Doctor Who video game materialising

The popular sci-fi BBC TV show will be getting a video game in time for the holiday season.

Some 43 years after it premiered on television, the popular series Doctor Who will beam onto the PC, PlayStation 2, DS, and mobile phones this holiday season. Very little is known so far about the game, which is currently being advertised inside the new Doctor Who card pack of the popular Top Trumps card game.

Eidos will be publishing the game, which is being developed by its Ironstone Partners studio. Eidos would not reveal any further details on the title, except to say it would be "extremely loyal to the Top Trumps brand."

There is a huge variety of Top Trumps card games with pop-culture themes, including WWE, Manchester United Football Stars, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. In each, cards feature characters or vehicles with scores for attributes such as speed and stamina. The starting player chooses a category and uses his or her top-scoring card, and all other players must try to beat it with one of their cards. The winner then collects cards from all other players, and the ultimate winner is the person who ends up with the whole pack of cards.

Doctor Who is a British science-fiction TV series which has been running since 1963. The star of the series is the mysterious character The Doctor, who is the last surviving member of an alien race called the Timelords. A variety of actors have played the role of The Doctor since the start of the series, as Timelords have the ability to regenerate into a different form instead of dying. Actors who have played the role include Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Colin Baker, and the current star, David Tennant. The show has become a cultural touchstone in the UK, with such foes as the Cybermen and the Daleks becoming icons amongst the sci-fi set.

93 Comments

  • ethanlbell

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 8:38 am PT

    although I was not aware of doctor who until the series revival, I am probably one of the hugest doctor who fans, going as far as creating my own personal doctor who DVD's, and spending months researching the doctor who universe. I have been waiting for this since mid-2005 with bated breath. Now however... To make a doctor who game should be huge undertaking considering the sheer size of the whoniverse, (who universe)that should only be undertaken with the writing staff of doctor who itself, and should be a first person game with a fully interactive enviorment, where you play as the various characters playing through episodes, instead, they decide to make the most insane move out their, A CARD GAME. ok. let me get this straight, they are making a video game of doctor who, into a card game. Does anyone else see why this is the worst thing to do? Doctor who is all about problem solving and seems like the perfect first person game right? apparently no to the idiots at the studio who were in charge of producing and designing the game, I will be beyond furious if this game turns out to be crap, doctor who has to be the best scu-fi show out there, with real characters and in deep storyline in the whoniverse, where they can bring back characters over and over agian and not seem cheap. If they blight the series with a horrible game,I hope they all go out of business.

  • cjr902

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 5:51 pm PT

    This is insane, why didn't a company like Bethesda pick this up and make a quality RPG or Adventure game, something that allows for the scope of the Doctor Who universe? Also, where are the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions? It seems to me that certain game designers are determined to crap on beloved franchises (has anyone played the Transformers game?)

  • TehEliteElite

    Posted Oct 6, 2007 9:42 pm PT

    Arrrrrrgh! WHY!?? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY must you trash an awesome tv series!!!???

    D:

  • knowbrainer23

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:26 am PT

    Here's the deal people: This WILL be a video game. HOWEVER, the video game's style of play will be based upon the rules of the Top Trumps card game. For those Americans among us, this isn't a card game like Magic: The Gathering. It's more like playing War with a deck of cards that could also be used to play poker.

    There's one deck and all the cards are distributed among the players. The cards all feature characters with stats (like Intelligence, Wits, Looks, Speed, Strength, etc.). The person to the left starts the game, everybody draws the top card of their deck (keeping it hidden), and the person whose turn it is picks a stat on their card, then everyone reveals their card. If the chosen stat is higher than everyone else's, that player gets all those cards. If someone else has the higher stat, they get the cards and it becomes their turn.

    So, yes. This video game will SUCK BALLS.

    They could have gone and got Russell Davies and the rest of the Doctor Who story team, come up with a great story, and made a game where the player is playing the good Doctor's new companion. But nooooooooooo. No, that just wouldn't make for a fun game, now would it?

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 5:04 pm PT

    lol, this is good news for nerds over 30. I didn't even think they made Dr Who stuff anymore.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 11:14 am PT

    Seems to be a fad to do this. As if Lost and Heroes wasn't enough...

  • NandoSupes

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 9:27 am PT

    ok the show is good,but please stop making games based on movies or shows,because most of the time,they turned out to be absolute crap,guess we are gonna have to wait to find out,wheres the originality these days?lol!!.

  • Poshkidney

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 9:12 am PT

    another piece of poorly made crap to be put on to silicon disc for the gulible public bbc go buy and make better programmes

  • tsiper

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 9:01 am PT

    I love Dr. Who I have watched it since the 70's and now I watch it with my daughters. My dad started me on Dr. Who when I was born now I get the chance to experience it with my kids I love this. I hope the game does the series justice. I hope there is a Tom Baker Dr. in there some where. David Tennet is really awesome too.

  • appoxplayer

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 8:39 am PT

    is this the card game or not and also is there any clues on witch doctor it will be

  • macacd

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 5:33 am PT

    am i the only one who wants XBLA Top trumps?

  • XanderKage

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 4:21 am PT

    Wait, wait, wait. Intead of making an action-adventure game, thay are making a card game? WHY?

