A new game from the BBC and BBC Doctor Who Interactive hopes to use the popular sci-fi television icon to teach young people how to program.

The game, "The Doctor and the Dalek," was being designed to help children learn some basic programming skills. The game is set to launch on Oct. 22, and features voice narration from current Doctor Peter Capaldi, and a new story by Phil Ford, who has written for the TV show.

The free web game is aimed at 6 to 12-year-olds and involves freeing a battered Dalek from a ship of Cybermen. Players are then charged with repairing the ship via a series of puzzles based on the programming elements of the new English computing curriculum.

Jo Pearce, creative director of BBC Doctor Who Interactive, told The Guardian that Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat and executive producer Bryan Minchin approved the game.

"It is part of the Doctor Who world: we don’t differentiate it," she said.

The BBC has also created material for parents and teachers to accompany the game which is tied into the new computing curriculum in England.

"This touches predominantly on key stage two, but then goes in to key stage three. We wanted the game to be something that could help teachers in the classroom as well," said Pearce. "Teachers are getting their heads around this new curriculum, so it was a big aim for us to do these teaching packs."

Further details on the game can be found over here.