''Molar Maul'' is action

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

released for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...

Imagine Software Imagine Software was a British video games developer based in Liverpool which existed briefly in the early 1980s, initially producing software for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20. The company rose quickly to prominence and was noted for its polished, ...

in 1983. It was written in four weeks by John Gibson. The gameplay involves cleaning teeth in an arcade-style.Review
at retrogamer.net

Gameplay

The playing area consists of a stylised open mouth, with teeth above and below, and a tube of

toothpaste Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth, a ...

in the middle of the screen. The player controls a small

toothbrush A toothbrush is an oral hygiene tool used to clean the teeth, gums, and tongue. It consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles, atop of which toothpaste can be applied, mounted on a handle which facilitates the cleaning of hard-to-reach are ...

, which is loaded with toothpaste from the tube. A number of small creatures, collectively known as "DK" (a

pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...

on "

decay Decay may refer to: Science and technology * Bit decay, in computing * Software decay, in computing * Distance decay, in geography * Decay time (fall time), in electronics Biology * Decomposition of organic matter * Tooth decay (dental caries ...

"), fly around the mouth and attack teeth at random. Teeth are initially white, but change to progressively darker colours as they are attacked. If a tooth turns black it is lost. DKs are killed by contact with a loaded toothbrush, which also lightens non-black teeth. As the game progresses, sweets appear and introduce ever-larger numbers of DK. The game ends when all the teeth are destroyed.

References

1983 video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games ZX Spectrum-only games {{puzzle-videogame-stub

Gameplay

See also

References