History YMMV / JurassicParkOperationGenesis

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The graphics on the PC version were beautiful for its time. It hasn't aged well, assuming you can even get the game to work anymore, and the lack of plant, structure, and terrain variety makes the environments bland after a while. The dinosaurs themselves don't have very many animations and spend most of their time running or walking around aimlessly. On the bright side, many of the dinosaurs are more colorful than they are in the films that inspired the game.
* TierInducedScrappy:
** The ''Homalocephale'' is usually disliked by fans due to it being lame and redundant compared to Pachycephalosaurus.
** ''Dryosaurus'' is seen as the most useless dinosaur in the entire game, as it can die very easily of malnutrition.

** ''Dryosaurus'' is seen as the most useless dinosaur in the entire game, as it can die very easily of malnutrition.
** Various HD mods that have been/are being developed in recent years can put the game on par with contemporary releases, although with the release of ''VideoGame/JurassicWorldEvolution'' this became a giant case of "why even bother?"

* ScrappyMechanic: You can only unlock a total of five fossil sites (three in the [=PS2=] version) in any given save file. Once you reach this cap, you become permanently locked out of all the remaining fossil sites in that save file, and therefore cannot get all of the game's dinosaurs.[[note]]You ''can'' easily bypass this restriction by editing the game's code, but then you wonder why even have the restriction at all?[[/note]]

* ScrappyMechanic: You're not allowed to acquire every fossil site, and as a result cannot have all dinosaur species, in one save file; after gaining a certain number, all the remaining fossil sites become permanently unobtainable in that save file.[[note]]You ''can'' easily bypass this restriction by editing the game's code, but then you wonder why even have the restriction at all?[[/note]]

* FollowTheLeader: The structure of the game is based heavily on ''VideoGame/ZooTycoon: Dinosaur Digs''. Which is ironic, since that game itself drew lots of inspiration from ''Jurassic Park''. The chief difference is that ''Operation Genesis'' [[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131287/postmortem_blue_tongue_softwares_.php?page=2 tries]] to be more realistic and detailed with its portrayal of mundane exhibit maintenance, even such basic activities as keeping the animals regularly fed.

* ScrappyMechanic: You're not allowed to acquire every fossil site, and as a result cannot have all dinosaur species, in one save file; after gaining a certain number, all the remaining fossil sites become permanently unobtainable in that save file.[[note]]You ''can'' easily bypass this restriction by editing the game's code, but then you wonder why even have the restriction at all?[[/note]]
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The graphics on the PC version were beautiful for its time. It hasn't aged well, assuming you can even get the game to work anymore, and the lack of plant, structure, and terrain variety makes the environments bland after a while. The dinosaurs themselves don't have very many animations and spend most of their time running or walking around aimlessly. On the bright side, many of the dinosaurs are more colorful than they are in the films that inspired the game.

* TheScrappy:

* CultClassic: Despite being hard to find nowadays, Operation Genesis enjoys a devoted modding community, and is also a personal favorite of several notable [[LetsPlay Let's Players]].

* HilariousInHindsight: The entire game is about making a dinosaur park that's open to the public. ''Film/JurassicWorld'' finally makes a movie out of it.

** Various HD mods that have been/are being developed in recent years can put the game on par with contemporary releases.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwNGEB4kKzs bad ending]] in which Ludlow fires you, and you get to see your park closed and destroyed. Some really haunting music plays as well to underscore your failure.

* ScrappyMechanic: You're not allowed to acquire every fossil site, and as a result cannot have all dinosaur species, in one save file; after gaining a certain number, all the remaining fossil sites become permanently unobtainable in that save file.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with the PC version, as one can easily mod the game to have all sites be available.

* MostAnnoyingSound: The Albertosaurus' shrieking scream, most prominently heard when it's being pursued by [[AlwaysABiggerFish a larger theropod]].

* CrackIsCheaper: Good luck trying to get a legal, physical copy (PC or either console port) without paying a pretty penny.

* AwesomeMusic: The score is pretty nice and incorporates the original ''Jurassic Park'' theme into many pieces.

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The graphics on the PC version were beautiful for its time. It hasn't aged well, assuming you can even get the game to work anymore, and the lack of plant, structure, and terrain variety makes the environments bland after a while. The dinosaurs themselves don't have very many animations and spend most of their time running or walking around aimlessly. On the bright side, many of the dinosaurs are more colorful than they are in the films that inspired the game.

* PortingDisaster: Gloriously [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with the [=PS2=] and Xbox ports, which were about as well-received as the PC version when the game was released. Impressive, considering this is an example of a genre that wouldn't normally translate well to consoles.

** The Homalocephale is usually disliked by fans due to it being lame and redundant compared to Pachycephalosaurus.
** Dryosaurus is seen as the most useless dinosaur in the entire game, as it can die very easily of malnutrition.