The 90's Doctor Who games
| Dr. Who - Dalek Attack (a.k.a. Dr Who and the Daleks)
Publisher: Admiral Software (Alternative), re-released by React Year: 1992 (16 bit) 1993 (8 bit), a re-release sometime in 1994/95 Price: £7.99 (8 bit) £16.99 (16 bit), £4.99 (re-release) Machines: Amiga, Atari ST, IBM PC, Sinclair Spectrum, and C64. Amstrad CPC version announced but never released. The re-release was only for the 16 bit machines, most of the 8-bit machines having ceased to exist. Type: Arcade/Adventure Music and SFX: Paul Tankard Produced: R.D.Hulley |
Story: (From the inlay) The Doctor's primary objective is to prevent the Daleks from taking full control of Earth. To do this he must gain access to each of the four cities (London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo) captured by the Daleks and destroy the pods that are destroying the Earth's ozone layer ready for the main Dalek invasion. If he is successful, he will then have to go to the Dalek's home planet, Skaro, and capture the evil leader of the Daleks, Davros. Each city has been sealed off by force field domes making access difficult for the Doctor. However, The Doctor can get under the force field around London by entering via the sewers.
Game play: A two player game where you play the Doctor and player 2 controls his companion. The 16-bit computers gave you the choice of 3 Doctor's, 2nd, 4th or 7th and a choice of companion from Ace or the Brigadier. K9 also makes appearances later in the game to help out on 16 bit machines. 8 bit machines gave you the 7th Doctor and Ace.
You run around leaping from tall buildings, hanging off roofs and shooting your way through 6 locations. Your sonic screwdriver can be upgraded as you collect tokens. Daleks are only destroyed with bombs or laser fire. While it makes a nice little computer game, fans of the show and purists found the Doctor's new sense of justice (i.e. kill everything with you gun) a little hard to take.
I have particularly bad memories of the PC version. During game play the action screen is fine but the information bar wobbles and shakes every time you move. So far I have owned it three times and on each copy its the same thing. Apparantly I was not the only person who had this problem, vistor to the site Stephen Wilson also found this on his copy of the game but it did work properly on a PC with an earlier processor, probably a 386.
Background Notes: Probably the most successful Doctor Who title to date, the game managed a release on nearly all formats accept for the Amstrad, which was announced but never actually released.
The game was designed and storyboarded by 221B Software Developement. On the PC version there was a secret room behind some blocks. The room gave some of the programming credits for each different game, in particular the graphics. It also gave Paul Tankard credit for music, whether he did all the versions i'm not sure.
They are listed below -
Graphics - John Gyarmati, Wayne Dalton
St and Amiga - Richard Truner
PC, Spectrum, Amstrad (Unreleased)- Nick Kimberley
C64 - Jason Heggie
Ironically the PC version, which must have had the best graphics of all, and the 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 then the 16-bit computers) had only the 7th Doctor and Ace to play as. Indeed, Spectrum owners were lucky to get it as well, only by demand did Alternative Software release it. It was in fact the last licensed Spectrum game. It differs from all the others in its first level, in that all the other releases involved the Doctor riding along on a hover board over a sewer channel, eventually meeting a sewer gaurdian. 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, only the Robomen, Orgrons and the standard Daleks feature. The end of level guardians were also different, not quite as spectacular. |  |
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The other versions of the game were treated to special Daleks. The hover-bout daleks were brought in from the TV Century 21 Comics of the sixties. 60's movie version Daleks also made an appearance, as would the special weapons Dalek from Remeberance of the Daleks. Another very special Dalek also featured. This Dalek featured in an article in the Doctor Who magazine 10th anniversary special. It showed a sketch of how a Dalek might look if the TV series ever came back. Of course, the Dalek design was just forgotten about, until Alternative picked up on it. It can be seen in the Dalek city on Skaro. |
The PC version features perhaps the most ingenious pirate protection. After the London level it asks you for a word from the instruction booklet, any word on any page.
The game was later re-released. First, in a three pack compilation set called the Sci-Fi Collection with two other titles (Galatic Warrior Rats, Surburban Commandos) for the PC. The front cover is in a "Y" shape with Dalek Attack in the bottom right and the instruction booklet was photocopied (rather badly). This was followed in 1994/95 by a re-issue of the original game in a different box. The front and back covers now have purple borders added to them and the front cover also bears the words "REACT". This release seems to have been used to get rid of the unsold copies of the game because the version I have comes with a poster and the booklet has had all the Admiral Software logos removed (crossed through with black marker pen, very professional).
