Doctor Who opens its world up to young gamers within the CBBC online game Nightfall

The BBC has invited young gamers into the universe of Doctor Who for a short time via the channel of its online multiplayer game Nightfall.

Nightfall REM Zone 2 has been repurposed by the BBC and gamers must work together to keep the Doctor's most iconic villains, the Daleks, at bay.

In Nightfall, players control a version of themselves that exists in their dreams – their "Nightfaller" self. Their aim is to work with other Nightfallers and defend the Dream from Nightmares, made up of worries from the waking world.

Nightfall is free to play and gamers can claim new outfits and style their Nightfaller as Jodie Whittaker's Doctor, or even become one of the Doctor's enemies, the Cybermen.

The beauty of unlocking these outfits is that the gamers get to keep them forever.

Rachel Bardill, executive editor, BBC Children’s, said games like Nightfall were "especially important now for kids to connect when they’re apart from friends and classmates, and Nightfall is bringing them together in an online dream world to help defeat Nightmares".

She added: “Nightfall puts collaboration before competition, and this new Doctor Whozone is an exciting addition, transporting children inside the world of the Doctor to unite and take on the Daleks together.”

The Doctor Who takeover of REM Zone 2 will end on 29th September, but it's only one of five REM zones available, hosting 20 players at a time.

Nightfall is being updated all the time and this time-listed Doctor Who game is the latest in a series of collaborations with BBC brands. More will be introduced soon.

Download Nightfall now for iOS, Android and Amazon devices, or play online here.

If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.