Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Game Overview

Released in 1993 (Japan April, worldwide around the same period), Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (known in Japan as Cadillacs Kyouryuu Shinseiki) is a classic Capcom beat ’em up in the tradition of Final Fight and The Punisher. Players control one of four heroes — Jack Tenrec (balanced), Hannah Dundee (skill/speed), Mustapha Cairo (speed), or Mess O’Bradovich (power) — and battle waves of enemies across eight stages set in a flooded, dinosaur-inhabited 26th-century world.

Gameplay features standard punch/kick combos, jumps, special moves (including a health-costing desperation attack), weapons, and occasional vehicle sections where players drive Cadillacs to run over enemies. Dinosaurs appear as both hazards and neutral elements that can attack anyone. The game supports simultaneous three-player cooperative play and runs on Capcom’s CPS-1 hardware with QSound. It has never received an official home console port (licensing issues with the Cadillac brand contributed to this). In MAME the main set is dino (World 930201) with regional clones such as dinou. Emulation status is good.

Quick Specifications

• Title: Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Japan: Cadillacs Kyouryuu Shinseiki)
• Developer / Publisher: Capcom
• Release Year: 1993
• Platform: Arcade (Capcom CP System / CPS Dash)
• Genre: Side-scrolling Beat ’em Up
• Players: 1–3 simultaneous
• Controls: 8-way joystick, 2 buttons (Attack, Jump)
• Hardware: Capcom CPS-1 (68000 @ 12 MHz + Z80, QSound)
• Display: Horizontal raster, 384 × 224 @ ~59.64 Hz
• MAME ROM sets: dino (parent / World), dinou (USA), and various clones/bootlegs
• Modes: Arcade (cooperative)

Key Features

• Up to three-player simultaneous cooperative play.
• Four distinct playable characters with different strengths (balance, skill, speed, power).
• Classic Capcom beat ’em up combat with special moves, weapons, and desperation attacks.
• Vehicle sections featuring driveable Cadillacs used to crush enemies.
• Dinosaurs that act as environmental hazards or neutral threats.
• Colorful comic-book style graphics and QSound audio based on the Xenozoic Tales universe.
• Eight stages with a mix of urban ruins, jungles, and industrial areas.
• Fully supported in modern MAME with good emulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cadillacs and Dinosaurs?

It is a 1993 Capcom arcade beat ’em up based on the comic Xenozoic Tales (and the related animated series). Players fight through a post-apocalyptic world filled with dinosaurs and human enemies.

How many players can play at once?

Up to three players can play simultaneously in cooperative mode.

What are the playable characters?

Jack Tenrec (balanced), Hannah Dundee (skill-oriented), Mustapha Cairo (speed), and Mess O’Bradovich (power).

What hardware does it use?

It runs on Capcom’s CP System (CPS-1 / CPS Dash) board with QSound audio.

What is the main MAME ROM set?

The parent set is dino (Cadillacs and Dinosaurs World 930201). Regional versions such as dinou (USA) also exist.

Has the game been ported to home consoles?

No official home console port was ever released, largely due to licensing complications involving the Cadillac brand.