Plaque Attack

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Plaque Attack (simplified)

What it is
- A 1983 video game for the Atari 2600, developed and published by Activision.
- Designed by Steve Cartwright.
- Aimed at promoting dental hygiene, in a fun shooting game format.

How to play
- You control a tube of toothpaste defending teeth from waves of invading food (like hamburgers and french fries).
- You shoot toothpaste to destroy the food before it reaches and damages a tooth.
- If food touches a tooth, the tooth starts to decay. If you shoot the food in time, you save the tooth.
- Waves get harder as you progress.
- You score points for destroying food and for teeth and toothpaste left at the end of each wave.
- After earning enough points, you get bonus teeth added to the mouth or replace lost teeth. The game ends when all eight teeth are gone.

Rewards and promotions
- Activision patch: Scoring more than 35,000 points could earn a "No Plaque Pack" patch and a congratulatory letter.
- Aquafresh Rebate Program (1983): A mail-in rebate promotion offering a $3 rebate with proof of purchase and a small instant credit on Aquafresh toothpaste.

Reception (brief)
- Some magazines found it cute and busy, with mixed but generally positive notes on its gameplay as a slide-and-shoot style game.