The BBC has announced a new Doctor Who game for CBBC audiences voiced by Peter Capaldi which is designed to teach kids the basics of coding.

The free game, which is voiced by Peter Capaldi and written by the TV series writer Phil Ford, "introduces children to basic coding principles as part of the gameplay.”

In "The Doctor and the Dalek", the Time Lord forms an unlikely alliance with one of his mortal enemies. Players have to "programme" the Dalek in order to navigate their way around puzzles and challenges. The puzzles are linked to the new computing curriculum and are designed to allow children across the UK to pick up core programming principles as they play. So basically you are teaching kids how to become masters of the universe by exterminating everyone – no change there then.

Sinéad Rocks who is the head of BBC Learning and not someone addicted to 1990s depressed Irish singers said The Doctor and the Dalek as not only is it a really entertaining platform game for kids to play but it's also a great introduction to some key principles of computer programming.

The Doctor and the Dalek – which has been specially released to be part of the BBC's Make it Digital initiative to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, digital technology and programming – will be available freely at bbc.co.uk/cbbc from Wednesday 22nd October.