Remote control dinosaur toys: The best of 2022

Remote control dinosaur toys were, and still are, greatly popular, especially among kids who are 7 years and up. The possibility of having their dino move, roar, make sounds, or even light up, is intriguing for a child.

The great thing is that remote control dinosaur toys are not as expensive as they used to be. And to make things even better their quality and range of functions has improved considerably since then too. So a remote control dino toy can make for a perfect gift for your little one, without breaking your bank.

Here are some of the top picks I found in this range of dinosaur toys. As you’ll see, these toys are quite affordable, and offer a range of innovative functionality. You’ll also be able to strike the right balance between affordability and features. This will help you decide on whether to opt for a basic toy or spending more for a smart toy.

Best RC dinosaurs on Amazon under $100

As a parent myself, I can appreciate that many of you who ended up here aren’t RC toy enthusiasts, and are instead just looking for an affordable, functionality remote control dinosaur for your kids to play with.

So, before I do anything else, I’ll answer the question – what are the best remote-controlled dinosaurs on Amazon for $100 or less? Well, in our view – and at the time of writing – the three best RC dinosaurs are the “Sunmir RC Walking Velociraptor”, the “Temi Remote Control Tyrannosaurus Rex”, and the “JOYIN LED Light Up Remote Control T-Rex”.

Sunmir RC Walking Velociraptor

How I rate it: 4/5

Read our review

Buy it: From $73, Amazon.com

Temi Remote Control Tyrannosaurus Rex

How I rate it: 4/5

Read our review

Buy it: From $67, Amazon.com

JOYIN LED Light Up Remote Control T-Rex

How I rate it: 4/5

Read our review

Buy it: From $38, Amazon.com

Best Remote control dinosaur toys: our picks

1. Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur

Spike is a giant remote-controlled Brontosaurus from Fisher Price, being part of the toymakers Imaginext product line-up. It was released in two colors, green or red – the red being much harder to find – and is recommended for kids aged 3-10 years old.

Spike ships in six pieces – with each of the four legs and its tail section detached. You’ll need to put him together, pushing each piece until they click into place.

Once assembled, you’ll see how big this remote-controlled dinosaur really is – standing at 27” on all fours, and almost 34” on just its hind legs. No other RC dinosaur comes close to this thing in terms of size.

Spike uses Quadrupedal motion, meaning that he walks on four-legs. This means he can tackle most surfaces, working just as well on carpet as on smooth surfaces.

The toy also makes a ton of realistic sound effects – with snorts, growls, roars, and even ambient background music, turned on using a switch on Spike’s belly. Another feature all parents will appreciate is volume control, which is set with the on/off switch, found next to the background music switch.

It comes with a couple of accessories in the box – including a bone and 2 x balls. These don’t offer any interactivity – instead, they’re really just props that you can use Spike to pick up. It’s much easier said than done and is likely to frustrate anyone who attempts it.

Spike comes with a rechargeable NiHM battery back, which needs to be removed to charge it. It takes about 4 hours to charge the battery and you’ll be lucky to get an hour use out of it from a full charge.

You must remember this toy first came out back in 2008, so the original batteries will most likely perform even worse now. If you run into problems with yours, there are a few eBay sellers offering battery replacement kits.

The controller has 4 x buttons and 2 x d-pads. With it, you can open and close Spike’s mouth, lower his head, make him stand, light up, and roar, and control its neck and movement. All the buttons are oversized, perfect for younger kids.

Perhaps the biggest negative about this product is that it can only move forward, left, and right – not backwards. It’s disappointing, especially given that this was a premium, top-of-the-line toy when it was released, having a price tag to match.

It’s also worth noting that while this toy is recommended for ages 3-10, it’s best for kids on the lower end of this range, as Spike doesn’t have enough features and functions to keep the attention of older kids.

Summing it up

Buy it: From $70, eBay.com

2. Sunmir RC Walking Velociraptor

Summing it up

Buy it: From $70, Amazon.com

3. Temi Remote Control Tyrannosaurus Rex – Best for big kids

First up our list is this fantastic RC dinosaur toy from Temi – a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex that packs a punch for features and functions. Not only does this toy move and sound like a real dinosaur, but it also has head-shaking action, is capable of 360-degree rotation stunts, and has a one-press demo mode that will showcase what it can do, to the delight of any children who get to play with it.

