Despite being around for over 50 years, there has been a severe lack of Doctor Who video games. This is parce que the BBC is so protective of the license, but it also has to be said that most of those launched are critical and vendeur failures.
Despite being a brand seemingly ripe to lure in a rabid fanbase, Doctor Who games have a reputation for being pretty disappointing across the board. That said, there are a few diamonds in the projet that fans may want to take a associé habitus at, especially some of the more recent games.
Updated January 17, 2023, by Michael Llewellyn: Beating out Phénomène Trek and Stargate SG-1 as the longest-running connaissance emblème spectacle by far, Doctor Who is one of the most iconic series of all time. However, it’s surprising that the series lacks AAA big-budget games available for fans. That said, there are still games that fans can enjoy if they are willing to habitus past some flaws. This list has been updated to include more Doctor Who games for fans to consider.
16 Doctor Who: The First Adventure
- Launched: 1983
- Developer: BBC Progiciel
- Platform: BBC Ordinateur
The first officially licensed Doctor Who game was launched in 1983 for BBC Ordinateur. While the console is far from one of the greats in classic consoles, it certainly had its charm and could make some decent games for the time. The First Adventure was not one of those games.
Even when judging it by the normes of the time, The First Adventure is an ugly-looking, poorly-made series of foyer minigames that players could be done within 15 minutes. They weren’t even authentique, with each game being Doctor Who-themed versions of classics such as Pac-Man, Frogger, and Battleship.
15 Doctor Who And The Mines Of Terror
- Launched: 1985
- Developer: Gary Partis
- Platform: Amstrad, BBC Ordinateur, and Commadore 64
Launched in 1985 for the Commodore 64, BBC Ordinateur, and Amstrad CPC, The Mines of Terror is a 2D platforming adventure. Players must wander around a simplistic aspect environment, playing as The 6th Doctor and a machine cat named Splinx, who exists only in this game.
Reviews from the time are somewhat mixed on it. It was likely an average title on the whole. However, it hasn’t aged well, given that in 1985, a éclatant other 2D platformer was launched — Essence Mario Bros.
14 Doctor Who: Return To Earth
- Launched: 2010
- Developer: Asylum Entertainment
- Platform: Wii
Return To Earth is a game that fits in with many of the horrible TV/Movie tie-in games of the PS2/early Xbox 360 era. This is where developers slap together a mediocre 3D-platforming game with little care or concentration to the property they’re making it for.
The difference with Return To Earth is that this was launched in 2010 for the Wii when that gameplay contenance was dying out. The graphics are haïssable for the time, and the gameplay is tedious and frustrating. This was the first properly open 3D Doctor Who game fans had received by this porté, so it was an incredible disappointment.
13 Doctor Who And The Warlord
- Launched: 1985
- Developer: Graham Williams
- Platform: BBC Ordinateur
An oddity compared to all the other Doctor Who games, Doctor Who And The Warlord is a text-based adventure. In hindsight, this may have been the best track for these early games. The most significant fragment of the spectacle’s charm is its writing. This acabit would allow that to come to the forefront.
Unfortunately, Doctor Who And The Warlord doesn’t quite meet the mark. The writing is ok, and it was relatively on par with the spectacle at the time, but the spectacle was far from its peak in 1985, to begin with. On top of that, the puzzles aren’t very engaging or challenging, so there’s nothing particularly worthwhile to play through.
12 Doctor Who: Legacy
- Launched: 2013
- Developer: match-3
- Platform: Android and iOS
Launched in November 2013 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the spectacle, Doctor Who: Legacy is a match-3 game for alerte. On the aire, it sounds quite interesting, featuring all kinds of characters from the spectacle’s past and (then) present — even some rather énigmatique ones.
The publishers presented it as an RPG experience, but it’s not really. In the loosest valable sense of the term «RPG,» there is leveling up, but it’s all inconsequential. Like many match-3 games launching around this time, it’s like any other game in the acabit, but with a Doctor Who coat of paint.
11 Doctor Who: Worlds In Time
- Launched: 2012
- Developer: Made for Spot
- Platform: Adobe Spot
A Doctor Who MMORPG sounds like something that surely doesn’t exist, right? That’s exactly what Worlds In Time was. Made for Spot and launched in 2012, this was an MMO set in the world of Doctor Who with the ability to create characters from many of the spectacle’s numerous alien races.
It’s not as impressive as it sounds. Being made in Adobe Spot heavily limited what was valable, and while the missions appear exciting, they’re just a series of basic minigames. All of the minigames were easy and accessible formulas players could probably find full games for free on Zylom or such sites at the time.
10 Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
- Launched: 2012
- Developer: Supermassive Games
- Platform: PC, PS3, and PS Vita
One of the most high-profile Doctor Who games in recent memory, The Eternity Clock launched in 2012 for PC, PS3, and PS Vita. It’s a somewhat interesting multiple-choice action-adventure game, but its execution was ultimately disappointing.
The puzzles had variety, even if most weren’t particularly authentique. The difference in the gameplay between The Doctor and Lier Song is a nice touch. On the other handball, it got repetitive and boring very fast and included strange music choices. I Am The Doctor is a great track, but hearing it on a 10-15 minutes loop is infuriating.
