Big Al Game (found "Walking With Dinosaurs" web game; 2001)
A screenshot from the game.
Status: Found
Date found: 11 Aug 2020
Found by: Jennifer Edwards, Alex Freeman
To coincide with the release of the program The Ballad of Big Al (a spin-off of the Walking With Dinosaurs series), the BBC released an online role-playing game, called the Big Al Game. The player would guide a growing Allosaurus (presumably the famous Allosaurus Big Al) through the dangers of the Late Jurassic, and learn information about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals on the way.
After 2011, the BBC updated their website with the release of the documentary Planet Dinosaur. With this came the removal of the beloved Big Al game, as well as several other less popular games and programs. It has been replaced by an unrelated game based on Planet Dinosaur.
At one point, the BBC hosted a similar game called the Evolution Game, following the evolution of primates. It was removed much earlier.
Recreation
In 2018, an online recreation of the original game, created by UK-based programmer Jennifer Edwards, surfaced.[1]
Big Al Port
After Edwards created the remake, she was contacted by the game's original designer, Alex Freeman, who sent the game's original source code and assets. It was ported onto Unity and can be played on browser or downloaded.[2]
External Links
- An archive of the game's introduction page, with a link to instructions on how to play. The game itself was not archived. Retrieved 03 Jun '18
- The Big Al Game's page on the Walking with Dinosaurs wiki. Retrieved 03 Jun '18
- Blog post about the Evolution Game. Retrieved 21 Jun '20.
Reference
- ↑ The recreation by Jennifer Edwards. Retrieved 03 Jun '18
- ↑ Browser version of the gameRetrieved 24 Dec '21