Dalek Attack
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the computer game. For the Doctor Who monsters, see Dalek.
| Dalek Attack | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Admiral Software |
| Publisher(s) | Admiral Software |
| Engine | 8-bit, 16-bit. |
| Platform(s) | PC, Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST. |
| Release date | October, 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A) |
| Media | Floppy Disk, Tape |
Dalek Attack is a 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 a second player his companion (Ace or a UNIT soldier). K-9 also makes appearances later in the game as does Davros, creator of the Daleks in the TV series, as the final end of level boss.
The game was released on all major formats of the time except for the Amstrad CPC, which was announced but never 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 game, in particular the graphics and music.
Ironically, the PC version, which had the most sophisticated graphics, and the ZX Spectrum version, the most basic version, 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.
Alternative Software only released the ZX Spectrum version due to popular demand. Dalek Attack was the last licensed Spectrum game. It differed 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. The Spectrum version 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 featured special Daleks such as hovering Daleks from the TV Century 21 comics strips of the 1960s. 1960s "movie" Daleks also made an appearance, as did the special weapons Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks. Another 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, Suburban Commando) 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 re-release, which was the same as the original except for a purple and black border added to the front and back covers.
An attempt was made to fit the events of the game into regular Doctor Who continuity in the Virgin New Adventures novel Head Games. This suggests that Dalek Attack takes place in an alternate universe created by the Doctor while he is affected by energy from the Land of Fiction.
Like all Doctor Who spin-off media, the way the plot fits in to the ongoing story of television series is open to interpretation. See Whoniverse#Inclusion and canonicity
[edit] External links
- Dalek Attack at World of Spectrum
- Dalek Attack at Lemon 64