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Promotion: This is certainly the most publicized Doctor Who game of the lot. It got major coverage in many Spectrum magazines, especially Your Sinclair, which devoted no less then two issues to it. It even made the front covers. A full length advert appeared in most computer magazines and also the Doctor Who magazine. In some cases a free sticker was issued featuring Davros and a Dalek and the words " I’ve been exterminated" and also a poster of the front screen of the PC Version (similar to the cover of YS issue 83) on one side and "Allo, Allo" and "Surburgan Commando" on the other. |  |
References - Computer Magazines/ Doctor Who Magazine
| Magazine | Issue | Feature |
| Your Sinclair | September 1992 | News |
| Your Sinclair | November 1992 | Preview |
| CU Amiga | February 1993 | Review 70% |
| Amiga Computing | February 1993 | Review 83% |
| Amiga Format | Issue 56 February 1993 | Review 59% |
| Amiga Power | Issue 22 February 1993 | Review 28% |
| Your Sinclair | April 1993 | Feature |
| Your Sinclair | June 1993 | News |
| Your Sinclair | July 1993 | Review |
| Commodore Force | Issue 93 | Review 80% |
| Commodore Format | Issue 27 | Preview |
| Commodore Format | Issue 29 | Review |
| Commodore Format | Issue 31/32/33 | Maps, Walkthrough |
| Doctor Who magazine | 197 | Walk through / feature |
| Doctor Who magazine | 200 | Letters (containing hints and tips) |
| Doctor Who magazine | 201 | Letters (containing hints and tips) |
| Doctor Who magazine | 203 | Letters (containing hints and tips) |
For the full Spectrum articles Click here
In issue 83 a Doctor Who role play game was printed sideways on the margins of the pages. It is presented on this page here.
Hints and Cheats: There are more cheats for Dalek Attack then any other Doctor who game available. This is probably because of its wide distribution in all formats. Whether they all work I couldn't say.
Type (while holding down the shift key) " JAMES BOND AND OLIVER REED WERE NEVER GOOD SINGERS" for ever lasting life. Type it in after using the smart bomb in London. If this doesn’t work use ROGER MOORE instead of JAMES BOND. This doesn’t work for falling from a great height. (from DWM 200 and everywhere on the Internet) I have never got this cheat to work. In the magazine it says this may only work for the Amiga, but tell that to all the PC game sites on the web.
Type "TRUE I AM GUILTY OF INTERFERENCE JUST AS YOU ARE GUILTY OF FAILING TO USE YOUR GREAT POWERS" for infinite lives. (God only knows if this actually works, its so long its not worth bothering)
Another infinite lives cheat (for the PC)
1) Set the game up and on the screen with the TARDIS, Doctor and companion
select two players.
2) Wait for the sewer to load and then switch controls (on the PC keyboard
press F10 and then F3) then abort game (press ESCAPE key twice).
3) Select
the Doctor with the companion’s controls (on the PC this should be the
arrows).
4) Start the game and once the sewer has loaded switch the players
controls back.
5) When you reach London Ace should appear with 0 (ie infinite)
lives. Unfortunately, the doctor can still be killed so watch out. (from
DWM 201)
A similar cheat from Sarah Hadley which achieves the same results.
First, select a Doctor and Companion and send them -both- to the TARDIS (starting a two-player game). Then, as the sewer starts, hit ESC and restart the game. This time, select your Doc and Companion, but only send the Doctor to the TARDIS. Then you tackle the sewers alone, but when you arrive in London...surprise!...your Companion is there! She/he (both Ace and the Brigadier work) are invincible, which means they can run through Daleks, jump off cliffs, whatever, without dying. They don't collect points tho, and as I recall they can't be used to face the End-of-Level Bosses. So what I do is play out all of London with the Doctor (getting him lots of points and upping his fire power), then use the companion to clear out most of the obstacles beyond that point. Still use the Doctor when you can, but don't place him in unnecessary peril.
Level jump passwords - Amiga
| From | To | Password |
| London | Paris | "DAY OF RECKONING" |
| Paris | New York | "THE SLYTHER" |
| New York | Tokyo | "TRICOLOUR COPY SHOP" |
| Or | ||
| New York | Toyko | "TRICOLOUR COFFEE SHOP" |
| Toyko | Skaro | "D5 GAMMA Z ALPHA" |
(from DWM 203 and several PC cheat sites) The first two passwords work on the PC version. The password from New York to Tokyo is a mystery, it doesn’t work on the PC version so I have no way of checking. One of them is probably a misprint or someone heard wrong.
Level Skipper (Commodore 64) During the game hold down both [SHIFT] keys simultaneously, then press and hold [P] which pauses the game. While still holding down [P], press and release [*].
Type "ESCAPE SWITCH" for ???. The sides of the game flash but nothing happens. Could be a level jumper.
