Dennis in Terrible Lizards isn’t just DJ’s imaginary friend. He’s a real, dangerous Dilophosaurus-human Hybrid hiding beneath Dalton’s Dinos. He steals DJ’s treasured Allosaurus tooth and keeps coming after Jordan right up to the final escape. To get out alive, you’ll need to recover the tooth and survive his chases.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through Dennis’s encounters and explain why DJ considers such a dangerous creature his friend. I’ll also look into Dennis’s mysterious identity and whether the ending really confirms he’s dead.
Table of Contents
Who Is Dennis in Terrible Lizards?
Dennis is one of the Paleo Pals mascots at Dalton’s Dinos. Early in the story, Jordan finds a letter above the ticket office in which Dalton Coolidge complains that his son, Dalton Jr. (DJ), won’t stop talking about his imaginary friend Dennis.
After DJ goes missing, Dalton’s recordings reveal he was wrong about Dennis. Jordan later runs into the creature underground. Dennis attacks Jordan but backs off when DJ calls his name.
Is Dennis a Dinosaur or a Human Hybrid?
Dennis is the Dilophosaurus-human Hybrid, which is a creature with a Dilophosaurus-like body and a creepy human face inside its mouth.
Project Pilgrim’s research recordings say the black goo can take the shape of creatures based on dinosaur fossils. That explains why the monsters look so unnatural, but it still doesn’t account for the human face inside Dennis.
Why Is Dennis Friends With DJ?
The game never explains why Dennis is so attached to DJ. DJ’s notes show he’s lonely and that’s why he sees Dennis as his only real friend. Dennis is nice to him, even while he’s trying to kill Jordan. DJ can sometimes calm Dennis down, but not always. When Dennis has Jordan cornered near a plush toy, DJ’s voice is enough to make him stop. Later, DJ tries to talk him down again and it doesn’t work.
How to Get DJ’s Tooth From Dennis’s Lair
After Jordan finds DJ deep in the caverns, he learns Dennis stole an Allosaurus tooth fossil. DJ wants it back because it reminds him of digging with his mom, Elena.
You head into Dennis’s lair to grab the tooth from his collection. While you’re in there, a recording from Dr. Fellows starts playing and the Hybrid suddenly rips through a projector screen. You escape the attack, then bring the fossil back to DJ.
How to Survive Dennis’s Encounters
To survive Dennis in Terrible Lizards, you’ll need to stay on the move and use your surroundings to escape his attacks. Here’s how to get through each encounter, from the first chase to the final elevator escape.
Plush-toy encounter: Dennis spots Jordan trying to sneak, so he starts chasing him. There’s no real way to fight him here. You just have to run. It’s pretty straightforward. Keep moving and stay ahead of him until you get close enough for DJ to call out.
Once DJ yells his name, Dennis stops the attack. The whole thing is short and it ends as soon as DJ intervenes, so focus on not getting caught before that happens.
Lair encounter: In the lair, you grab the Allosaurus tooth from Dennis’s collection. While you’re in there, a recording from Dr. Fellows starts playing and the Hybrid suddenly rips through the projector screen. Jordan fires a Tommy gun at him to buy some time.
Then you get out and bring the tooth back to DJ. You just survive the jump scare and the short attack long enough to escape with the fossil.
Light puzzle: In the research facility, turn on the special lights to drive Dennis away. These lights use a specific type of light that repels the black goo and the Hybrid. Regular floodlights won’t work here.
Elevator escape: Get the elevator key off Dr. Fellows’ body and bring it back to DJ. Dennis chases you across wooden platforms that start falling apart under you. Just keep moving and make it to the elevator. When he knocks Jordan off on the way up, climb back on so you can get out.
In Terrible Lizards, you’re not really fighting traditional bosses here. It’s more about how to move carefully and use the environment to your advantage.
Does Dennis Die in Terrible Lizards?
During the final elevator ride, Dennis goes after Jordan while he’s trying to climb back on. Jordan kicks him off and he drops into the cavern below. Jordan and DJ make it out and meet up with Stella. So, is Dennis dead? The game treats the immediate threat as over (“He’s gone”), but it never shows a body or confirms that Dennis is actually dead.
The underground black goo and the other threats are also left unresolved, so it’s possible he survives the fall. For now, his fate remains unclear. For the full story behind the finale, read our Terrible Lizards ending explained guide.
Dennis’s True Identity
We know Dennis has that Dilophosaurus body with the human face inside his mouth, but we still don’t know whether the human face inside his mouth belongs to a real person. The creature inside the Benji mascot suit earlier might be related to the Hybrid, but the game never clearly confirms it’s Dennis.
Project Pilgrim’s old records mention humanoid creatures from decades before. Dennis could be tied to that, but nothing pins down his age or where he really came from.
Who Voices Dennis in Terrible Lizards?
Dennis is voiced by CG5 in Terrible Lizards, as confirmed in the game’s end credits. Charlie “CG5” Green is a musician and YouTube creator known for his gaming-related songs. In the game, he takes on the role of Dennis, DJ’s supposedly imaginary friend who turns out to be a dangerous Dilophosaurus-human Hybrid.
FAQ
Can you kill Dennis?
You can’t kill Dennis through conventional combat. The last encounter just ends with him falling.
Terrible Lizards