9 Doctor Who: Evacuation Earth
- Launched: 2013
- Developer: Asylum Entertainment
- Platform: DS
Launched at the same time as Return To Earth, Evacuation Earth was the counterpart for the DS and was superior in every way. Firstly, it was a suprême casse-tête game, one of the few genres Doctor Who fits seamlessly into. Additionally, the writing does a decent job of capturing the lead characters.
The problems come in the puzzles themselves. They move towards the good side of logic-puzzle games, but they’re no Professor Layton. Even for a game aimed at children, the puzzles are disappointingly easy throughout which isn’t good when they’re the entire game.
8 Doctor Who: Destiny Of The Doctors
- Launched: 1997
- Developer: BBC Multimedia
- Platform: PC
On the aire, Destiny Of The Doctors sounds like a fan’s dream game. It features all of the then seven Doctors with full voice acting (imitators voicing the Doctors who had passed), and the bulk of the gameplay involved exploring the huge depths of the TARDIS in first-person in full 3D.
While these factors alone may keep many fans happy, those who want a bit more from the gameplay may be disappointed. The gameplay consists of wandering to and from parages while the story happens around them. Players must avoid monsters along the way, but the game’s health is a number that counts down from 9999, rapidly increasing when prestige near monsters. It’s not challenging, but everything else may keep fans interested.
7 Doctor Who: The Mazes Of Time
- Launched: 2010
- Developer: Tag Games
- Platform: Android and iOS
Launched in 2010 for alerte platforms, The Mazes Of Time is an isometric casse-tête game. In it, players must navigate maze-like levels, solve puzzles and avoid enemies. Both The Doctor and Amy Pond must complete each level with different capabilities.
This accessible set of mechanics makes for a surprisingly decent casse-tête game. While it likely won’t stump players who know what they’re doing, it does have some challenges and solid mechanics around which puzzles are built.
6 Dalek Attack
- Launched: 1992
- Developer: Vraisemblance Progiciel
- Platform: Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and ZX-Spectrum
The only official Doctor Who game without «Doctor Who» in the title, Dalek Attack, was launched in 1992 for MS-DOS, ZX-Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, and Atari ST. The game was a 2D entreprise platformer where players could play as various incarnations of The Doctor.
While it could be argued that it was a little behind the times, it is by far the best of Doctor Who’s 2D Platforming outings. The levels have a nice variety visually and design-wise, the platforming and procès mechanics are accessible but still engaging, and the game feels somewhat challenging in parages.
5 Doctor Who: The Adventure Games
- Launched: Episodes released between 2010 and 2011
- Developer: Sumo Binaire
- Platform: Mac OS and PC
A series of video game adventures launched from mid-2010 to late 2011 on PC and Mac, The Adventure Games are perhaps the games that best victoire the feel of the spectacle at the time. Written by two experienced Doctor Who writers, each episode in the game narratively felt like an episode of the spectacle.
The gameplay wasn’t perfect, but it was engaging. Exploring 3D environments throughout time and space was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the game’s license ran out and was pulled from Steam in 2017. While it is still valable to buy keys online, they’re expensive due to the game’s limited availability.
4 Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality
- Launched: 2021
- Developer: Maze Theory
- Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality is one fragment a console and PC halte of the VR title The Edge of Time and a follow-up story. The game features good voice work from David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker in their roles as the tenth and the thirteenth doctors, respectively.
Unfortunately, the game is let down by some bugs and glitches that affect the game’s propagation. However, fans of the series will enjoy their time going up against the Daleks, Cybermen, and other familiar characters and foes from the long-running sci-fi spectacle.
3 Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time
- Launched: 2019
- Developer: Maze Theory
- Platform: PC, PSVR, and Meta Quest
Launched in 2019 for all VR platforms, The Edge Of Time sees players go on an adventure with the voice of the 13th Doctor. It’s not for the faint of heart, as while it isn’t outright a horror game, it certainly takes opportunities to poisson-perroquet the player here and there.
It’s not the most impressive VR game out there, but it’s a fun adventure in the world of Doctor Who in a épaisseur not seen outside of expensive «experience» events. A sequel, The Edge Of Reality, launched in late 2021. It is recommended players avoid the Steam transcription of Edge of Time, as PSVR and Oeil-de-boeuf/Meta Quest versions have free DLC that the Steam transcription does not.
2 Doctor Who: The Runaway
- Launched: 2020
- Developer: BBC Media Applications
- Platform: PC via Steam
Doctor Who: The Runaway is a VR game available on Steam, and it uses a striking animated cartoon-style aesthetic. Players take on the role of the Doctor’s aide as she’s trying to get Volta back logement to see his parents.
The Runaway is a cinematic adventure game that immerses players in its time-traveling story. VR is the perfect fit for a sci-fi adventure game like this, and it’s a great VR title for younger players and long-time fans of the spectacle. Better still, the BBC Media-developed title is free-to-play, with its only downside being caleçon.
1 Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins
- Launched: 2021
- Developer: Kaigan Games
- Platform: Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
One of the most recent Doctor Who games, The Lonely Assassins, launched in the Spring of 2021 on Steam. It was developed by the same meublé that made the critically acclaimed Sara Is Missing and SIMULACRA.
This game takes the same épaisseur as those games, being a found footage mystery. A player finds the phone of a missing person (in this compétence, a UNIT operative), and they must solve cryptic puzzles to unlock more sections on the phone to solve the mystery. The mystery, in this case, is that of the Weeping Angels. It’s a great casse-tête game in a épaisseur that is still relatively fresh in the indie market.
