If you were a kid in the 90s and early 2000s, chances are you saw at least one of The Land Before Time movies. While most people remember the original film, the franchise actually has 14 films in total.
Whether you’ve seen just one of these movies or seen them all, you likely have some awareness of how influential this franchise was for many 90s kids. The adventures of Littlefoot and his friends were a lot of fun, and sometimes traumatizing, to watch. We’ve put together a list of the top 10 films in The Land Before Time franchise.
JOURNEY TO BIG WATER
This movie is actually the ninth in the franchise. It came out in 2002 and was released directly to video. In this film, Littlefoot and his friends go off to explore the Great Valley. They become friends with some new characters, including Mo, who is an Ophthalmosaurus who got separated from his pod.
This film is cute because it gives Littlefoot a chance to find someone who feels like a brother, and it’s also adorable to see new dinosaur breeds featured in the series.
THE SECRET OF SAURUS ROCK
The Secret of Saurus Rock is the sixth movie in the franchise and came out on 1998 directly to video. If you watched a lot of these films as a kid, you likely remember this movie because of the song called “The Lone Dinosaur.”
Littlefoot and his friends learn the legend of the Lone Dinosaur in this movie and then meet a Diplodocus named Doc, who they think is the legend. This film is one of the most memorable from the franchise purely because of the song. While the first film in the franchise was rather serious, some of the later ones had more upbeat tones.
THE STONE OF COLD FIRE
The Stone of Cold Fire was released in 2000 directly to video. This movie is also a musical drama and is actually the only film of the franchise that doesn’t have a narrator. After Littlefoot sees a comet, some newcomers in the herd say that this comet could have magical properties.
This movie is a bit more of a dramatic one. It involves the kidnapping of Ducky by some of the Flyers, and Littlefoot and his gang have to go off to rescue her. While not as serious as the first Land Before Time film, the kidnapping is pretty intense.
THE TIME OF THE GREAT GIVING
This movie is the third in the franchise and came out in 1995. This film starts off when flying rocks cause a rockslide and keep the Great Valley from having a water supply. This causes the dinosaurs in the Great Valley to begin to fight as resources run out.
Littlefoot and his friends Cera, Ducky, and Petri thus have to head out to try and save the day. It seems like in these movies that the adult dinosaurs are never very capable of getting anything done, but luckily Littlefoot is the hero they always need.
THE BIG FREEZE
The Big Freeze is actually the eighth movie in The Land Before Time franchise. If you watched these films growing up, you likely loved them because you loved the dinosaurs and identified with the characters.
This movie focuses on Ducky’s relationship with Spike and drama that happens when their friendship hits some roadblocks. It also explores the onset of cold temperatures and how that impacts the dinosaurs, but luckily, everyone is alright in the end.
THE GREAT LONGNECK MIGRATION
This movie starts out with Littlefoot having nightmares about the sun. His grandparents are having the same nightmares, so they decide to leave the Great Valley. Littlefoot's friends come along with them.
Along the way, other longnecks come with them, and they find a place where hundreds of Longnecks are together. This movie is fun because it’s where Littlefoot first meets his dad, Bron. After going so long without his mother, seeing Littlefoot finally get a parent was really adorable, especially as a kid.
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
As with all of The Land Before Time movies, the premise is somewhat simple. Things start out well in the Great Valley and then some sort of problem or upset occurs to threaten the peace. This causes Littlefoot and his companions to have to figure out how to save the day.
In The Mysterious Island, all of the plants in the Great Valley are eaten by a swarm, and this forces the dinosaurs to find a new place to live until the leaves grow back. Even in some of the more light-hearted films in the franchise, the risk of extinction is always hanging over these dinosaurs.
THE GREAT VALLEY ADVENTURE
The Great Valley Adventure is the second in the franchise and was released in 1994. It’s also interesting to note that this film came out six years after the original.
This movie starts off with Littlefoot living in the Great Valley, but they decide they need to prove they can take care of themselves by running away. This is one of the most memorable films if you’ve seen them all as it features the egg stealers, Ozzy and Strut. They also meet the T-rex baby named Chomper in this movie.
JOURNEY THROUGH THE MISTS
Journey Through the Mists is the fourth film in the series and is actually the last one that had a few of the original voice actors. Journey Through the Mists introduces Littlefoot to another young Longneck named Ali.
She joins up with Littlefoot and friends as they journey to the dangerous Land of the Mists to find the golden night flower that is supposed to be able to cure Littlefoot’s sick grandpa. The adventure and the animation make this installation a memorable one.
THE LAND BEFORE TIME
There’s no way that any other film in the franchise could top the original. The tone of this film is completely different than the others.
All '90s kids who watched the show were traumatized by the death of Littlefoot’s mother. Overall, this movie is pretty intense and has a lot of heavy moments, and that’s why we love it so much.