Unlike many of the other toys I’ve covered, this one is rechargeable – including a 4.8v, 400mAh battery that provides up to 15 minutes of non-stop playtime on a single charge. Being rechargeable, you’ll save money in the long-run, proving to be far more economical than the throw-away batteries that most other RC dinos use. Like any good parent, you’re concerned with safety. With this product, you can rest assured that, as it’s made from recyclable, non-toxic ABS plastic. It has also been independently certified for both CPSIA and ASTM F963-11, making it BPA-free and 100% kid-safe.

Like us, you’ll probably be a little taken back by how fast this thing moves – being as fast as many remote-controlled cars. This is great, especially if you’re looking to startle people with this ferocious toy, as they won’t be expecting it to move so quickly. Another great thing is the volume on this toy – with the realistic sound effects being nice and loud. That said, the one thing it’s really missing is volume control so that you can turn it down – unfortunately, it’s only possible to toggle sound on and off.

Another thing worth pointing out is that while this RC dinosaur is rechargeable, its remote control isn’t, needing 2 x 1.5V AA batteries (not included). Recharging this toy can also be a little tricky at first – it certainly took us a couple of attempts to get it right – as it can be a little tricky at first, as there’s no light on the charger or battery pack to indicate whether or not it’s charging. While this can be a little frustrating at first, you’ll soon get the hang of it after a couple of tries.

Summing it up

While this toy isn’t cheap – in fact, it’s by far the most expensive remote-controlled dino toy I’ve included on this list – it arguably has the most to offer in terms of features and functionality, including a battle mode. This well-rated, 4.4-star toy is excellent as a gift, being sure to excite and captivate the imagination of whichever kid ends up getting it. If you’ve got the budget to stretch for it, this dinosaur is worth a buy.

Buy it: From $67, Amazon.com

4. JOYIN LED Light Up Remote Control T-Rex – Best dancing dino

Next up is this super value, LED light-up realistic RC dinosaur toy from Joyin. This interactive dino toy walks and roars, just like a real dino. Your little one will shriek with excitement as this dino stomps around the room, making it a great, inexpensive interactive toy that your child will love. This product is an exceptional buy, offering a lot given its low price.

This RC dino is made from durable, non-toxic BPA-free vinyl and has been independently certified as conforming to all US toy safety standards, including ASTM F963. Its features include a stunning, multi-colored LED light, remote-controlled walking, and head shaking, along with a realistic roar side. It’s powered by 5 x 1.5V AA batteries – 3 for the dinosaur, 2 for the remote – which you’ll need to purchase separately, this impressive dino toy packs a punch and is recommended for kids aged three years and up.

This RC dino has four modes – walk, dance, fight, and roar – each controlled with the press of a button on its remote. These actions will repeat until you press the stop button or pick a different mode using the remote. There’s no free roam mode or ability to steer this toy, making it better for younger kids than older ones, who are more likely to want more control. It’s also worth noting that the controller uses infrared technology, not wireless 2.4Ghz, so you’ll need to point it right at the dinosaur for it to respond, which, as we all know, can be a little hit or miss at times.

For anyone familiar with late 90s European pop music, you’ll notice that this dinosaur dances to the melody of 1999’s chart-topper “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!” from Dutch group the Vengaboys – which is something that certainly made us smile. The packaging is also pretty nice if you’re able to forgive the questionable use of English – with the “Dinosaur convulsing enter” text found on the front of the box giving us a little chuckle as I unboxed it.

Summing it up

If you’re looking for a full-featured, impressive RC T-Rex for a budget price that won’t break the bank, then this pick for Joyin is it. It’s also incredibly well-rated, scoring an average 4.5-star rating from a whopping 2,822+ reviews, meaning this dino is excellent, and you don’t just have to take our word for it. All-in-all, remote-controlled dinos on a budget don’t come better than this awesome $38 toy.

Buy it: From $38, Amazon.com

5. Advanced Play Dinosaur T-rex RC toy – Best for features and functions

Our next pick is this multi-function T-Rex TC dinosaur toy from Advanced Play. This realistic-looking dinosaur has a life-like appearance, complete with claws, teeth, scales, and more. It also has some of the most impressive functionality of any dino toy on the market, doing everything from move and roar to dance and play music. Recommended for children aged three years and up, your dinosaur-obsessed little one will fall in love with this incredible, value for money toy.

