Dalek Attack was a 1992 platform video game developed and published by Alternative Software. The game, featuring the Seventh Doctor, is set in the year 2254 and featuring Davros and the Daleks as main enemies. For the first time ever on 5 January 2015, the game was made available to play online on the Internet.[2]
The beginning of the game features a sequence with a horde of Daleks. The one in the front utters: "This is only the beginning. We will prepare, we will grow stronger. When the time is right we will emerge, and take our rightful place as the supreme power of the univeeerse. EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" and exterminates the screen.
Publisher's summary
The inhabitants of Earth had been blissfully unaware that from the depths of outer space, their progress was being carefully scrutinised by the evil leader of the most ruthless, vicious and technically advanced race in the universe.
Davros's knarled and twisted fingers switched on the intercom "Battle Commander Daleks report to the main control room!" he croaked.
The twelve Battle Commander Daleks glided into the main control room in the presence of Davros and the Emperor Dalek.
Davros glanced around the room menacingly, "How is the war with the Ginorms proceeding?" he shouted. "All but a few have been exterminated. Universe Sector Zeep is now ours" replied the Emperor.
"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" screeched Davros, "Now is the time to invade and conquer Universe Sector Solar 1, we will start with the planet Earth which is infested with the friends of that meddlesome Timelord, the Doctor."
"We will launch the Battle Fleet on your command Davros" replied the Emperor.
"Then let it be", snarled Davros, "Exterminate all humans!" "Exterminate, EXTERMINATE!" cried the Battle Commander Daleks.
On the planet Gallifrey there is a meeting of the High Council of the Timelords. "The Daleks have conquered most of the Universe, their reign of terror must be stopped," speaks the President of the High Council "to this end Doctor, we are instructing you to go to the planet Earth and put a halt to this madness. We will offer you every assistance possible. Good luck!"
Summary
Introduction
The year is 2254, calculated in Earth terms, and on the planet Skaro Davros and the Emperor Dalek addresses the battle command of Daleks. Davros tells the Daleks that over the past 100 years they have witnessed the human race advance their scientific knowledge to the point of the humans becoming a threat to the Daleks, and tells them it is time to rectify this problem.
The Daleks travel to Earth to exterminate the human, destroying buildings and bridges at the same time. The Doctor tells Ace that they must destroy the Dalek pods and reverse the death rays before Davros turns Earth into a Dalek production planet.
The Sewer
The Doctor steals a Hoverbout from the Daleks and goes down to the sewers to free the imprisoned humans while avoiding hitting the walls and being struck by pointy spikes and slime drops. To get out he had to fight a Terrorkon, but lost the hoverbout in the process.
London
Back in the streets of London must fight off Daleks, Ogrons and humans converted into Robomen all around while searching for hostages in various houses and the London Underground. After collecting a Smart Card, he fights off a beast inside a massive Dalek travel machine tank that can spit out mini rockets, which guard the temporary disruption.
Paris, New York and Tokyo
The Time Lords sends the Doctor a message congratulating him on defeating all the Daleks in London, and sends him to Paris and tells him to use the Smart Card to cause a temporary disruption in the force field. Then to New York and to Tokyo.
Skaro
Davros has stolen the sacred Time Ring, the Time Lords send the Doctor to Skaro to retrieve it. The Doctor enters the city by going through caves and a Dalek assembly line. After destroying the Golden Emperor and defeating Davros, the Time Lords freeze him in time and space.
Playable characters
Although the cutscenes make it clear that, as far as the story is concerned, the Seventh Doctor and Ace are the protagonists, freedom was given as to what characters could be used during gameplay:
- Player 1 could choose from a selection of the Second Doctor, Fourth Doctor, and Seventh Doctor and were all "armed" with a sonic screwdriver, each representing a decade of the show. (DWM 197) The ZX Spectrum port only have the Seventh Doctor as a playable character.
- Player 2 could choose from Ace or a UNIT soldier modelled after the Brigadier.
Enemies
- Robomen[3][4] - Cushing Movie design, 160 points
- Ogrons[3][4] - 200 points
- Red Ogrons (Skaro)
- Daleks[3][4] - Lazer or grenades to destroy
- Super Daleks[3]
- Elite Battle Daleks[3]
- Flying Daleks[3] - Red Daleks in Hoverbouts, 360 points
- Renegade Daleks (London, New York) - 2,700 points or 900 points
- Dalek War Machines (Cushing Movies design) (Paris)
- Imperial Daleks (Tokyo) - 2,700 or 900 points
- Special Weapons Daleks (Tokyo) - 3,100 or 1,500 points
- Red Daleks (Skaro)
- Redesigned Daleks (Skaro)
- Mutants[3][4] - Various forms, The Sewers
- Trapped hostage - 500 points if saved, 0 points if killed.
