Episode 4 Ludus

Hi! I'm Ludus, the coolest bad guy... No, that's too far.

Back, back, back.

I'm the bad guy and here's why!

I've turned the friends and family

of three Earth twerps into holograms. Horror show!

The Earth twerps are now flying to the Levels of Ludus

to play my game and rescue their loved ones.

You want to play too?

Then download my free app from the CBBC website.

Time to take on the Levels of Ludus!

Welcome on board the Herculean.

I'm the ship's computer and your guide through the Levels of Ludus.

My data processing is detecting the presence of three gamers

from the Earth location of Swindon.

Gamer number one - Mia. 11 Earth years old, dancer and footballer.

Gamer number two - Nerea.

Ten Earth years, a keen artist who likes hip-hop.

Gamer number three - Archie.

Plays football and hockey, but not at the same time.

You have been experiencing hyper sleep

and are now flying through deep space.

We don't have much time before your mission begins.

Prepare for your briefing!

Your mission is to rescue your friends and family,

who have been turned into holograms by Ludus.

To rescue them, you must visit six levels,

each with a different game to play.

Win, and you will save your friend in a holobox to download on Earth.

Lose, and they will be uploaded into Ludus's game for ever.

Registering who you are playing to save.

Mia - playing to save her mum

and best friend Holly.

Nerea - playing for her mum

and sister Inez.

Archie - playing for his sister Melody and Dad.

Are you ready to take on the Levels of Ludus?

ALL: Ye-e-e-es!

Then, pilot, let's fly to level one.

SHRIEKING

It's nearly time for level one,

download my app and play along.

Download the app now. Game begins shortly.

We are now docking at level one.

This is a multiplayer game.

Collecting data. Team comprises of one male and two females.

Team spirit: 85%. Fear of Ludus: 75%.

Status: ready.

What's this before my eyes?

Three Earth twerps hoping to save their friends and family.

No bowing? No curtseying?

Why does no-one grovel to the bad guy any more?

-Cos no-one likes the bad guy, blob head!

-Whatever.

My brain's the size of a planet! I love my blob head.

Here's level one.

In this game,

you need to fire your ticks

and land them on the gold square.

But watch out for the vortex!

Get too close and your ticks will disappear.

You need nine ticks on the square at the end of 60 seconds.

Win, and you'll save one of your precious Earth twerps.

Lose, and I'll upload them into my game, for ever!

So-o-o, Earth nuggets, who ya going to play for first?

Mia's mum or best friend Holly?

Nerea's mum or sister Inez?

Or will it be Archie's dad or sister Melody?

-I think we should go for your dad.

-OK.

-Archie's dad!

-All right! Keep your hair on!

Gamers! Take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Archie's dad.

Are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one. Go-o-o-o-o-o!

Be careful.

Ha-ha! That's two ticks down the vortex already.

It's a great start, guys. NOT!

They've managed to get three ticks on the gold square

so they need to get six more.

But two more down the vortex, so that's great.

Now, this game's all about aiming,

balance and working together,

something these guys are clearly lacking.

You know, I kind of say these guys aren't very good

at getting their ticks on the gold square.

I'm starting to get really excited about this game!

Looks like maybe five ticks on the gold square.

Remember, they need nine at the end of 60 seconds

if they're going to do this.

Nine, eight, seven...

It's not looking very hopeful, is it?

Two more down the vortex.

Not much time left.

-Did we lose?

-Gamers, you have lost.

Ha-ha ha, uh-oh! Oh, they lost the first level.

I told you this would happen. Your game play was lame. You've lost.

Archie's dad is stuck in the game.

Commiserations, gamers.

All is not lost.

You still have five of your friends and family to win back.

-Are you ready to continue?

-Yes!

Pilot, let's fly to level two.

Warning, gamers, we are heading into a time warp.

You may experience some strange side effects.

This is awkward.

Gamers seem to have suffered a bad Victorian make over.

The pilot informs me this will pass.

Pressing on to level two.

The next level is a single player game. Selecting Mia. Stand by.

Mia likes singing, but this is not the X Factor, so that's irrelevant.

Oh, hey there!

Don't be scared, little Mia.

