Dino-Riders was an 80's Saturday morning cartoon series which was (like Transformers and the revamped G.I. Joe) part of a multi-pronged merchandising promotion which included a television series, comic book, and toy line. Dino-Riders, sadly, was the shortest-lived. Basically, it was a combination of STAR WARS and dinosaurs, as the entirely human Valorians struggled against the evil Rulons (an assortment of alien races united to conquer the universe under the command of frog-like despot Krulos) in a war across space in the distant future. An accident involving the Valorians's time drive and the Rulons' tractor beam results in flagships of both factions becoming stranded on prehistoric Earth. Soon, the war is being fought with the aid of dinosaurs wearing battle gear. The dinosaurs cooperate with the Valorians, able to quasi-communicate with the animals through pendants that transfer thought waves, but the Rulons must control their beasts by use of "brain boxes." The 80's were one cool decade for little boys! The pilot episode was issued on VHS to promote the toy line. Seems other additions to the line brought with them two more episodes on VHS, but I never saw these. The show itself has so far eluded official DVD release, which is a shame. The dinosaur toys, meanwhile, were re-issued minus the sci-fi accessories multiple times over the next couple decades. One should still be able to find the toy commercials on YouTube.
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