Troodons (Jurassic Park)

Troodons are one of the many species of dinosaurs created in the Jurassic Park series. In particular, the Troodons come into play as event mini-bosses in Jurassic Park The Game.

Background
The Troodons were created using the method revolutionized by Dr. John Hammond, wherein dinosaurs are reverse engineered from blood samples found within fossilized mosquito with frog DNA spliced in to complete missing bits of genetic code where needed. The Troodons, however, were not created by Dr. Hammond for the original park. Instead, they have engineered curtsy of Dr. Laura Sorkin for study, unlike Hammond, Sorkin engineered her dinosaurs without any outside species. Though Hammond did not wish for Troodons to be approved for the park as attractions, Sorkin was engineering them for purely analytical study.

Throughout the game the Troodons are eluded to as one of the Park's fiercest predators. Though originally kept quarantined, after the incident, the Troodons escape their pens and begin expanding outward. Even the otherwise organized and vindictive velociraptors flee when they sense they are in Troodon territory.

Encounter
Though used as a validation for why other dinosaurs do not dare leave their hunting territories (for fear of encountering the Troodons) the Troodons themselves are only encountered as an event mini-bosses once in the game. Despite their singular appearance, their ferocity is palpable. The Troodon are first encountered hunting Nima Cruz, the mercenary that park saboteur, Dennis Nedry was supposed to meet with the embryo research he stole. Though Nima is saved from her initial run-in with them, the Troodon are only evaded, not defeated. They are encountered later when Billy Yoder and Oscar Morales try to get to their escape helicopter only to find their pilot, Daniel Cafaro's body being eaten by the Troodon who had descended upon the extraction zone while Billy and Oscar were securing the safety of the others. With their exit strategy cut-off, the team needs to move further inward to find cover before meeting the same fate as Daniel.

After escaping the velociraptors, Sorkin, Billy, Nima and Gerry Harding need to divide their efforts to navigate their way through the park's aqueduct system. Coordination is imperative as the Troodons are close by, and experienced hunters. The section of the game treats the Troodon encounter as a test of speed to react to the attacks as quick-time events while keeping track of the movement through the aqueduct's pipelines. One wrong move will see the Troodon devour the team. If performed well, the team will just barely escape the Troodons though temporarily be split-up, neither team knowing if the other survived.

Characteristics
Though the Troodon is very similar in size and shape to the Raptors, they have a very different hunting style. Sorkin first makes note of their danger by stating they are faster, possess night-vision and empathize stealth as their preferred hunting style. The Troodon have a paralytic venom that leaves its foes helpless and in pain but fully aware as the Troodon rip them apart for their meat. The extensively painful gruesome death through poison is not their most feared trait though, the other dinosaurs of the park, even those bigger and stronger than they, all fear the Troodon as their stealth is their true weapon. The ability of the Troodon to see in the dark, move quickly, crawl through small areas all paired with their pack organization and ravenous hunger make the Troodon something akin to bogeymen amongst even the dinosaurs.