Terrible Lizards Best Dinosaurs: Paleo Pals Ranked

Quick answer: Terrible Lizards has no playable dinosaurs, so "best" comes down to the characters and the encounters. Dennis is the most important dinosaur in the story, Pterry is the most memorable performance, and the Allo is the best pure chase. Benji, Alistair and Stephanie are charming collectible characters rather than gameplay picks.

That distinction matters before you read any ranking. A "best dinosaur" list for this game cannot be a combat tier list, because there is no combat. It can rank the Paleo Pals by story payoff, or the creatures by encounter design. This page does both, and keeps them separate.

Best dinosaur characters: the Paleo Pals ranked

The Paleo Pals are the five dinosaur characters you meet through the talk-box collectibles: Benji the Brontosaurus, Alistair the Allosaurus, Stephanie the Stegosaurus, Dennis the Dilophosaurus and Pterry the pterosaur. They are not party members and they do not fight. Their value is personality, lore and the Paleo Pal Review achievement.

This is a story ranking, not a stats ranking. None of the Paleo Pals has gameplay stats, and none changes how Jordan moves or fights. The Paleo Pals guide covers where each talk box is and how the review achievement works.

1. Dennis

Dennis is the Dilophosaurus who becomes the final chapter's central creature. He is the only Paleo Pal whose story continues past the museum, and the ending leaves his fate deliberately unclear. That ambiguity is why he ranks first: he is the character players argue about after the credits.

The game does not confirm what Dennis is or where he came from. The Dennis file separates the confirmed details from the fan theories.

2. Pterry

Pterry is the pterosaur with a personality that does not depend on a suit. The character is voiced, and the performance gives the comic relief a sharper edge than the other Paleo Pals. Pterry also has no matching dinosaur suit in the museum set, which makes the character feel like an exception.

If you only remember one Paleo Pal after playing, it is usually Pterry. That is a strong argument for second place even without a story role as large as Dennis's.

3. Alistair

Alistair is the Allosaurus Paleo Pal, and his chapter connection is the strongest of the three supporting characters. Chapter 3 is built around the Allo chase, so the character and the creature reinforce each other. He ranks above Benji and Stephanie because the story gives him more to do.

The Allosaurus file covers the encounter; the Paleo Pals guide covers the talk box.

4. Benji

Benji is the Brontosaurus Paleo Pal and the gentlest character in the set. He is a good early introduction to the collectible system because his tone is friendly and his chapter is the least hostile. He ranks fourth because his story role is smaller, not because the character is weaker.

Benji is also the easiest Paleo Pal to explain to a new player: a big friendly dinosaur in a park full of things that want to eat you.

5. Stephanie

Stephanie is the Stegosaurus Paleo Pal. Her design is strong and her dialogue fits the park's old attraction tone, but she has the least connection to the central mystery. That is the only reason she sits at the bottom of a five-character list.

A last-place ranking in a five-character set is not a bad character. It means the other four have more story weight.

Best dinosaur encounters

If you mean the creatures rather than the characters, the ranking changes:

1. Allo — the best chase in the game. Fast, vertical and fair once you learn the charge.
2. Pterry — the best air-pressure encounter. It punishes floor-only routing.
3. Bronto — the best route-control encounter. It turns open ground into a climbing problem.
4. Hybrid — the best teaching encounter. It introduces line-of-sight stealth.
5. Dennis — the best story set piece, but not a repeatable chase.

The full reasoning is in the Terrible Lizards tier list. The short version: rank the creatures by the habit they punish, not by size.

How do you unlock every Paleo Pal?

The Paleo Pals are tied to the four dinosaur suits in the Chapter 1 museum. Interact with all four talk boxes to unlock the Paleo Pal Review achievement. The Paleo Pals guide has the exact locations.

Two warnings:

• The museum is easy to rush. The talk boxes are optional interactions, and the chapter's chase can push you past them.
• Pterry is different. There is no fifth suit for Pterry, so do not spend time looking for one.

Are there official Terrible Lizards plushies?

No official Paleo Pals plush line has been announced. The characters exist in the game and in the collectible talk boxes, but merchandise is not part of the current release. If a store page claims otherwise, check whether it is fan-made.

That matters for "best dinosaur" searches because merchandise pages often rank characters by popularity rather than by the game. This page ranks them by what the game actually does with them.

FAQ

Can you play as a dinosaur in Terrible Lizards? No. You play Jordan, and the dinosaurs are pursuers.

Who is the best Paleo Pal? Dennis has the strongest story connection; Pterry has the most memorable performance. The answer depends on whether you value plot or personality.

Do the Paleo Pals help you in gameplay? No. They are collectible characters and an achievement set, not companions or buffs.

Which dinosaur is the scariest? The Allo is the most relentless repeatable chase. Dennis is the most unsettling story encounter.

Is the Hybrid a dinosaur? It is a Dilophosaurus-human hybrid, not a pure dinosaur. It is still one of the four main creatures.

Do I need all Paleo Pals for 100%? Yes, if you are completing the achievement list. The Paleo Pal Review achievement requires all four museum interactions.

Bottom line

The best dinosaur in Terrible Lizards depends on what you want from the word. For story, it is Dennis. For performance, it is Pterry. For the best encounter, it is the Allo. For a friendly face in a nasty park, it is Benji.

Start with the Paleo Pals guide if you want the collectible route, or the monsters guide if you want the creature behaviour. The characters guide connects the human cast to the park's history, and the wiki home has the full guide index.

Official source: Terrible Lizards on Steam — confirms the parkour-first, no-weapons design.

Official source: PlayStation Blog developer interview — discusses the creature designs and the park's inspirations.

Patch tracking: Steam news for Terrible Lizards — official updates and fixes.