Radio 4 Extra is delighted to host this game alongside the first two series. Hitchhiker’s fans will be rewarded for their loyalty over the years and newer fans have a real, but fiendish, treat in store."

Both will launch on Saturday 8 March 2014, 36 years to the day since Hitchhiker’s first-ever radio broadcast and 30 years since the invention of the award-winning game.

The global multi-media success story that is Hitchhiker's started life as a BBC Radio 4 series in March 1978. The original scripts by the late Douglas Adams went on to spawn a series of novels, a feature film, at least three stage shows, a TV series, a collection of comic books – and various towels.

The game was originally devised in 1984 by the book’s author Douglas Adams and Steve Meretzky from Infocom. Notoriously difficult and full of oddities, it was one of the best-selling games of its era.

The 20th anniversary edition of the game launched on Radio 4’s website in 2004. Over three million moves were made in the game in its first three days of launch and over 50 million moves had been played within six months. It went on to win a BAFTA for ‘Best Online Entertainment’ and to this day some fans of the game can still be found playing this ageing version online.

The 30th anniversary specially updated version of the game will allow users to share their achievements with friends over social media via the official twitter feed @h2g2game.

The world’s most devious game will now be in high definition, thanks to refreshed illustrations and graphics. It is a web-based game and will be accessible via Radio 4 Extra’s website. Players can take the game on the move as it will be compatible with tablets and other internet enabled devices.

Radio 4 Extra also proudly presents series one and two of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy on air. It has been over 10 years since these programmes were last heard on BBC Radio and they perfectly accompany the game. Actions within the game follow the plot of the radio series and some puzzles are only solvable by players with knowledge of the programmes and story.

Caroline Raphael, Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 Extra, says: “Douglas was a true visionary and in his own glorious way foresaw all the technology we now take for granted. Radio 4 Extra is delighted to host this game alongside the first two series. Hitchhiker’s fans will be rewarded for their loyalty over the years and newer fans have a real, but fiendish, treat in store. March 8 is a special day for the galaxy, so help us celebrate it in the unique way that only BBC Radio 4 Extra can.”

Notes to Editors

Transmission details:

BBC Radio 4 Extra is the sister network to BBC Radio 4. Providing the best speech programmes from as far back as possible as well as occasional new offerings for 24 hours a day. Radio 4 Extra carefully selects and curates broadcast drama, entertainment, readings and features for those who love speech radio.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, BBC Radio 4 Extra, series one and two, begins Saturday 8 March, 6-6.30pm.

Further episodes will follow weekly (eg episode two, Saturday 15 March, 6-6.30pm).

Series one is titled ‘The Primary Phase’ - there are six episodes (referred to as ‘Fits’)

Series two is titled ‘The Secondary Phase’ - there are six episodes (referred to as ‘Fits’)

Programme page (supporting content will also be available here): bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03v379k

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Game will be accessible via the BBC Radio 4 Extra website and launches on Saturday 8 March.

The BBC Radio 4 Extra homepage is here: bbc.co.uk/radio4extra

This single player game starts with lead character, Arthur Dent, working his way through a series of different challenges and zones. Players use a specially designed keyboard to enter their commands and there are achievements to be won throughout the game by completing a series of tasks. This interactive work of fiction sees players visiting other planets, meeting aliens and robots, and creating (or losing) the plot, based on their decisions and choices as they progress through the game. The game is renowned for its difficulty and it never misses a chance to kill players off in hilarious and infuriating ways.

The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is 42.

AFG