Top Trumps: Dr Who

Well we had a long wait... but the good Doctor finally arrives as a console game. And it's rubbish ! The PS2 may not be the most advance console these days but this is more basic then some of the old games I played on my original ZX Spectrum.

The game is based on the top trumps card game and uses artwork from the recent Inifinite Quest animated adventure. I say artwork because their is virtually no animation to be found. The Doctor may nod his head or the Captain Jack open his mouth but don't expect any more cartoon adventures here. No opening title sequence, no voice overs, nothing.. it is literally playing a card game on a tv screen, with no thrills what-so-ever.

It is quite addictive as with all simple premise games but don't splash out on this console version. Why not buy the card game and get your mates round. Another wasted opportunity.

My kids bought this recently, because it's Dr Who! There's nothing else out there for Dr Who fans to play so they were keen to see what thrills this game offered. Everyone had a go (including me) but very soon each bored of it and went off to watch some paint dry as it's much more entertaining - unless, of course, you happen to be fanatical about playing Top Trumps card games. I persisted through several levels to give it a fair chance, just in case the kids were missing something. On each level or round the Dr takes on a different opponent and you compare category values on your cards; highest value wins until either the opponent or the Dr takes the game and wins either or both a mini game (very basic logic/memory types) or a cheat. There's no animation; you just see two cards on screen and new cards are revealed after each play. There's opportunity to use various power-ups to increase your own or reduce your opponent's card values, etc. Once you've defeated an opponent you are taken to the next round where you take on another opponent and play the same game yet again, trying to make sure you get the highest score each play until you win the round. Only thing is, opponents are limited so you don't get to take on the whole range of your favourite baddies, and (oddly) opponents include Martha Jones and Captain Jack.
My kids also collect the Top Trumps Dr Who cards and they have dozens more than the limited number of cards used for this PS2 game. I loathe Top Trumps cards (because, as a parent, I have to pay for the blessed things and see them only as a cinical and exploitative marketing scam preying on children - see, told you I loathed them!), but with this game even I was soon able to memorise which were the higher, winning cards and so begin to win most rounds. I would imagine that a young child (with twice as many grey cells as I have left) would be able to memorise them much quicker and easier.
Believe it or not, I now loathe this game as much as the cards - and for the same reasons. Please explain to your kids that the front cover DOES NOT reflect the quality or content of the poor excuse for a game that this is. (Shame on the Dr Who franchise for ever allowing this game to be created). Much as I hate to say it, treat them to a couple of packets of Top Trump Dr Who cards instead.

all you do is top trumps. you may as well just go to a shop and buy a doctor who top trumps pack instead. its weird because whats the point of playing top trumps on a console? its all right for ds but a no-no for xbox,wii or ps2