Plug Attack - Atari 2600 Game

Default controls

Quick key guide

Protect Your Smile from the Food Fight

Get ready for a sugary showdown with Plug Attack, a fast-paced arcade shooter that puts you in the role of a dental defender. In this game, your mouth is under siege by a relentless army of delicious but destructive foods. Your job is simple but challenging: stop them from turning your teeth into plaque-covered messes.

You control a tube of fluoride toothpaste positioned at the bottom of the screen. With quick reflexes and precise aim, you must shoot streams of cleaning paste to destroy incoming treats before they reach your teeth. The game supports one or two players, taking turns to see who can achieve the highest score.

What You Will See

The screen is filled with a variety of attacking foods dropping down from the top. You will face off against hamburgers, hot dogs, gum drops, strawberries, donuts, and ice cream cones. Each item moves at different speeds and patterns, making it hard to predict where the next threat will come from.

Your teeth are lined up at the bottom of the screen. If any food item touches them, you lose a life. The game gets progressively harder as your score increases, with foods moving faster and appearing more frequently. You need to stay alert and keep your toothpaste aimed at the most dangerous threats.

How to Play

The controls are straightforward. Use the joystick or keyboard arrows to move your toothpaste left and right along the bottom of the screen. Press the fire button to shoot fluoride paste upward. The goal is to hit the attacking foods with your paste, destroying them before they can decay your teeth.

Focus on clearing the screen quickly to prevent overwhelming numbers of food items from piling up. Prioritize targets that are closest to your teeth or moving fastest. Keep your eye on the score counter and try to beat your high score with each attempt.

Why It Is Fun

Plug Attack is a clone of the classic Activision title Plaque Attack, developed by Steve Cartwright. This version was published by Funvision / Fund International Co., Ltd. and is also known by the titles 'Schnapp die Apfeldiebe' and 'Tooth Prot Cartridge - Plug Attack'. It captures the frantic energy of 1980s arcade games with its simple yet addictive gameplay loop.

The game feels fast and responsive, rewarding quick thinking and accurate shooting. The theme of fighting food to protect your teeth adds a humorous twist to the standard shooter formula. It is easy to pick up but hard to master, making it perfect for short gaming sessions or competitive play between friends.

Tips for Success

Stay near the center of the screen to have maximum mobility in both directions. Do not wait until food items are right on top of your teeth to react; anticipate their paths and shoot early. If you are playing with a second player, communicate about which targets to focus on to avoid wasting shots.

Remember that the game supports alternating play, so take turns to keep the action going. Each round offers a fresh challenge as the difficulty ramps up. Keep practicing your aim and timing to see how far you can get before the food overwhelms your defenses.

Plug Attack is a great choice for fans of retro arcade shooters who enjoy clean, simple mechanics with a unique theme. Jump in, defend your smile, and see how long you can survive the food fight! You can also try more Atari 2600 games from the same system.