Game Title: Doctor Who: Legacy
Genre: Puzzle
App Rating: 9+
Developer: Tiny Rebel Games LLC
Platforms: Android, IOS
Release Date: November 27, 2013
Recently released on Android and IOS in honor of the show’s 50th anniversary, Doctor Who: Legacy is a mobile game whose design, layout, and gameplay is heavily based on the popular game “Puzzle & Dragons.” While it is simplistic and repetitive in gameplay and design, it is highly addictive and extremely entertaining while maintaining the theme of Doctor Who. I’m warning you: do not underestimate this game.
The premise of the game is that another alien race, the Sontarans, have perfected their use of time travel and have gone back in time to change certain key events. These actions by the Sontarans end up creating multiple paradoxes in history, especially in events specifically involving the Doctor. While traveling around in the TARDIS, the Doctor notices the abundant inconsistencies between his knowledge and actual events, and pieces together what has happened. He then has to venture all the way back down his own timeline, from the end of Serial 7 (2013) to the beginning of Serial 1 (1963), collecting companions and fixing paradoxes as he goes. By the end of his journey, however, there might be more than one Doctor.
As the player, you take control of a “team,” each consisting of the Doctor and a group of 5 companions. In the game, there are six different colored “elements”: Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Grey. While Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Grey are combat elements, Pink is the healing element. Each person could be assigned one of the 5 combat elements and have a special ability. These special abilities can also be upgraded using time fragment power-ups. A character receives experience points after every confrontation, and these experience points build up until the character reaches a new level. Once a character reaches a new level, they are awarded a status upgrade point. These stat upgrade points can then be used to upgrade a character’s health, attack, or healing.
Additionally, confrontation layout is a 6×5 board filled with assorted tiles of 6 colors with an environmental banner above that shows the waves of enemies as they come up three at a time. Combat is achieved by aligning at least 3 tiles of the same color either horizontally or vertically. Combos of several alignments, though, yield an output of more devastating attacks. As a character, the Doctor is in a separate category, where he is considered a team leader, of which there can only be one. As a result, it is impossible to have a team made up entirely of Doctors.
From the 7th season down to the very first serial, the game only grows more frustrating and entertaining. Considering the fact that the actual app is free and that in-app purchases are totally optional, this game is a recipe for greatness. So, my fellow Whovians, what are you waiting for? Grab your sonic screwdrivers, your bowties, your trench coats, and your fezzes and join several different Doctors in this adventure of all adventures! Allons-y!
