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The classic BBC TV program that first appeared over 23 years ago has made it onto the Amstrad after several months wait. The Doctor has to prevent the mining of heatonite on a moon, recover plans for a Time Instant Replay Unit and stop a TIRU being used.

The game has plenty of background information in the scenario that may help you in the game and makes entertaining reading anyway. The game itself starts with the Doctor in the middle of a very garish cave complex, standing next to the Tardis with the 'splinx' next to him. The splinx looks just like a cat but is a handy mechanical helper, just like K9 was on TV.

The Doctor can carry objects around which he can use - one early one is a pickaxe for breaking through a rock wall. If he isn't going to use them they can be stored av/ay in one of his pockets. The splinx can also be used to pick things up and carry them, and this can often be of considerable advantage because it is unaffected by some things that are deadly to the Doctor.

The splinx has a list of commands like 'follow' and 'return' that will get him to the Doctor, but you've got to conserve its energy and recharge it occasionally. The only problem with the splinx is that it won't go up or down ladders or fall off platform edges so that you'll have to carry it around to some places.

The mines are inhabited by some nasty creatures which kill the Doctor on contact, using up one of his regenerations. The nastiest of these are the robot guards who get a lot of characteristics from Daleks.

The graphics leave a lot to be desired with the Doctor flickering very badly, and the cave and other graphics being very garish. The tasks the Doc has to complete can be quite complicated, especially when involving the splinx, so it will give you plenty to puzzle over and explore if you can put up with the nasty display.

Graphically dismal, expensive and fairly limited in gameplay terms. Another great merchandising idea goes down the tubes.

P. Nice use of splinx to do jobs for you.
P. Doc's tasks are quite complicated and will need some puzzling.
P. Nicely presented with interesting instructions.
P. Quite a large and varied playing area.

N. Very flickery and garish graphics.
N. May take a deal of effort and time to get far with the game.
N. Overpriced.

Garish no, flickery yes.