February 2nd, 2015 12 comments

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Doctor Who: The Doctor and the Dalek Updates

Game available from www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC today launched ‘The Doctor and the Dalek’ for tablets and released four new levels across all platforms. The game is available freely online now and later today from Google Play, Apple and Amazon app stores.

Voiced by Peter Capaldi, The Doctor and the Dalek follows the newly regenerated Twelfth Doctor as he is thrown into a dangerous quest with the most devious of his enemies in a stand-alone story from Doctor Who and Wizards vs Aliens TV writer, Phil Ford. The game forms part of the BBC’s Make it Digital initiative – which aims to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, digital technology and programming – and introduces players to fundamental coding principles as they help the Doctor on his latest adventure.

The new levels bring the Doctor and the Dalek’s adventure to its conclusion, having landed on the old Gallifreyan ship, the Starbane. The pair continue their quest to destroy a powerful weapon, the Orb of Fates, before it falls into the wrong hands. And the Doctor has even more tricks up his sleeve to power-up his companion, including full flight ability, spreading fire and even faster speed. But can the Doctor trust his unlikely ally as the Dalek regains its strength?

To unlock these capabilities players need to solve a series of coding puzzles for the Doctor, linked to the new computing curriculum. These focus on Boolean logic, introducing ‘if’ statements with a range of variables that gradually increase in complexity as users become more advanced. The BBC has also released updated resources for parents and teachers to help children get the most out of the game at home and in the classroom.

Jo Pearce, Executive Producer BBC Doctor Who Interactive, said: “The Doctor and the Dalek has had a great response from children, parents and teachers. The one overriding request was for a tablet version. The new levels, with our updated resources from BBC Learning, allow children to take their skills a little further… and help the Doctor save the universe!”

The Doctor and the Dalek was commissioned by BBC Learning, developed and produced by BBC Wales and Somethin’ Else in association with BBC Future Media.