Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (1993; 1992 location tests) — Capcom’s turbo‑charged, dino‑stomping beat ’em up classic

Key facts

Setting and story

In a post‑apocalyptic world where prehistoric life has returned, poachers and black marketeers are exploiting the biosphere. Heroes Jack Tenrec, Hannah Dundee, Mustapha Cairo, and Mess O’Bradovich punch through criminal syndicates to protect the balance between humanity, technology, and the newly dominant dinosaurs.

Playable characters

Controls and core mechanics

• Two‑button base:
  • Attack: Strings, grabs (auto‑clinch when close), throws, weapon use.
  • Jump: Jump‑ins, aerial attacks, and air control.
• Special move: Attack + Jump together triggers a character‑specific “burst” that clears space; it costs a sliver of health—escape corners or i‑frame through boss patterns.
• Dashing and slides: Double‑tap to dash (varies by character). Dash attacks and Mustapha’s slide are safe poke‑and‑escape tools.
• Grabs and throws: Walk into enemies to clinch; press directions with Attack to choose throw types (forward, back, overhead). Throws grant crowd control and invulnerability during the animation.
• Firearms: Pistols, shotguns, and machine guns use ammo; press Attack to fire while holding them. Ammo persistence across screens is limited—use or lose.
• Dinosaurs: Neutral until hit or enraged by area chaos. Meat calms them; enraged dinos attack everyone.

Weapons and items

How dinosaurs behave (and how to exploit it)

• Neutral by default: Dinosaurs patrol or pass through. If you strike them (or a rogue explosion clips them), they enrage.
• Enraged dinos attack everyone: You, enemies, bosses. Kite gangs into an enraged dino for free damage, but mind the splashback.
• Meat pacifies: Tossing meat calms an enraged dinosaur; great for resetting the field before a boss phase.

Stage‑by‑stage walkthrough

Note: Exact stage titles vary by region. The flow below follows the common eight‑stage arcade progression with environment cues and reliable tactics.

Stage 1 — City Streets

• Learn your jab string into throw; it’s the safest opener.
• Prioritize knife carriers and bottle throwers; disarm them quickly.
• Boss: Don’t face‑tank rushes. Dash through the boss during big windups, counter with throws; firearms force safe chip during recovery.

Stage 2 — Smugglers’ Depot / Warehouse

• Environmental weapons everywhere: crates, pipes, knives—use them.
• Enemies start flanking. Keep your back to a wall, step out to intercept; don’t get center‑pinched.
• Boss: Punish long startup moves with dash‑in throw; save a shotgun for adds to keep the arena clear.

Stage 3 — Jungle Outskirts (first Cadillac segment)

• In the driving set piece, ram bikes/jeeps and avoid tire poppers; grab gun pickups for lane clearing.
• On‑foot sections introduce raptors. Do not strike them unless you’re ready to weaponize the rage.
• Boss: Keep a vertical offset to avoid grab loops; firearms during jump recoveries are safe damage.

Stage 4 — Swamp / Refinery

• Slippery spacing and low‑visibility barrels. Lure mobs next to explosive drums and detonate from range.
• Heavy thugs have armored startup: use throws or special to break momentum.
• Boss: Two‑phase patterns. Bait lunges, slide through, and punish rear hurtboxes.

Stage 5 — Desert Highway (extended Cadillac raid)

• Stay center‑lane; drift only to secure items or dodge obstacles.
• Shoot‑down sequences: focus aerial threats first, then ground shooters; score a machine gun to trivialize waves.
• Boss: Multi‑anchor vehicle or turret array—target exposed nodes one by one; explosives skip mini‑phases.

Stage 6 — Mine / Underground Route

• Tight corridors amplify shotgun value; conserve ammo for double‑lined choke points.
• Dinosaurs in tunnels are volatile—if one enrages, either pacify with meat or abandon the lane and rotate.
• Boss: Summons adds; control adds with weapon sweeps while one player juggles the boss with hit‑and‑run.

Stage 7 — Black Marketeers’ Stronghold

• Mixed enemy types in scripted entrances: prioritize throwers and grapplers; don’t let them overlap.
• Enrage a large dino to shred shield lines, then calm it before the boss gate.
• Boss: Big hurtboxes, low mobility—Mess and Jack excel. Hannah/Mustapha poke‑and‑bait; never commit to deep strings without an escape plan.

Stage 8 — Laboratories / Final Showdown

• Traps and explosive scenery everywhere—use to chunk elites fast.
• Keep specials in reserve for bullet curtains or unblockable tells.
• Final boss tips:
  • Learn the two to three key telegraphs; specials grant brief i‑frames to pass through them.
  • Firearms during downtime, throws after whiffed lunges.
  • In co‑op, one baits long strings while the other punishes from the back.

Co‑op tactics (up to 3 players)

• Roles: Anchor (Jack/Mess) controls front; Flanker (Mustapha/Hannah) clears sides; Flex picks up guns and interrupts specials.
• Stun‑loops: Light string → throw to center → teammate’s dash‑in string → repeat. Keep enemies airborne or off‑axis to prevent counter‑swings.
• Ammo economy: Announce pickups; a single machine gun can hard‑carry boss adds if one player preserves it.
• Dino management: If a dino enrages, peel off and drag enemies into its path; a third player stands ready with meat to reset.

Advanced techniques

• Slide cancels (Mustapha): Use slide to pass through and immediately throw on landing—fantastic vs. mini‑boss armor.
• Cross‑up grabs: Walk “through” large enemies during their windup to force a back‑throw with great crowd knockdown.
• Meaty wake‑ups: Time jump‑ins to land the first hit as enemies rise; safer than point‑blank wake pressure.
• Special buffering: During dash or jump landing, buffer Attack+Jump to wiggle through bad overlaps.

Scoring and survival

• Don’t hoard explosives: Use grenades to stop snowball waves; the safest run is the highest score in the long term.
• Food triage: If a dino is nearby, leave meat on the ground as insurance, then fight near it.
• Disarm discipline: Any enemy with a blade or gun gets immediate attention; weapon carriers are the main source of chip deaths.

Cabinet/operator notes

Legacy and availability

• Arcade legend: Among Capcom’s most beloved beat ’em ups thanks to its speed, firearms integration, and the dynamic dinosaur mechanic.
• Licensing lock: No official modern home release for many years due to licensing complexity (brand + comic IP), which increased its cult status on original hardware and exhibitions.
• Influence: Its pace and weapon feel informed later brawlers; the “neutral creature that can be enraged” idea remains a standout design twist.

Quick character pick guide

• Solo survival: Jack or Mustapha.
• Speed and mobility: Mustapha.
• Crowd control and weapons synergy: Hannah.
• Co‑op boss deletes: Mess paired with a zoner (Hannah/Mustapha).