Catchphrase DVD Game (2005)

Catchphrase DVD Game (2005)
Say What You See! Not this game, at least!
Protagonist(s): Mr. Chips Platform(s): DVD Release: November 7, 2005 Developer(s): Spike Publisher(s): Upstarts Successor: Catchphrase - The DVD Game (2007)

Catchphrase is an adaptation of the British game show of the same name made for DVD players, developed by a british company named Spike and published by board game company Upstarts for the 2005 holiday season.

Why it’s Bad, but it’s Right

1. There is no sign of Roy Walker, Nick Weir or Mark Curry, the presenters of the original series of the game show. Instead, there is some relatively unknown voiceover.
2. The theme tune used in this game is just a cheap MIDI recreation of the 1994 and 2000 theme tunes.
3. This game is based on the badly-received Nick Weir/Mark Curry era, which many older fans dislike.
4. It is plagued with slowdown and lag, most times not responding to the DVD remote at all.
5. Many of the catchphrases don't make any sense whatsoever and will frequently repeat a lot.
6. Lack of interactivity, as due to the way the DVD works, it doesn't keep scores. The player is forced to keep their own scores using a pencil and sets of paper that come with it.
7. There is no background music at all, which is one of the many things that the original show is fondly remembered for.

Redeeming Qualities

1. Mr. Chips (Or Herbie as he's called in the original US version of the show) appears throughout the game.
2. A version released in 2007 produced by ITV DVD fixes a lot of the problems this game has. It features Roy Walker as the host, the original 1980's TVS-era theme tune, the blue and pink neon set (abit a recreation), background music, and everything else that made the original show a classic.

Trivia

• It came out the same day as the DVD Game adaptation of Bullseye, developed and published by the same companies, and both licensed by Granada.

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