Are there any decent video games about crocodiles?

January 8, 2024 4:35 AM

My 5 year old is obsessed with crocodiles and keeps asking me for a video game about catching them. This is a bit of a hail mary since I feel like if such a thing existed I'd already know about it, but google searches haven't found me much.

Caveat is that I don't own a games system so if anything is out there it has to run on a PC.

I'm even down for a Minecraft mod or level but I haven't found anything that really fits the bill (really, the base game with crocodiles added would probably be enough to make him happy but I don't know how to do that).

posted by Silentgoldfish to Computers & Internet (13 answers total)

I've not tried any of them but if you search for "crocodile game" in the Google play store there are lots of results. If you've got an old Android tablet lying around that might be worth exploring.
posted by underclocked at 5:02 AM on January 8, 2024

Best answer: Planet Zoo would be frustrating for a child that young to play alone, but for a parent or trusted older friend and a child to co-play, it could be a blast. Saltwater crocs and gharials are part of the base game, and the gator and caimans are in expansion packs. Plenty of scaly content for you.

Planet Zoo is very cool because you have to build a whole habitat for your animals, actually learn what they need and like, and you can feed your crocs pumpkins full of blood as a treat. Once you've got a nice home set up, I actually find it very nice to just sit and watch the animals do their thing.

Definitely wait for the next steam sale.
Content warnings: animals die, animals fight, animals breed.
posted by phunniemee at 5:16 AM on January 8, 2024

Best answer: Not quite crocodiles, and not about catching them, but there's a lovely 2023 game called 'Lil Gator' which is available on PC and other platforms. It's very child-friendly – you play as a young gator who runs and climbs and slides and generally has an imaginative time trying to get a bunch of friends together. Here's the Switch trailer on youtube. If you've played (or seen) the excellent game 'A Short Hike' it's very similar in design. No peril, only adventure.
posted by Joeruckus at 5:25 AM on January 8, 2024 [6 favorites]

If you can find an Atari emulator and fire up Pitfall! (1982) I'm sure he'd enjoy it. You don't catch them, but you swing over them and jump on their backs. They might be alligators but I'm not sure it matters with Atari 2600 graphics.
posted by bondcliff at 6:24 AM on January 8, 2024 [2 favorites]

While I don't think any games are about him, King K. Rool and his followers make many appearances in the Nintendo canon.
posted by mhoye at 6:35 AM on January 8, 2024

For what it is worth, World of Warcraft has a Hunter class that can tame pets, one of which is a Crocolisk. There’s also a bunch of other kinds like Scalehides, Riverbeasts, which may be of some interest as well. Apparently you can keep a few pets with you and store up to 50 in your stable. Some are rarer with different coloration.

Would I want my 5 year old playing WoW? No. Would I expect your kid to still be into crocodiles when they’re old enough to play it? Probably also no. But maybe there’s a way to make their involvement with the game all about catching them, naming them, feeding them and parading them around towns? I don’t know. Just thought I’d mention it.
posted by cali59 at 6:38 AM on January 8, 2024

If they're willing to accept alligators instead, I heard good things about Later Alligator, and it does say it's family-friendly!
posted by actionpact at 8:02 AM on January 8, 2024

Look at Where's my water?
However, aim is not to catch a crocodile but help it take a shower. My son loved it around that age.
posted by 15L06 at 8:29 AM on January 8, 2024 [2 favorites]

You won't catch them but you play as a Lil Gator. Explore around a island meeting other animal friends.
lil gator game trailer - I think its on all consoles and PC I don't know if its available on mobile.
posted by ljesse at 8:44 AM on January 8, 2024

The minecraft mod Alex's Mobs adds a bunch of animals, including crocodiles and caimans.
posted by inkyz at 10:21 AM on January 8, 2024

Frogger had crocodiles.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 1:38 PM on January 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks all! He's very excited to try Lil Gator game and his brother's promised to help with reading if I'm not available.

I'll give Planet Zoo a go with him next time it's on sale, I reckon he'll have fun helping design a crocodile sanctuary. Holy crap though, 260 bucks if I bought it with all the DLC!
posted by Silentgoldfish at 2:04 AM on January 9, 2024

This is probably Way Too GenX an answer for you, but the game I immediately think of is Pitfall.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 7:32 AM on January 9, 2024 [1 favorite]