Investigating a meteorite crash near their homes, youthful dinosaur enthusiasts Max, Rex, and Zoe stumble upon an unexpected chance to put their paleontology skills to the test. Near the crash site they discover three palm-sized tablets, and a set of cards depicting a Triceratops. As Max toys with these new discoveries, he somehow summons the Triceratops from the card into life. As excited as the children are to study a real, live dinosaur, they soon have greater concerns: a band of villains has tracked the cards to their location and is intent on turning them to their own evil ends.