''Dalek Attack'' is a 1992

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, most ...

based on the long-running British

science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...

series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'', in which the player controls

the Doctor The Doctor, sometimes known as Doctor Who, is the protagonist of the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An extraterrestrial Time Lord, the Doctor travels the universe in a time travelling spaceship called th ...

and fights recurring adversaries, the

Dalek The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrial race of extremely xenophobic mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by writer Terry Nation and first appeared in th ...

s and other enemies. In most versions of the game, the player can choose between playing as the Fourth, Fifth or

Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-o ...

; in the

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few op ...

and Amiga versions, the player can play as the

Second The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of U ...

, Fourth or Seventh Doctor, and in the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

version only the Seventh Doctor was available. A second player may play as the Doctor's

companion Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

(

Ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or a club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ...

or a UNIT soldier, although in the Spectrum version only Ace is available). K-9 also makes appearances later in the game as does

Davros Davros () is a fictional Character (arts), character from the long-running British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was created by screenwriter Terry Nation, originally for the 1975 serial '' ...

, creator of the Daleks in the TV series, as the final end of level boss. The game is set in London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Skaro. The game was released on all major formats of the time except for the

Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for "Colour Personal Computer") is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spec ...

, which was announced but never released. It was designed and storyboarded by 221B Software Development. Graphics were by John Gyarmati and Wayne Dalton. Nick Kimberley programmed the PC, Spectrum and (unreleased) Amstrad versions. The Amiga and Atari ST versions were programmed by Richard Turner. Jason Heggie was in charge of the Commodore 64 version. Music was by Paul Tankard. On the PC and

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers produced by Commodore International, Commodore from 1985 until the company's bankruptcy in 1994, with production by others afterward. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16-b ...

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. The credits were hidden in this way due to the BBC not wanting individual credits for the game development team to be included in the game. The ZX Spectrum version was released in 1993 after a successful campaign by

Your Sinclair ''Your Sinclair'', originally ''Your Spectrum'' or ''YS'', is a discontinued British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was commercially published between 1984 and 1993. History The magazine was la ...

readers as

Alternative Software Alternative Software is a British software developer and publisher founded in 1985. From the mid 1980s to the early 1990s, the company published well over a hundred games, primarily for the 8-bit computer formats in the budget (£1.99 to £3.99) ...

were unsure whether the Spectrum release would be commercially viable. ''Dalek Attack'' became the last full-price licensed game to be released for the machine. It differed from all the others in its first level; in all the other releases the first level involved the Doctor on a hoverboard going along the sewer. The Spectrum version had the

Doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

on foot running around collecting hostages and avoiding globes. The Spectrum version also lost out on other features such as different enemies; only the Robomen,

Ogron The long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' has an extensive universe inhabited by a continuously expanding gallery of creatures and aliens. The series first aired on BBC in 1963 until its cancellation in 1989, with ...

s and standard Daleks featured. The end-level guardians were also different. Before its release Spectrum owners who wrote to Alternative Software pressing for a release received a letter back stating that the game was in production, and were sent a sticker depicting the game's box front emblazoned with the legend "I've Been Exterminated!" Other versions of the game featured special Daleks such as hovering Daleks from the ''

TV Century 21 ''TV Century 21'', later renamed ''TV21'', ''TV21 and Tornado'', ''TV21 and Joe 90'', and ''TV21'' again, was a weekly British children's comic published by City Magazines during the latter half of the 1960s. Originally produced in partnership ...

'' comics strips of the 1960s. 1960s "movie" Daleks also made an appearance, as did the

special weapons Dalek Since their first appearance in 1963 there have been a number of variant models of the Daleks, a fictional extraterrestrial life, alien race in the BBC science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. First seen in the serial ''The Daleks' ...

from ''

Remembrance of the Daleks ''Remembrance of the Daleks'' is the first serial of the 25th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The serial was first broadcast in four weekly episodes from 5 to 26 October 1988. It was written by Ben Aaronov ...

''. Another special Dalek also featured, based on a sketch by Dalek designer

Ray Cusick Raymond Patrick Cusick (28 April 1928 – 21 February 2013) was an English designer for the BBC. He is best known for designing the Daleks, a race of aliens who move around in tank-like travel machines, for the science fiction television series ...

in an article from the 1989 ''

Doctor Who Magazine ''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the following year. In ...

'' 10th Anniversary Special showing how a Dalek might look in the 1990s. 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.

References

External links

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