torosaurus'' ("perforated lizard", in reference to the large openings in its frill) is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Cretaceous period, between 68 and 66 million years ago, th ...

, would be released at the end of the series. The ''

'', Torosaurus, ''

Tyrannosaurus Rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...

'', and ''

Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivore, herbivorous Chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine Ceratopsidae, ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 68 m ...

'' all had motorized walking mechanisms. Action figures * Questar / Krulos * Proto / Rattlar * Orion / Six-Gill * Mind-Zei / Fire * Quark / Finn * Nova / Demon * Mercury / Fang * Boldar / Termite

Series 2 (1989)

The second series of Dino-Rider toys consisted of 7 new Valorian toys and 3 new Rulons, along with eight more 2-figure packs as well as 6 "Commandos". The Commandos consisted of a human figure with unique weapons and accessories. The most notable toy from this series was the ''

Brontosaurus ''Brontosaurus'' (; meaning "thunder lizard" from Greek , "thunder" and , "lizard") is a genus of gigantic quadruped sauropod dinosaurs. Although the type species, ''B. excelsus'', had long been considered a species of the closely related ''A ...

'', which was the largest toy in the entire range, measuring 34 inches long and 15 inches tall. In an effort to keep costs down, Tyco had to abandon several features that were originally intended to be part of the figure. These included motorized walking action, four figures instead of three, and an entirely different weapons system. The ''

Stegosaurus ''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been foun ...

'' toy had motorized walking action, while the ''

'' and ''

Saurolophus ''Saurolophus'' (; meaning "lizard crest") is a genus of large hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of Asia and North America, that lived in what is now the Horseshoe Canyon and Nemegt formations about 70 million to 68 million ...

'' both had a mechanism that allowed their bodies to thrust from a horizontal position with their tail in the air into a vertical position with their tail on the ground. Action figures * Questar / Krulos * Serena / Skwirm * Yungstar / Dedeye * Mind-Zei / Sludj * Hondo / Drone * Ursus / Snarrl * Neutrino / Poxx * Graff / Kraw

Series 3 (1990)

The third series of Dino-Riders toys was split into two assortments: 3 new dinosaurs for the regular series and 4 prehistoric mammals for the new "Ice Age" concept. The dinosaur sets are among the rarest of the entire range due to a limited production run. The ''Quetzalcoatlus'', originally released as a Valorian in ''Series 1'', was re-released as a Rulon with a new yellow and spotted black paint scheme. The ''

Pachyrhinosaurus ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' (meaning in Greek "thick-nosed lizard", from ' (), thick; ' (), nose; and (), lizard) is an extinct genus of centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of North America. The first examples were discove ...

'' had motorized walking action.

Ice Age

The Ice Age subline was unique in that all of the animals produced belonged to the Valorian faction and, with the rest of the ''Series 3'', are very hard to find. This line also included six more 2-figure packs. The

, the largest figure in the range, had motorized walking action. Action figures * Onk / Buzz * Tor / Gorr * Urg / Rayy * Agga / Gill * Ecco / Squish * Wizz / Gutz

Rulon Warriors Battle Pack (2020)

In 2020, Mattel released an Entertainment Earth exclusive battle pack, called the Rulon Warriors Battle Pack, modeled after Army Men. The kit, designed for children aged 6 and up, is described as: "It's the heroic Valorians versus the evil Rulon Alliance in this exciting Dino-Riders Rulon Warriors Battle Pack - Entertainment Earth Exclusive. Recreate epic battle sequences inspired by the 1980s toy line and ''Dino-Riders'' animated series or create your own new adventures! This special edition collection contains 6 dinosaurs and 15 other figures, including such classic characters as Rulon leader Krulos, Bitor, Boldar, and Dino-Riders hotshot Llahd. Whether you're discovering ''Dino-Riders'' for the first time or you've been a fan since you were a kid, you do not want to miss this sensational opportunity to Harness the Power of Dinosaurs! Each figure measure approximately 1-inch tall and the dinos measure approximately up to 7-inches long"
Entertainment Earth

Comics

Apart from the miniature comics included with each of the

toys,

Marvel Marvel may refer to: Business * Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company ** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment ** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe ** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics ...

released a 3-part miniseries of ''Dino-Rider'' comics. The comics' storylines were considered to be much darker than the cartoon, sometimes focusing on conflicts between the Valorians. For instance, one storyline involves Questar being accused of murdering his jealous, scheming brother, Tark. The first comic book issue, "The Path", was released in February 1989 and was 23 pages long. A ''Dino-Riders Annual'' was later released as a hardcover book that contained both the first and second issues in one collection.