  • amogley

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 3:43 am PT

    "extremely loyal to the top trumps brand" ... hmmm some sort of card game then???

  • Mattyrock

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 12:59 am PT

    This may be bad....May disappoint my sister's boyfriend.

  • RobertBowen

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 10:47 pm PT

    Do we really need to say that it will suck? Ok...it will suck. They tried Dr. Who games in the past and they sucked because no one has really tackled it how it should be tackled - a 3rd person adventure game with good puzzles. As other posters have already said, Dr. Who is largely about trying to find non-violent solutions to problems (ie, no fisticuffs or shooting), which makes it ideal for the Adventure genre. Oh...and my favourite Doctor is and always will be Tom Baker.

  • Megavideogamer

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 10:27 pm PT

    It is too bad that the Doctor Who video game has to Suck. This game will even bomb in the U.K

  • AvIdGaMeR444

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 8:42 pm PT

    OMFG...this will be so bad.

  • borgmaster

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 8:10 pm PT

    damn shame, it's such a good show.

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    A Doctor Who adventure game would be pretty slick, with the time traveling aspect it could be like a mix of Chrono Trigger and The Longest Journey. Man would that rock.......Wait did it say card battling game?

    Oh and if I am not mistaken Doctor Who hasn't technically been running since 1963, wasn't it gone for over 10 years before they revived it with Christopher Eccleston?

  • jack_kerouac

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    The BBC had (still has, come to think of it) a game called "Attack of the Graske" on it's website which allows players to assume the role of The Doctor's companion. It's not much of a game, but it would be interesting if a full length game was developed with this concept in mind (the player as an un-named companion assisting the Doctor) in a manner similar to Condemned: Criminal Origins (minus the fisticuffs and gore; plus Daleks and the Face of Boe).

  • ketsuatama

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    Torchwood game would definitely rock!

  • Yagami-Iori

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:17 pm PT

    No chance we'll see this in the states, is there? -_-

  • majere613

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:14 pm PT

    It's hard to see how this is going to work as a game, given that the Doctor is inherently a non-violent hero whose appeal relies heavily on tight plotting and the charisma of the lead. A game based on Torchwood would have more potential, Captain Jack's a far darker character with about 50 years of largely unexplored backstory.

  • Aggie1295

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:13 pm PT

    Please, please don't make it a freakin card battle game. The Doctor Who universe has so much more to offer, and if they actually put the right effort and budget into a game, they could come out with a good one.

  • BPDecPimp

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:03 pm PT

    A Doctor Who card game, I'm crying already. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Don't do this. I love the series but i have very little hope.

  • Cerza

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 5:43 pm PT

    I like the show, but I don't have high hopes for this game...

  • redgopher

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 5:26 pm PT

    No love for Chris Eccleston

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 5:08 pm PT

    No more games off tv shows.

  • liam0_m

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:29 pm PT

    yay, but it will be a disapointment as no game will ever live up to doctor who

  • Chaos13579

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:20 pm PT

    About time. As long as it's good.

  • ants_man

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:50 pm PT

    Hope the game is as good as the show.

  • TleeBlue

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:44 pm PT

    I personally adore David Tennant. He is perfect as The Doctoer. I am so glad I found this series even though I live in America. I just can't wait until Christmas for the new episode.

  • NoEsMano

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:27 pm PT

    This game will suck. On an epic scale.
    Shame, because Doctor Who is a great TV show.

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:27 pm PT

    if anything, this game should be MMOG.

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:26 pm PT

    the game better be as good as the programmes.

  • uk_beny

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:20 pm PT

    ahhh great show but i tend to think its going to suck as game but i truely hope they prove me wrong

  • Jaeme

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!!

  • charley_mcd

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    no,thats terrible!

  • Chirico_Cuvie

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:18 pm PT

    Unless Tom Baker is involved it will be crap! I doubt this will see a release outside the UK.

    Ex-ter-min-ate!!

  • joeymew

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:06 pm PT

    The NEW Dr. Who is AWESOME!!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    Who?

  • MatthewNintendo

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 3:00 pm PT

    Well it's clearly not getting the next gen treatment since it'll only sell well here in the uk. I doubt Dr. Who has a very big following outside the UK, so edios isn't going to spend too much on a game they can only sell in 1 country, therefore this game will suck. Which is a shame cos I love Dr. Who brilliant show, something us brits can be proud of.

  • Gamer_152

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:57 pm PT

    I don't watch much Sci-Fi but Dr. Who is absolute genius, I hope they don't mess this up. Weird selection of consoles though.

  • obsolete2k1

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:55 pm PT

    Bozanimal: The Daleks now can elevate up stairs, they tried to evade them by going up stairs in the 2005 episode "Dalek."

    Wow! I am a huge geek, thankfully my wife could have answered that question too.

  • Freestyle_20

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:55 pm PT

    why is it only on ps2 pc and ds and mobiles wat the hell people

  • bigj1985

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    I dont like the most current Doctor WHo. I loved the one before. I hope I get to play as him.

  • Celestial25

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    As with most people, I hope they don't mess this up. I love the show, and wish for the best!

  • Proman84

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:50 pm PT

    Could be cool.

  • Bozanimal

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 2:47 pm PT

    The question is, will you be able to evade the Daleks by running down a stairwell?

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