Top Shop

"Great for playing with everyone...except pesky brothers!"

Top Shop
Top Shop is strategy-type Playstation game for 1-6 players. It has a one-player scenario mode, in which the player ''battles'' opponents in a mall. Top Shop is similar to Monopoly, by letting players open their own stores in each level in the board or ''mall''. The object of the game is to acquire a certain amount of assets, usually ranging from $10,000-$20,000. Once a player reaches the asset goal, they are declared the winner. The one player scenario asset goal increases each time you finish a level, making it more and more challenging as you move on.
The game’s 2D graphics are clear, and are similar to Japanese anime. Each shop has a different look, from the formal look of a Curry India restaurant, to the ''buy buy!'' atmosphere of the electronics stores. The 2D graphics seem to suit the game, although they give it a little bit of a kiddie look.
The AI opponents in Top Shop is a little slow, and sometimes not very intelligent, but they get a little smarter as the game progresses. The AI opponents usually start out by opening very few shops, but can be tricky to predict later in the game. Sometimes they will start to attack each player’s assets ruthlessly, and other times they make poor decisions on when to build shops.
This game has a moderate replay value, since games can be lengthy. The AI is not fun to watch, so there can be slightly boring stretches in the game. The only time you can save in the 1-player scenario is in the 4th month (each turn is a month), so you need to have some time on your hands before beginning. If played a little at a time, though, the game becomes more enjoyable. Top Shop also has a very reasonable price range, if you can still find it new.
Each time you advance in the 1-player scenario, a new rival challenges you to compete on a new board. Before and after each board, there is a short movie sequence, which is usually funny. The funniest is probably the movie for the Frog King, who is a whiny guy dressed in a frog suit surrounded by real frogs.
There are virtually no objectional elements. There are a few character that are gross because of their constant snot bubbles that games like Zelda: Wind Waker and a few Mario games have. The game itself has no violence or cuss words whatsoever.
Multiplayer games last anywhere from 25 minutes to 1 or more hours, depending on how high the asset goal is. Typically, a $15,000 asset goal game with 2 human players and 1 AI player takes around 40 minutes to 1 hour. Multiplayer games are a little faster in Top Shop than the 1-player scenario, especially if you have fewer players.
Overall, Top Shop has many desirable qualities: clean gameplay for the whole family, no cuss words or violence, and fun multiplayer. This Playstation game is entertaining for quite a while, even though the boards get harder to complete and lengthier as you progress. I strongly recommend this game to all strategy-loving gamers, and it’s fun to play, especially with friends and family members.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/19/04