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Doctor Who game confirmed for DS

Despite our eleventh day of Christmas woes, touchscreen Time Lord joy is on the cards

Doctor Who game confirmed for DS
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DS
| Top Trumps: Doctor Who

Far be it from me to say that I am a prophet of video games, but no sooner do I wax lyrical about the missing Doctor Who Top Trumps game than news strikes about said lost game being found.

The January issue of GamesMaster magazine features a first look at the game, which is to be published by Eidos and will be released in the spring on DS, as well as PlayStation 2 and PC.

According to the magazine, the tactical card game will offer head-to-head card battles between two players or against the game's artificial intelligence with players using memory, luck and their knowledge of the deck to outwit each another. Before each round, players will each be able to select up to three special ability cards, and the different Doctor Who characters that are playable - screenshots show the Doctor, Martha and Captain Jack - each have their own signature moves. For instance, the Doctor can manipulate time to sneak a peek as his opponent's hand.(Jack's will be mincing then - Ed.)

Rounds are described as 'tactical 'and lasting for 'up to 15 minutes'. On top of the traditional card battling, there are also 38 collectable cards to store in the TARDIS data bank. Each one - like traditional Top Trumps cards - features a different Doctor Who character with pictures and statistics. Stat fans will also be pleased they can finally discover once and for all who is more intelligent out of Martha or Captain Jack (I think we all know the answer to that - Ed).

In additional to the card playing, the game will include various mini-games, most of which test players' memory and observational skills. Successfully complete a mini-game and you'll be given a chance to swipe one of your opponent's cards in the next round.

Bizarrely however, the game will be visually based on the animated CBBC Doctor Who spin-off series The Infinite Quest, although the theme tune, sound effects and characters all come from the proper TV series.

So it's not exactly the Doctor Who game everyone's been hoping for, and when speaking of the possibility of a full-on action title in the future, developer Ironstone has simply said: "We could discuss this but we'd have to exterminate you."

LOL (well, kind of)

Still, Top Trumps and Doctor Who sounds like it could, possibly, be a winning combination. We'll have more news on the game for you soon.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.