''PDC World Championship Darts'' is a
sports video game
A sports video game is a video game that simulates the practice of sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, track and field, extreme sports, and combat sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport (s ...
published by Oxygen Interactive and developed and designed by Mere Mortals. It was released for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
and
PC. The game features ten professionals from the
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is a professional darts organisation in the United Kingdom, established in 1992 when a group of leading players split from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form what was initially called the World ...
, and five tournaments from the PDC circuit. A sequel, ''
PDC World Championship Darts 2008'', was produced the following year.
Gameplay
The game attempts to recreate playing real
darts
Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, missiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dar ...
through the functions of the controller and the rules set within the game. A variety of modes are available for play.
Rules
''See also
Playing darts and
Scoring
Score or scorer may refer to:
*Test score, the result of an exam or test
Business
* Score Digital, now part of Bauer Radio
* Score Entertainment, a former American trading card design and manufacturing company
* Score Media, a former Canadian m ...
for full rules''
The game almost exactly follows the rules of the classic 501 darts game. Two professionals (one or two controlled by the player) throw darts onto the
dartboard
Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small sharp-pointed missiles known as darts at a round target known as a dartboard.
Points can be scored by hitting specific marked areas of the bo ...
to decrease their score to 0, but they must end with a double. The only exception is the World Grand Prix where players must also start with a double. The dartboard's numbers are positioned just as they are in real darts.
Each player throws three darts at a time before the next player's turn. In standard rules, whoever reaches 0 first has won the leg. Varying amounts of legs comprise sets, a certain amount of which must be gained to win the match.
Controls
After aiming where they want to throw with the right analog stick, the player uses the left analog stick on the
DualShock 2
The DualShock (originally Dual Shock; trademarked as DUALSHOCK or DUAL SHOCK; with the PlayStation 5 version named DualSense) is a line of gamepads with Haptic technology, vibration-feedback and analog controls developed by Sony Interactive Enterta ...
controller or
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
to pull back their dart and increase the power behind the throw. In 'Amateur' mode the power can be seen with a red bar that fills a power meter; in 'Professional' mode this aid is not present and the power can be seen via the movement of the character's arm. Once the desired amount of power is reached, pushing forward on the analog stick will throw the dart. Any deviation to the left or right while throwing the dart will also affect the dart's flight.
Modes
There are numerous modes of play within the game. Aside from a simple Exhibition between one or two players, a single player can also create their own character and begin a career to become the world's best dart player. Another mode allows any of the tournaments in career mode to be played individually.
Party Games
There are 10 party games available to play for two to four players. Instead of using the usual control style where the player manually aims and adjusts their power, all of these games must be played in one of three control mechanisms that generally involve the player confirming where they want to throw at just the right time as the aiming cursor moves around the board. This is to suit the sort of games that party mode contains:
*
Standard rules – Players utilise the different control mechanism to reach zero from scores of 301, 501, or 701. They must check out on a double
*Black and White – Player 1 aims for white numbers, Player 2 for black. Players take turns to throw 3 darts at their target number, scoring 1, 2, and 3 points respectively for singles, doubles, and trebles
*
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
– See article for rules
*Fives – Players throw three darts aiming for a score divisible by 5. If they do they get a fifth of the score in points. Whoever scores 50 points first is the winner
*
Killer
A killer is someone or something that kills, such as a murderer or a serial killer.
Killer may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
* Killer (''Home and Away''), a character from ''Home and Away''
* Killer Kane, ...
– Each player has a 'life number'. Every time a player hits their life number they gain a life; when a player obtains three lives they become the Killer. The Killer can use their darts to aim for the opposing player's life number, thereby killing them
*Knockout – Players begin the game with three lives. They take turns to throw three darts at the board, aiming to achieve a higher score than the previous player. If the player fails in this, they lose a life; the game is lost if all lives are lost
*Odd Man In – Players throw three darts at the board aiming for an odd score higher than 10. As soon as they fail to do this they are out of the game
*
Round the Clock – Players hit each numbered section in turn, from 1 to 20. The first to reach 20 is the winner. Variations include reverse Round the Clock and hitting the doubles and trebles of each number
*Shanghai – The players throw three darts at a board aiming to hit the single, double, and treble of the same number with those three darts. The winner is the first player to successfully do so
*Twenty One – Players take turns to throw three darts aiming for 10 and 11. A single on either number scores 1 point, a double 2 points, and a treble 3 points. They are only awarded points when at least one dart each hits both the 10 and 11. First player to reach 21 points is the winner
Professionals
Ten professionals are included in the game (listed along with their achievements at the time of production):
*
Phil Taylor – 'The Power' – Thirteen-time World Champion and arguably the greatest player of all time
*
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld (born 20 April 1967) is a Dutch professional darts player. Nicknamed Barney, although originally known as The Man, he is one of the most successful darts players in history. Van Barneveld is a five-time World Darts Champ ...
