A recent ROM dump of Dinosaur Planet for the Nintendo 64 has reignited interest in Rare’s lost project and produced fresh commentary from one of the studio’s veteran artists.
Dinosaur Planet, the Rare-developed adventure that would later be reworked into Star Fox Adventures for Nintendo’s GameCube, returned to public view after the build surfaced online.
Artist Kev Bayliss — known for character design on Diddy Kong Racing, Battletoads, and Killer Instinct — published new recollections and concept material in an article for Video Games Chronicle (VGC).
Bayliss provided clarity on the project’s shifting protagonist lineup.
He explained that Fox McCloud was not the first, nor the second, choice to lead the game’s story; rather, Fox was the third protagonist considered during development.
Before a wolf character named Sabre was tested as a lead, Bayliss said the team originally planned to center the game on Timber — the tiger character familiar from Diddy Kong Racing.
According to Bayliss’s account, Timber was intended to headline Dinosaur Planet as a “time-travelling tiger.” The character’s proposed design included a rucksack, fingerless gloves, a baseball cap and a small dinosaur sidekick, signaling a markedly different tone and protagonist identity than the Star Fox-branded release that Nintendo ultimately published on GameCube.
Datamined files had previously hinted at Timber’s involvement; Bayliss’s statements offer direct confirmation from a credited Rare designer.
Bayliss also reflected on the emotional impact of the ROM resurfacing.
He said he did not expect to see the original demo again and described the find as a nostalgic reminder of long-forgotten prototypes produced during his time in game development.
He urged preservationists to continue searching for earlier builds, calling for someone to locate the very old demo that reportedly features Timber in his rucksack.
Alongside his recollections, Bayliss shared previously unseen concept art related to Dinosaur Planet and the lead-up to Rare’s Star Fox Adventures pitch.
The images include character designs and dinosaur sketches that illuminate the project’s evolution from a Rare original into a Nintendo-branded title.
The episode highlights ongoing community interest in video game preservation and the historical importance of early builds for systems such as the Nintendo 64.
For Rare’s legacy — and for fans of Diddy Kong Racing and Star Fox — the ROM dump and Bayliss’s remarks provide rare, verifiable insight into a pivotal transition in the studio’s history.
Dinosaur Planet, the Rare-developed adventure that would later be reworked into Star Fox Adventures for Nintendo’s GameCube, returned to public view after the build surfaced online.
Artist Kev Bayliss — known for character design on Diddy Kong Racing, Battletoads, and Killer Instinct — published new recollections and concept material in an article for Video Games Chronicle (VGC).
Bayliss provided clarity on the project’s shifting protagonist lineup.
He explained that Fox McCloud was not the first, nor the second, choice to lead the game’s story; rather, Fox was the third protagonist considered during development.
Before a wolf character named Sabre was tested as a lead, Bayliss said the team originally planned to center the game on Timber — the tiger character familiar from Diddy Kong Racing.
According to Bayliss’s account, Timber was intended to headline Dinosaur Planet as a “time-travelling tiger.” The character’s proposed design included a rucksack, fingerless gloves, a baseball cap and a small dinosaur sidekick, signaling a markedly different tone and protagonist identity than the Star Fox-branded release that Nintendo ultimately published on GameCube.
Datamined files had previously hinted at Timber’s involvement; Bayliss’s statements offer direct confirmation from a credited Rare designer.
Bayliss also reflected on the emotional impact of the ROM resurfacing.
He said he did not expect to see the original demo again and described the find as a nostalgic reminder of long-forgotten prototypes produced during his time in game development.
He urged preservationists to continue searching for earlier builds, calling for someone to locate the very old demo that reportedly features Timber in his rucksack.
Alongside his recollections, Bayliss shared previously unseen concept art related to Dinosaur Planet and the lead-up to Rare’s Star Fox Adventures pitch.
The images include character designs and dinosaur sketches that illuminate the project’s evolution from a Rare original into a Nintendo-branded title.
The episode highlights ongoing community interest in video game preservation and the historical importance of early builds for systems such as the Nintendo 64.
For Rare’s legacy — and for fans of Diddy Kong Racing and Star Fox — the ROM dump and Bayliss’s remarks provide rare, verifiable insight into a pivotal transition in the studio’s history.