Be terrified! Are you ready?

-Yeah!

-Let's do this.

Tread carefully.

There's only one safe path to the tick here

and you've only got a smidgen of time to memorise it.

You'll then need to retrace the path by pressing one square at a time.

Take a wrong turn, and you'll have to start again.

I'm only going to give you 60 seconds.

Win, and you'll save one of your precious Earth twerps.

Lose, and they'll be uploaded into my game for ever!

So, who you going to play for?

Your mum or your friend Holly?

Nerea's mum or sister Inez?

Or you can play for Archie's sister Melody.

Who's it going to be, kid?

-My best friend Holly.

-Hiya!

Gamer, take your place at the table.

Gamer, you have 60 seconds to win back your friend Holly.

And are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one, go!

Mia must use her eyes and her brain together to memorise this path,

but will the pressure be too much for the little Earth twerp?

Right. Right. Ri... Oh, OK. Oh, no. She's making this look easy.

Oh, you're kidding! Oh, no. I can't look. She's done it already!

Yes!

I can't... Wow. Mia, I don't know what to say.

You were like a super brain.

-Hah! My best friend's not stuck in this game.

-You make me sick!

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

-Yay! You won!

-Congratulations, gamers. How do you feel?

Really happy that I saved you

and I'm definitely going to download you later.

Mia, place Holly into the holoport to download on Earth.

Gamers, your mission continues.

Pilot, let's fly.

I can confirm the Herculean

is presently hurtling towards level three.

Warning, gamers. We are heading into another time warp.

Expect some dangerous side effects.

Gamers appear to have undergone a '60s transformation.

Use of bad wigs and hairspray excessive.

The Herculean is approaching the docking station.

Gamers should remove feather boas and prepare.

Team status.

The gamers have played two games and won one holobox.

So, welcome to level three.

How are you doing, Earth nuggets?

We're not nuggets.

You look like Earth nuggets to me.

We're chicken nuggets!

No! Don't say that! Shut up!

-We're not nuggets. We're chicken nuggets.

-They're the same thing.

Ha-ha, Archie, you're hilarious!

Let's get on with level three.

In this game, you need to match the bugs on the bottom bar

with the bug in the middle of the screen.

Don't see the bug, hit the blue arrow to pass.

You've got 60 seconds. But if you lose,

your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded into my game for ever!

So, Earth nuggets, who you going to play for this time?

We have Mia's mum. Or will it be Nerea's mum or sister Inez?

Or Archie's sister Melody?

You can't have Archie's dad, as he's been uploaded into my game.

It's time to choose. Who are you going to play for?

We've done Archie's, done Mia's, maybe we could do me.

I'm going to pick my mum. OK.

-So, who's it going to be, nuggets?

-My mum.

Take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Nerea's mum.

And are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one, go!

Taking their time with the first pair there.

But that's two bugs matched up.

Huh! That's five bugs matched up!

Oh, these kids are really flying through this.

Half.

Now, you see the little bug with the four eyes and one spike?

He's one of my favourites. He's called Jerome.

30 seconds.

They've cleared over half the board.

Are you doing this well at home?

-Wrong!

-20 seconds.

Only three more bugs.

Oh, two. I've got a bad feeling.

Hang on in there, Jerome!

You can do it, I believe in you, Jerome. No!

-Gamers, you have won.

-Oh, no!

-How did you do that?

-It's called team work!

Team work didn't help with that lousy high-five though.

Embarrassing!

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

I didn't want that one anyway.

Congratulations, gamers.

Nerea, you can now load your mum into the holoport to download later.

Pilot, let's fly to level four.

OK, you've got, like, minus ten seconds to download my app

and be ready to play too, so go to the CBBC website.

Come on, come on, come on.

Gamers, the next level is a single player game.

Archie has been selected. Level four.

Archie is a member of an African drumming club.

He's got rhythm. Who could ask for anything more?

Hi, Archie!

-Hey, can I ask you - are you a bad guy?

-I'm good.

Oh, you know, that's such a shame.

I was really hoping you'd join my side.

Anyway, rule time! This game is a really difficult numbers game.

First, tap the numbers on screen in order, from lowest to highest.