– 'The Man/Barney' – Five-time World Champion, including 2007, the year the game coincided with. One of Holland's greatest darts players.
*
John Part
John Part (born June 29, 1966) is a Canadian former professional darts player and current commentator. Nicknamed Darth Maple, he is a three-times World Champion, having won the 1994 BDO World Darts Championship on his world championship debut, a ...
– 'Darth Maple' – Two-time World Champion (1994, 2003) and Canada's greatest darts player
*
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
– 'The Menace' – Two-time World Champion (1991, 1994).The first ever winner of a PDC World Championship (1994)
*
Colin Lloyd
Colin Edward Lloyd (born 7 August 1973), nicknamed Jaws, is an English retired professional darts player. He is a former world number one ranked player and has won two major television titles in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) – the ...
– 'Jaws' – World Matchplay Champion (2005) and World Grand Prix (2004) champion
*
Peter Manley
Peter David Manley (born 7 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events from July 1996 until 2017. He won one major title, the Las Vegas Desert Classic, in 2003, and twi ...
– 'One Dart' – Las Vegas Desert Classic champion (2003) and three-time World Championship finalist (1999, 2002, 2006)
*
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship.
Darts care ...
– 'The Iceman' – World Grand Prix champion (2001)
*
Mark Dudbridge
Mark "Flash" Dudbridge (born 11 January 1973) is an English professional darts player. He appeared in the 2005 Premier League Darts after reaching the final of the 2005 PDC World Darts Championship. He also is a former World Master and has r ...
– 'Flash' – World Championship finalist (2005)
*
Wayne Mardle
Wayne Elliot Mardle (born 10 May 1973) is an English former professional darts player who played in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO). He was runner-up in three PDC majors, losing to Phil ...
– 'Hawaii 501' – World Championship semi-finalist (2004, 2005, 2006)
*
Adrian Lewis
Adrian Lewis (born 21 January 1985) is an English professional darts player currently playing in the PDC. He is a two-time PDC World Darts Champion, winning in 2011 and 2012. He is nicknamed Jackpot, as he won a jackpot gambling in Las Vegas ...
– 'Jackpot' – World Matchplay semi-finalist and Taylor's protégé
Tournaments
Five official PDC tournaments are included in the game. They can be played individually or chronologically as in Career mode, and tournament progress can be saved between rounds. All tournaments are standard 501 double-out games except where noted.
*
PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship, known for sponsorship purposes as the Cazoo World Darts Championship, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), is a World Professional Darts Championship held annually in the sport of darts. The PD ...
– The most prestigious tournament. Six rounds of set play as the first player to win 3 legs wins a set
*
PDC World Grand Prix – Players are required to hit a double to begin as well as to end the leg. Five rounds of set play with 3 legs to win a set
*
Las Vegas Desert Classic
The Las Vegas Desert Classic was a darts tournament, organized by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and was held each year in July from 2002 until 2009. Its original venue was the MGM Grand Casino and Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada from 2002 to ...
– Five rounds, the first round being first to 11 legs while the remaining four are set play format with 5 legs required to win a set
*
PDC UK Open – Eight rounds of 301 games. The tournament is matchplay format ranging from first to 5 legs to first to 17 legs in the final
*Holland Open – Five rounds played in matchplay format ranging from first to 3 legs in the opening round to first to 15 legs in the final
{{PDC Darts
2006 video games
2007 video games
PlayStation 2 games
Windows games
Professional Darts Corporation
Darts video games
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Red Ant Enterprises games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Oxygen Games games
Mere Mortals games