There’s a lot of functionality with this toy. Move it forward or backward, shake its head, move its arms, make it roar, spray mist, or light up. Also, it comes with several preprogrammed songs that can play at the click of a button. This toy is also 100% kid-safe, independently ASTM certified, and made from durable, non-toxic ABS plastic, which is tough enough to stand up to the rough and tumble of play.

You’ll notice immediately how big this dinosaur toy is – standing at 12” tall and measuring 23” from head to tail – it’s one of the biggest RC dinos to make it to our list. Its imposing size – especially for toddlers and younger children – make this pick truly ferocious, with the combination of its size, mist, and roar being exhilarating for any child lucky enough to receive it.

Arguably one of the more questionable things about this pick is the music, featuring a weird mix of Asian restaurant music, cell phone ring tones, and even something that sounds like a Gangnam Style rip-off. This is probably not what most parents would expect – thankfully, the music can be turned off – however, it would be better if it included more familiar kid songs. If you can live without the tunes, it’s not bad – the sound effects and spray mist features make this pick worthwhile for both younger kids, big kids, and even grown-up dino fans.

Summing it up

This dinosaur toy is excellent. There’s a lot of functionality here, and when I say a lot, I mean it. The remote control that comes with this toy has 12 buttons, with which you can do everything from many this dino shake, move, dance, spray, roar, and play music. This range of functionality is all the more impressive when you consider it retails for just $39 – which, in our view, is a pretty good deal considering what you get. It’s also well-rated, with a 4.4-star rating from 2,533+ ratings, making this RC dino one of the best around.

Buy it: From $55, Amazon.com

6. The Learning Journey ABC Dancing Dino – Best for preschoolers

Next up is this award-winning educational dinosaur toy from The Learning Journey – their ABC Dancing Dino product. This toy has educational and developmental benefits, stimulating tactile motor skills, reaction skills, and helping your little one build self-confidence. This toy is for children aged 2+ years, and is an excellent choice as your child’s first interactive dino. It offers a wide range of playtime possibilities and hours of fun and entertainment.

This toy offers a lot in interaction – arguably more than alternative products recommended for young children, like dinosaur toys from VTech – with it asking your child to answer questions, dance, and explore, controlling the toy with its remote control. It also features auto shut-off, which is good news for parents, and measures 8″ long, 7″ wide, and 9.5″ high. This toy is also kid-friendly and safe, independently safety tested for compliance with all US toy safety regulations. One drawback of this product over others on this list is that it’s battery-powered, not rechargeable, meaning you’ll need 2x AA batteries – the first of which come in the box.

A couple of things aren’t so great – the first of which is the volume. This RC dino is pretty loud and doesn’t feature a volume control – so while your little one will love it, you might find it a little grating after a while. It also gets through batteries pretty quickly, which can make it expensive to use, so you might want to consider investing in a set of rechargeable batteries to save money in the long run.

While the included controller is easy to use, featuring big and bold, colorful buttons, perfect for smaller hands – it might be a little confusing to use at first, as what each button does isn’t immediately obvious. There are seven buttons on the remote control in total – four of these are used to play songs and other educational content, while the remaining three are two for movement, one backward, the other forwards, and the last button toggles on/off the toys light-up function.

Summing it up

If your child is still very young, this toy is an excellent option as their first remote-controlled dino toy. The level of interaction it offers will engage and captivate your child while developing essential skills and providing a range of educational benefits. Well-rated, with an average 4.4-star rating from 620+ reviews, and affordable, at just $48 – you can’t go wrong with this pick for your little one.

Buy it: From $48, Amazon.com

7. Kamigami Jurassic World Robots – best for builders

If like me, you’re big on remote-controlled and buildable toys, the Kamigami Jurassic World Robots could be the perfect little toy for you. There are two of these; the Velociraptor “Blue” (FWN69), and the Indoraptor (FWN70) – with each kit containing everything you need to put together a smart device-controlled RC raptor.

Don’t let the marketing fool you! These toys are robots only in name. They’re much closer to simple RC toys than full-fledged robots, lacking the features, functionality, interactivity, and sensors offer by robot toys. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just be aware of what you’re getting in to – as the box makes a lot of claims, many of which turn out to be mostly false.

The outer shell of these toys is made from lightweight plastic pieces, which fold and snap together, being fastened with plastic rivets. This is built around the core, rechargeable module, and pre-assembled arms and legs. It can be put together without any tools, which is something I liked.

Battery performance isn’t bad either – with their small 250 mAh 3.7V battery giving up to 25 minutes of play time from a 45-minute charge. There’s even a foldable piece the attaches over the included micro-USD charging cable, designed to look like meat – which is a nice touch.

