Dalek Attack

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the computer game. For the Doctor Who monsters, see Dalek.

Dalek Attack

Developer(s)	Admiral Software
Publisher(s)	Admiral Software
Engine	8-bit, 16-bit.
Release date(s)	October, 1992
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A)
Platform(s)	PC, Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST.
Media	Floppy Disk, Tape

Dalek Attack is a two-player computer game based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, where the player has the choice of playing the Second, Fourth or Seventh Doctor and his companion (Ace or The Brigadier). K-9 also makes appearances later in the game.

The game was released on all major formats of the time except for the Amstrad, which was announced but never actually released. It was designed and storyboarded by 221B Software Development. On the PC and Amiga versions, there was a secret room behind some blocks. The room gave some of the programming credits for each different game, in particular the graphics and music.

Ironically, the PC version, which had the most sophisticated graphics, and the ZX Spectrum version which was the most basic game of the lot, were both designed by the same person. The 8-bit computers (which were less powerful than the 16-bit computers) had only the Seventh Doctor and Ace to play as. Indeed, ZX Spectrum owners were lucky to get it as well, as Alternative Software only released it for that platform due to popular demand.

Dalek Attack was in fact the last licensed Spectrum game, differing from all the others in its first level. In all the other releases the first level involved the Doctor on a hover board going along the sewer. Spectrum owners were treated to the sewer but had the Doctor on foot running around collecting hostages and avoiding globes. The Spectrum version also lost out on other features such as different enemies and only the Robomen, Ogrons and standard Daleks featured. The end-level guardians were also different.

Other versions of the game were treated to special Daleks. Hovering daleks were brought in from the TV Century 21 comics strips of the 1960s. The 1960s movie version Daleks also made an appearance, as would the special weapons Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks. Another very special Dalek also featured, based on a sketch in an article from the Doctor Who Magazine 10th anniversary special showing how a Dalek might look when the television series came back.

The game was later re-released, first, in a three pack compilation set called the Sci-Fi Collection with two other titles (Galactic Warrior Rats, Surburban Commandos) for the PC. The front cover was in a "Y" shape with Dalek Attack in the bottom right and the instruction booklet was photocopied. This was followed in 1994/95 by another release. which was the same as the original except for a purple and black border added to the front and back covers.