- Ceiling slime - 120 points
- Spikes
- Large Rat[4]
- Robotic Dogs[4] / Robodogs[3]
- Gang Member[4]
- Armoured Cars[3]
- Dinosaur (New York) - Cloned and programmed to kill humans.[3]
- Robots[3]
- Gun turrets robot (Tokyo) - Seen in the introduction, 320 points
- Minigun robot (Tokyo) - 250 points
- Attack drones (species) (Skaro) - 160 points
- Weaponised Magnedon (Skaro) - Cushing Movie design, 140 points.
- Slyther (Skaro) - 280 points
- Terrorkon / Horrorkon (Sewer boss) - A large vicious mutant,[4] 2,480 points
- Robot Super ("end of level") Guardians[3]
- London's Super Guardian
- Paris' Super Guardian
- New York's Super Guardian - 1,800 points (200 for the arm)
- Tokyo's Super Guardian - 840 points
- Emperor Dalek[3] (Skaro)
- Davros[3] (Skaro boss)
Features
- K9 is featured in the later levels New York and Tokyo.
- Every 25,000 points, the Time Lords offer a choice of seven powers to the Doctor:
- Extra energie - restore the current life
- An extra Life
- Grenades
- Lazer energy
- Shield outriders
- Fire outriders
- A smart bomb
Collectables
- Two way shots - doubles the screwdriver's firepower
- Three way shots
- Power ups - three to change the screwdriver into a lazer weapon
- Dalekenium Granades - pack of ten.
- Extra Life
- Outriders
- Jelly Babies - Restore the current life.
- Smart Bomb - One.
- 1UP - Gives a continue
- Signs
- Coins - 10 points
- Hostages to rescue - 500 points, a certain number is required to collect a smart card, needed to access the end of the level.
Credits
The game manual contains partial credits:
- Producer - R.D. Hulley
- Original idea and storyboard - R.D. Hulley
- Game design and additional storyboard - 221b Software Development
- Development Manager - Chris Price
- Publisher - Admiral Software
The game does not have a proper ending or introduction credits on some versions but a secret room of the Paris level contains the following cast-list, including some private jokes. It can be noted that it shows credits for the Amstrad release of the game that was never commercially released and lacks the ZX Spectrum port that was made later.
A proper credit screen was done for the Amiga version which also included names of the team on the high score table.
Secret room
|
High score
|
Uncredited
- Alternative Software Sales Manager - David Watkins (DWM 193)
Levels
- The Sewer - a side-scrolling level with the Player(s) on Dalek Hoverbouts through the sewers.
- London - a 2D platformer against various enemies such as Robomen.
- Paris
- New York
- Tokyo
- Skaro - features the only appearance of the 1989 redesign of the Daleks by Raymond Cusick that featured in the Doctor Who Magazine 10th Anniversary special.
Cheat Codes
The game uses cheat codes which generally are references to previous Daleks TV stories.
- JAMES BOND AND OLIVER REED WERE NEVER GOOD SINGERS - Infinite Lives, does not work for MS-DOS versions.
- TRUE I AM GUILTY OF INTERFERENCE JUST AS YOU ARE GUILTY OF FAILING TO USE YOUR GREAT POWERS - Infinite Life
- DAY OF RECKONING - Skip to Paris (Doesn't work in Sewers)
- THE SLYTHER - Skip to New-York (Doesn't work in Sewers)
- TRICOLOUR COFFEE SHOP - Skip to Tokyo (Doesn't work in Sewers)
- D5 GAMMA Z ALPHA - Skip to Skaro (Doesn't work in Sewers)
Story notes
- Despite the cover of the game depicting the Dalek design of the black-and-white era with blue bumps, this design in not seen in-game.
- A beta of the game was playable at the 1992 PanoptiCon, which lasted 26-27 September at Coventry. During this version, K9 was a playable companion and each Doctor had their own title sequence.[5]
- The game was released on November 29th to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the franchise.[5]
- The first cheat code: JAMES BOND AND OLIVER REED WERE NEVER GOOD SINGERS, is a lyric line taken from Leatherface's "In The Real World".
- During the introductory cut scene of the Amiga version, one of the art panels features the initials DHT tucked beside one of the Daleks.
- In a similar situation to First Frontier's mention of Dimensions in Time, Head Games described this story as being a simulation created by fictional energies:
The Doctor found catharsis too in his own journey. Fully aware of the nature of his surroundings, he concocted a fictional attack by Daleks and battled them in Earth's big cities, from London to Paris to New York to Tokyo. It was so simple. He was fighting evil, showing no mercy as he blasted those who had never deserved to exist. An ideal, black and white world, in which he wished he could live more often.
- Although the game was released by Alternative Software, it was advertised as being released by Admiral Software. This was due to Alternative Software being a budget software label, and that wasn't the image they wanted for this game. It was soon recalled due to legal action from a software house already called Admiral Software. The game boxes had stickers placed over the logo, and the in-game graphics featuring the logo were replaced or removed.[6]
Continuity
- The Time Lords once again ask the Doctor to move against the Daleks on their behalf. (TV: Genesis of the Daleks)
Gallery
Dalek Attack advert for Amiga
Title screen of Dalek Attack
Dalek Attack player select, featuring Fourth Doctor and UNIT soldier