There was a weird powdery white residue on the feet and arms of both robots I received. I’m not sure if these were once used and are a repack, despite my purchasing them new – but it’s not a huge deal, the powder came off easy with a little water.

These come with no printed instructions, with everything being on the Kamigami Jurassic World app, available for Android and iOS. While I could find this on the app store no problem, I couldn’t find it on Google Play, so had to download and install the APK from elsewhere, which was a slight annoyance. I’m not sure if this is because the app has since been unpublished or my region – but just be aware that you might also need to take this extra step.

One thing I thought was pretty dumb was that the app couldn’t let me proceed connecting a robot to it. Neither of them had any charge out of the box, so I had to charge them first – which for a buildable toy, was a little strange.

Once you’re in, head over to the build section – you’ll be prompted before reaching the main menu of the app if it’s the first time you’ve connecting your robot. The instructions are split into 5 phases, these being – head, tail, arms, legs, and steak.

Build was super easy – the instructions were great, and there were plenty of extra rivets. It took less than an hour to build both robots – so if you’re in this for a construction toy, be aware that the build is short and not at all challenging. These toys are recommended for ages 8+, and kids of this age should have no problem putting them together on their own.

I was surprised by the size of these toys. They’re much bigger than I had anticipated, standing at just under 5” tall, and measuring 16” from head to tail. They also look awesome – having a low-poly model, sinister aesthetic, that really captures what you want from a raptor.

This look combined with their jerky walking gait is real nice, and probably the best thing about them to be honest. One thing I didn’t seem to get was the wiggling tail as it moves that I saw on a couple of YouTube videos, but that could be my fault.

My Velociraptor “Blue” initially had problems walking, which I resolved by loosening up the leg motor section. It also struggles with connectivity, taking a few moments to connect, and sometimes not connecting at all, needing the occasional restart. However, the Indoraptor doesn’t have any of these problems, connecting with my phone instantly.

Besides the build instructions, the app has two modes – “Play” and “Evole”. Play lets you control the toy directly, turning your device into a remote control. Evolve is a set of coding challenges, which feel super gimmicky and are incredibly short lived – with just 4 challenges that take no more than a couple of minutes to complete.

Evolve using a drag and drop interface, where you need to select and drag one of three different action types – motion, light (eye color), and sound – into a sequence of up to 10 different actions, clicking the “run code” button once complete. It’s not great – the marketing team did a good job of hyping this nothing burger up, passing it off as a programming mode that will. It’s certainly a far cry from the “learn to code” phrase found in some of the paid-for reviews from around the time this product launched.

Once you complete these challenges, the new abilities are unlocked in ‘Play” – with these being “eye color”, “charge attack”, “dance party”, and “speak”. There were also references to music, roars, and other sound effects in “Evolve” – but neither of my robots made any kind of sound.

There is apparently some interactivity between both robots using the speak action – or at least, that’s what it says in-app. By this point, I couldn’t even be bothered to try it out – but I’m pretty sure whatever interaction there was wouldn’t have blown me away, if they did anything at all.

You can only really use these toys on hard, flat surfaces, like tabletops or hard wood flooring – they’re useless on carpet, topping over non-stop. They also perform reasonably outside, on paved or concrete surface. I found they ran great most of the time, although on the occasional turn at full pelt, they did tend to fall over a fair bit.

Summing it up

While they’re great as remote-controlled toys, the Kamigami Robots Jurassic World range offers little in the way of replayability – and even the initial build doesn’t have much to offer, being too quick and easy.

At their original $60 launch price, these toys simply didn’t have enough to offer – but if you can pick them up on sale or clearance, then they’re not bad at all. This is how I got mine, getting the pair for less than $50 total. For this sort of money, you can do far worse than the Kamigami Robots Jurassic World buildable raptor kits.

In all honesty, I like them – they look great, move well, and are controlled by your phone or tablet. If you’re a collector like me, these things are going to look amazing on a shelf or in a display cabinet – but for the average consumer, they offer a short burst of entertainment that might not be enough to make picking these up worthwhile.

