Play Big Nose the Caveman Online

Big Nose the Caveman came out on the NES in 1991, developed by Camelot Software Planning. It was part of that wave of late-era platformers that tried to stand out with a quirky premise rather than polish. You control a caveman named Big Nose, who is on a mission to rescue his kidnapped wife from a dinosaur.

You move through side-scrolling levels, jumping on platforms and using a club to whack enemies like pterodactyls and smaller dinosaurs. The main goal is to progress through each stage, collecting bones that act as both points and health restoration. A signature mechanic involves finding hidden warp zones that let you skip ahead, which is useful because the level design can be unforgiving. The pacing is slow and deliberate, with some frustrating enemy placements and leaps of faith. It feels like a clunky but earnest attempt at a prehistoric adventure.