Then you've got to add the number together with your brain

and drag them over to the correct total.

You need to get it right four times in 60 seconds.

But if you lose,

your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded into my game for ever.

So, Earth nugget, who you going to play for this time?

Will it be Mia's mum or Nerea's sister Inez?

-Or your sister Melody? Who's it going to be?

-My sister Melody!

Hi, Melody!

Gamer, take your place at the table.

Gamer, you have 60 seconds to win back your sister.

Are you ready at home? The game begins in three, two, one, go-o-o!

Archie having a little bit of trouble here

pressing the numbers in the right order.

He's got to tap them in order from lowest to highest.

OK, he's got his fingers out, so he means business.

He's got it right!

He needs three more to win.

And this one looks easy squeezy!

Bugs, what are you thinking with all those 1s?

30 seconds.

This one's a little bit trickier.

He's really got to think about this one.

Oh! He got it right! OK, now this one's really tough, Archie.

He doesn't know where to take those numbers, does he? Ha-ha!

Ring a ding ding - you got it wrong!

There's only five seconds left.

Can he do it? He's running out of fingers. Oh, he got it right!

Gamer, you have won.

Oh, no, you've won your sister back.

-How do you feel?

-Excited!

You can now collect your holobox and return to the Herculean.

Yay! Well done, Archie! Well done.

Congratulations, Archie.

You can now place your sister into the holoport to download later.

Pilot, let's fly to level five.

Gamers, you still have two people left to save.

So far, I can confirm you have saved Holly, Nerea's mum and Melody.

Archie's dad wasn't so lucky and is stuck on level one.

Selecting two player team.

Determination levels - high.

Level five.

Earth twerps, as you face this almighty game of reckoning...

..please switch off your mobile phones.

It interferes with our controls.

Ha-ha! OK right - level five.

In this game, you must work as a team and use your bats

to stop your precious tick from hitting the spiky wall.

Too easy? Abso-gaming-lutely!

That's why my marching band of bugs will be invading too.

Bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah baaah! You have 60 seconds.

If you hit the spikes more than five times, you will lose

and your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded into my game for ever!

So, who are you going to play for this time?

Mia's mum or Nerea's sister Inez? Who's it going to be?

Maybe we should do my mum and then we can do your...

OK. We've decided.

We're going to play for my mum.

Gamers, take your place at the table.

Gamers, you have 60 seconds to win back Mia's mum.

And are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one, go!

This is the bugs' favourite game.

Just watch the grin on their little faces as they come racing in.

Oh, spike! Yeah, good work, bugs.

Told ya they liked this one.

Here they are again, causing mischief, just like we rehearsed.

40 seconds.

Oh, spike. That's two spikes.

Remember, they can't hit the spikes more than five times.

Yeah, that's number three!

Good work, bugs.

Back doing their hardest to make sure they hit the spikes again.

But that wasn't very good.

Pull yourselves... That's it, that's the one, number four!

Oh, it's the final countdown.

Not long to go now. Five spikes!

They can hit one more time then it's game... That's game over!

-Gamers, you have lost.

-Oh, no!

I told you this would happen.

Your game play was lame.

You've lost. Your mum is stuck in the game.

Commiserations, Mia. Your mum has been uploaded into Ludus's game.

-She will always be a part of me.

-Affirmative.

Pilot, fly to level six.

The next level is a single player game.

Nerea selected. Stand by.

Nerea plays netball, but not when she's in space.

So, Nerea, we meet on level six.

-So, you think you can take me on by yourself, do ya?

-Yeah!

Oh, hash tag whatever!

Let's run the rules.

This game is a race.

You must guide your tick through the maze by using the paddles.

Don't let your tick hit the laser beam!

If you do, you'll be sent back.

Watch out for my bugs - they'll be trying to get in the way.

To win, you must reach the finish line in just 60 seconds.

But if you lose,

your precious Earth twerp will be uploaded into my game for ever.

There's only one Earth twerp left to play for, Nerea,

and, unfortunately, it's your sister Inez.

OK, gamer, take your place at the table.

Gamer, you have 60 seconds to win back your sister.

And are you ready at home?

The game begins in three, two, one, go!