Film adaptation

In October 2015, Tracking Board reported that Mattel has teamed with Solipsist Film to develop a live action Dino-Riders movie with Alissa Phillips and Stephen L’Heureux producing. As of 2018, there is no indication in the media that the film is going forward.

In other media

* In addition to the toys and comics, there were a number of other products released during the ''Dino-Riders'' run on television. These were primarily child-oriented products such as colouring books, puzzles, and crayons, but also included clothing, kites, stickers, and costumes. Tyco also released a number of Super Dough play sets. * Rex, the dinosaur toy (voiced by

Wallace Shawn Wallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor, playwright, and essayist. His film roles include Wally Shawn (a fictionalized version of himself) in '' My Dinner with Andre'' (1981), Vizzini in ''The Princess Bride'' (1987), ...

) from the ''Toy Story'' movies, is based on the Dino-Riders Tyrannosaurus toy. In

the first film ''The First Film'' is a 2015 British documentary film about cinema pioneer Louis Le Prince, made by David Nicholas Wilkinson. It argues the case that Le Prince, rather than the Lumière brothers, was the true inventor of moving pictures, making ...

when the toys all met

Buzz Lightyear Buzz Lightyear is the main character in the ''Toy Story'' franchise created by Disney and Pixar mainly voiced by Tim Allen. He is a Superhero toy action figure based on the in-universe media franchise consisting of a blockbuster feature fi ...

and talking out where they came from, Rex says, "And I'm from

Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...

, Well, I'm not actually from Mattel, I'm actually from a smaller company that was purchased in a leveraged buy-out", this is a reference to Mattel's acquisition of Tyco. * In the ''

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...

'' cartoon episode " Imaginationland Episode III", a Rulon Dino-Rider on a Tyrannosaurus can be seen for several seconds marching in the background with the other evil characters. * In the ''

Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The writers, ...

'' cartoon episode "G.I. Jogurt", the Dino-Riders have a rock song that is performed by

Sebastian Bach Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian-American singer who achieved mainstream success as the frontman of the hard rock band Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. He has acted on Broadway and ha ...

. This theme song depicts the Dino-Riders treating the dinosaurs like weapons, running a labor camp to have the primitives make the Dino-Riders' stuff, and feeding babies to an armored Tyrannosaurus. Astra (voiced by

Seth Green Seth Benjamin Green ( ''né'' Gesshel-Green; born February 8, 1974) is an American actor, producer, and writer. Green's film debut came with a role in the comedy-drama film ''The Hotel New Hampshire'' (1984), and he went on to have supporting ...

) quotes "hey, at least we don't have sex with the dinosaurs" while Bomba (also voiced by Seth Green) quotes "speak for yourself, bro." * In the ''

Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics Teen Titans, fictional superhero team. The series was ...

'' episode "Open Door Policy" as part of the 5-day "Island Adventures" event, the Dino-Riders' battle-armored dinosaurs were parodied when Robin,

Cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.

Beast Boy Garfield Mark Logan, better known as Beast Boy, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He has also gone under the alias Changeling. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bob Brown, he is a shapeshifter who ...

, Starfire, and

Raven A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...

find living dinosaurs like a Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Brontosaurus, Pterodactyl, and ''

Velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the pa ...

''. They place battle armor on them to see which one is the strongest instead of planning a dinosaur theme park. This doesn't go well as the armored dinosaurs attacked the

Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...

. In the final part of the "Island Adventures" titled "The Titans Show", the armored dinosaurs are among the Island extras that help the Teen Titans fight Control Freak and the villains he assembled to watch this 5-day event.

References

External links

*
''Dino-Riders''
at the

Big Cartoon DataBase The Big Cartoon DataBase (or BCDB for short) is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows, and cartoon shorts. The BCDB project began in 1997 as a list of Disney animated featu ...

dinoriders.com
A Dino-Riders fan site

Toy and video information

Comic book credits

Dino-Riders by Tyco
a
www.figure-archive.net
{{Marvel Action Universe 1988 American television series debuts 1988 American television series endings Action figures Animated television series about dinosaurs 1980s toys 1980s American animated television series American children's animated action television series American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated science fantasy television series Television series by Marvel Productions Marvel Comics titles First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Marvel Action Universe English-language television shows Television series by Disney–ABC Domestic Television Television series by Mattel Creations Television series by Saban Entertainment Television shows based on Mattel toys American time travel television series Television series about alien visitations Television series created by Gerry Conway

Overview

Characters

Valorians

Commandos

Cro-Magnons

Rulons

Neanderthals

Episodes

Cast

Crew

Toys

Series 1 (1988)

Series 2 (1989)

Series 3 (1990)

Ice Age

Rulon Warriors Battle Pack (2020)

Comics

Film adaptation

In other media

See also

References

External links