Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is based on the animated movie of the same name. The story follows Sid's kidnapping by dinosaurs and his friends' mission to rescue him. During the game, the player controls six characters with varying gameplay mechanics.
The majority of gameplay involves 3rd person platforming, where the player controls their character while jumping over gaps, avoiding enemies, and collecting items. Each character has unique attacks at their disposal, adding a layer of strategy to the game. The levels are designed as mini-games, featuring different genres such as classic 2D platforming, side-scrolling shooter sections, balancing on snowballs, or dogfights while riding pterodactyls.