8. Discovery Kids RC T-Rex –

Summing it up

Buy it: From $45, Amazon.com

9. Discovery Kids RC Triceratops – Best budget pick

Now, if you’re someone looking for an interactive RC dinosaur toy on a budget, the RC Triceratops from Discovery Kids could be it. This wireless, LED infrared remote-controlled toy packs a punch for the low-price tag, a realistic, life-like dino toy with textured skin and fully-articulated arms and legs, which enable it to move around realistically. It also features a range of sound effects, including dinosaur roars – which will excite and captivate your little one as they play with this impressive, inexpensive dino toy.

This dinosaur toy brings the prehistoric world to life and will capture the imagination of your little one as it roars and moves around the room. It features a realistic-looking, hard-peddled skin, articulated movements, more realistic motion, and light-up eyes. There are also two modes; two-way steering, enabling you to move the dinosaur backward and forwards, or auto-mode, allowing the toy to roam around as it pleases. This toy requires 5 x 1.5V AAA batteries, which aren’t included in the box, so you’ll need to pick these up separately.

The first thing you’re going to notice about this RC Triceratops is its size, being much smaller than you’d expect – measuring 10” from head to tail and standing at just 4” tall. This really is a small remote-controlled toy, which, if you’re looking for a stocking filler, is great – but as a main gift, you’re better off forking out for something a little larger that’s going to make more of a positive impression size-wise.

It features a super simple, two-button controller design – with the left button making it go forward, while the right button makes it go backward. This is ok for younger kids, but the lack of motion offered makes this pick less suitable for older kids, who would probably want an RC toy that offers more movement.

This toy isn’t new, having been available for the past few years. However, this latest version comes in some of the nicest packaging that I’ve seen from the Discover RC toy line-up, featuring a minimalist, clean white box – a design choice we’re big fans of, preferring it over the blue packaging of the previous releases. Beyond the aesthetics of the new box, nothing else has changed between this latest version of the RC Triceratops from Discovery and earlier releases of the same toy.

Summing it up

In conclusion, if you’re searching for a remote-controlled dinosaur on a budget, it doesn’t get better than this. Retailing at just $25 and coming from a reputable, well-known brand, this product is affordable, functional, and high-quality. It’s also well-rated, scoring an average rating of 4.2-stars from an impressive 2,486+ ratings, demonstrating the quality of this low-cost RC dino toy.

Buy it: From $25, Amazon.com

Buying guide for remote control dinosaur toys

Quality

When it comes to buying any toy you will want to be careful to choose a good quality toy. This includes both the safety of the materials used, as well as their level of durability.

Needless to say, toys are subjected to lots of bumps, falls and other rigorous movement. So they will need to be as durable as possible. As a general rule of thumb non-toxic BPA free vinyl is considered to be a good material for most toys. You should also check that the particular toy conforms with safety standards.

Functions

What is this remote control dinosaur toy you are considering to buy for your kid capable of doing? Is it only able to walk around? Or can it snap it’s mouth open and shut? Turn around, shake its head, tail or wings? Or maybe even dance around a bit too?

Remote control toys are interactive. That said, they aren’t as interactive as pricier smart and robotic dinosaur toys, like FurReal dinosaur toys for example. However, you’ll still be able to find a remote controlled dinosaur toy that can satisfy your little one’s expectations.

Lights and sounds

The more sounds and lights the dino can make, the more captivating it is likely to be. Lights and sounds are important buying factors, as they add to a remote-controlled dinosaur toy’s interactivity.

While RC dinos aren’t fully fledged smart toy, they can still fascinate your kid with lighting and sound effects. This will also help to make the dino more realistic looking and interesting.

Small parts

Beware of toys that contain small, removable parts. These – if they can be easily removed – could present a danger to younger children.

Ease of use

Your child will want a toy that he can operate on his own without any difficulty. You cannot give him a remote controlled toy that is not easy to use. This is especially true for toys with complicated remote controls which will discourage them playing with it.

Additional features

More advanced remote controlled dinosaur toys also come with touch sensitivity features and custom programming possibilities. These obviously impact price, making them more expensive than a basic RC toy or simple walking dinosaur toy.

You may wish to consider carefully whether your child is still too young to be interested in such functionalities. This is because for younger children, it may not be worthwhile to spend more for these functions unnecessarily.

Final thoughts

Any electronic dinosaur toy will intrigue a child. Luckily, technological advancements have meant that toys are even more fascinating these days.

It’s important not to get carried away when shopping around for remote controlled toys. It is easy to do, as there are so many options on market at various price points.

Set a budget and compare what functionalities different remote controlled toys offer before choosing. Always bear in mind your kid’s age so as to make a good buying decision based mainly on that.