A helpful hint from Channel 4’s now defunct computer game show Games Master. The Games Master (Patrick Moore) beams in a person who asks for help on a particular game. In Dalek attack’s case the black Dalek beams in! The hint was for extra lives and helpful add-ons. In London you travel left as far as you can (over the river) and climb the building, jump right and (hopefully) you should land on some invisible steps, Run across the steps (there should be about six blocks) jump up. More steps should appear above you. Jump to the left of this then jump right and then back to the left. Jump again up to the top left-hand corner this time and you can see a host of goodies ready and waiting for you - including an extra life.
To destroy the pod in Paris, destroy everything on the way to the pod, then go to the bar and find the shield riders (they look like spinning yellow globes), then go to the pod and get as close as possible, POW!!! (from DWM 201)
Another tip for Paris from Sarah Hadley...Paris is pretty crowded. When the Time Lords visit you, select laser power or whatever it is (haven't played in a while) to make the Doctor shoot long white beams. These -really- blaze through the baddies. You also want to make sure to collect lots and lots of bombs in Paris. Then, when you face the Boss, avoid the firebombs it drops on you by scaling the buildings...you will end up just high enough so the boss can't reach you. Then go back and forth to shoot at it (choose a particular shield as your target...it loses firepower when you blow away a shield), always climbing the building to avoid it. Then, when you've destroyed both its shields and it goes beserk, stay above it and bomb it.
To get from the caves to the city, kill the Super Dalek and enter the empty room. Now use your grenades to blow away the floor to reveal the way to the city.
Here is where to find a couple of extra lives: There's an extra life to be found in Paris too. After you have traveled through the catacombs and you are standing on top of the drain leap up as high as you can. From the end of the building jump right and platforms appear. There's a red Dalek flying around at this spot so watch your step. Stand in the middle of this group of platforms and jump up. Then jump left a bit and then right a bit and then left a bit and then (you guessed it) right a bit and then left as far as you can. Then Run across the platform you are now standing on as far as you can to the right. The goodies are all there at the end of the platform but be careful because the platform doesn't continue beyond this point. A step too far and you find yourself falling to your death.
Destiny of the Doctors
Publisher: BBC multimedia
Year: 14th November 1997
Price: £29.99
Machine: PC
Story: From the booklet
The planet Siralos, one of the seven thousand wonders of the galaxy, has been hijacked by the Master. Siralos is composed entirely of malleable psychic energy which allows the Master to merge his TARDIS with the Doctor’s.
Using the energy he has captured the seven incarnations of the Doctor. They have been placed in a semiconscious state at the far end of a vast combat arena known as the Determinant.
You play Graak (an energy blob) with telepathic links to the Doctor. He must free the Doctor’s by solving the Master’s seven puzzles. Along the way he must also face 10 of the Doctor’s most fearsome enemies.
To help defeat them you can access the City Of Thoughts in the Doctor’s TARDIS or the Monster Database in the Master’s TARDIS. These give background information on the Doctor's enemies (including weaknesses) and companions.
Featuring 28 mind bending quests.
References
| Magazine | Issue | Feature |
| Doctor Who magazine | 257 | Behind the scenes feature |
| Doctor Who magazine | 261 | Review |
| PC Format (free supplement) | December 1998 | Feature |
Notes: The only Doctor Who game where you don’t play the Doctor. We come full circle, the latest Doctor Who game comes from the same people who put out the first game (OK so they have more or less the same name). I have only recently managed to play the game because it was so fussy about the computer it ran on. Before I could play it all I could do was watch the videos of the new scenes filmed with Anthony Anliey's Master.
The game uses an impressionist to recreate William Hartnell's and Patrick Troughton's Doctors voices. I have to say that these impressions are the worst I have EVER heard! OH GOD THEY ARE AWFUL. They also provide some of the monsters voices which aren't to bad. (but for the Earthshock Cyberman using a Tenth Planet voice!)
The 3D monsters are about the only good part of the game as far as I can see. The featured monsters are Autons, Cybermen, Daleks, Ice Warriors, Quarks, Sea Devils, Silurians, Sontarans, Yeti, Zygons and a Raston warrior robot. The games uses a simple format, you wander around each Doctor's Tardis occupied by a different monster, find the Master who will give you a puzzle to solve and then you must face a challenge.
From what I'd heard it was a pretty bad game and they were right. The game is weak compared to other games that came out at the same time and can be very confusing about what you have to do. I'm a seasoned doctor who fan and even I can't do some of the puzzles which is a shame as that limits appeal to only hardend fans. However once completed, or skipped over (a lot of the time you seem to die while on a puzzle but still take up the Master's challenge) the Master has you face off a Monster. These include a subway train ride race with Yeti's, Chasing after the Master in Bessie avoiding Autons, and a Ghoust with a Sontaran.
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Copyright. 1999 A.Rowe