Nerea's hitting the paddles there and already off to a flying start.

What we need is a bug in the way, and there's Dion.

Dion's on defence today.

Great block, Dion.

She's getting close to that laser beam.

Laser beam - ha-ha!

That'll put her back a little bit.

Dion already getting ready in defence there.

He's disappeared - where's he gone?

Dion, come back!

You need to block Nerea, she's doing too well.

Dreadful block, Dion.

30 seconds.

She's slicing through this like a hot knife through butter!

Come on, Dion, you can pull this out of the bag.

Oh, that's a great block,

that'll slow her down.

I think we need more laser beam action.

Another head-on block there - great defence!

It's the final countdown.

This tick is getting hot!

There's the finishing line coming up.

Will she do it? Getting close to the finish.

No, laser beam! Two seconds left.

Gamer, you have lost.

Nerea, I really thought you had it there, bud. Guess not!

-Oh, no.

-I told you this would happen.

Your game play was lame. You've lost.

Your sister is stuck in the game.

-Oh, no!

-Don't worry, Nerea.

Commiserations, Nerea.

What will life be like without your sister?

I now have a walk-in wardrobe.

-But without your sister, you will have to do all the chores.

-Oh.

Gamers, you have played six levels and won back three holoboxes.

Unfortunately, Archie's dad, Mia's mum,

Nerea's sister have been uploaded into Ludus's game for all time.

Now you must face Ludus one more time

to win your return tickets home.

Pilot, fly at warp speed to the final level.

Gamers, hold tight.

SHRIEKING

We are now docking at the final level. Ludus is waiting for you.

Team status for final game.

Fear of Ludus: 28%.

Confidence: 72%.

So, you made it this far.

But now - drum roll - it's the final game

and here's how it's going to go down.

One of these ticks is your return ticket home. Who knew?

All you have to do is keep an eye on it.

If you pick the right tick,

you'll win a return ticket home

and go back to Earth. Hooray!

But if you pick my bug,

you will be stranded here in the Levels of Ludus for ever,

and you'll have to work for me and, trust me, you won't like it.

Got it?

Mia, take your place at the table.

Keep your eye on the ticket.

It's time to mix the ticks.

She's gone for the one on the left.

I can't believe it! You've won!

Gamer, collect your return ticket home.

I'm going home!

How could you? I thought we had something special here.

Fine by me! All right, Nerea, let's see what you're made of.

It's time to mix the ticks.

Do ya know which one it is?

Go on, guess.

-Yeah!

-Oh, come on, Nerea!

You had no idea where the ticket was!

Gamer, collect your return ticket home.

Oh, yeah, I'm going home with Mia!

Let's hope Archie does too.

Archie, step up and do your finest.

Are you playing at home?

It's time to mix the ticks.

-Do ya know which one it is?

-OK.

See ya!

Congratulations, Archie.

-You lost.

-I know.

-Now, tell me, have you ever mopped a floor for all eternity?

-No.

Well, good news. Soon you will.

Nice knowing you.

Nerea and Mia, you may have won your tickets home,

but in my eyes, you'll always be losers!

Now, scram!

Winning gamers must board the Herculean immediately for departure.

Bye!

Archie, you messed up.

So, by the powers invested in me, yadda blah-di blah-di blurp,

you must stay on the Levels of Ludus for all eternity.

Any last words?

I don't want to stay on this walkway, cleaning it for ever.

Oh, come on, Archie, don't look so sad.

It'll be fun. It's a really nice mop.

Nerea and Mia, please present your ticket.

Congratulations, you are champion gamers.

You have rescued three of your friends and family.

The Herculean will now take you and your loved ones home.

Bye, girls!

# Ludus is the awesome baddie that you love to hate

# Talking about Ludus who's... #

Uh-oh.

Oh, you just caught me singing another of my pop hits.

Well, what a great game!

And tell me you played along, right?

If not, just download my app and play along next time

when I'll be uploading

the friends and families of three more unsuspecting gamers.

Horror!

Until then, goodbye!

In your face, Ludus!

Did you play along at home?

How did you do?

Why not download my free app from the CBBC website

and play along next time?

Ha-ha!