Use Stephen Hawking to blast rocks...

Monty Python has remade 1980s arcade game Asteroids, featuring Stephen Hawking zapping rocks carrying the faces of the comedy troupe.

The free game has been released to promote a new version of Eric Idle's Galaxy song, voiced by the cosmologist.

Another physicist, Professor Brian Cox, is the face of the 'boss' asteroids.

The scientists collaborated for a video to accompany Hawking's version of the Galaxy Song which featured in the Pythons' reunion shows at the O2 in London last year – and it has now been remastered for a single release.

Universal Music is putting out a limited edition of 1,000 vinyl 7inch singles next Saturday, with a digital version available from tomorrow.

Idle, who sung the original in the 1983 film Monty Python and the Meaning Of Life after emerging from a fridge in the 1983 film.

There are seven real-life asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter named after the Python members: 9619 Terrygilliam; 9617 Grahamchapman; 9618 Johncleese; 9620 Ericidle; 9621 Michaelpalin; 9622 Terryjones – all discovered in March 1993 – plus 13681 Monty Python discovered in August 1997.

Click here to play the video game, while the video is below:

Published: 12 Apr 2015