Aro & Elmi (1996)

Aro & Elmi is a German arcade action platform game that teaches kids the importance of brushing your teeth. The two main characters, Aro & Elmi, represent two types of toothpaste produced by Wybert, the company that commissioned this promotional game. The levels are split into "Gum World" and "Tooth World", as the two toothpaste types are specifically intended for intense gum and tooth care, respectively. Each of the characters has two objectives: collect food debris and destroy the harmful bacteria that run around the mouth by hurling droplets of toothpaste at them. This ammo is limited, but you can increase it if you find extra toothpaste tubes of matching colour. Also watch out for secrets and bonus tooth care gel tubes that can be found in levels, often in secret places. The game is made on a very professional level, with cartoon-like pre-rendered sprites for the characters and the bacteria that look like characters from a kids' TV show. German players call platform games "jump & run", and here you'll be doing a lot of jumping and running to a catchy tune. Aro & Elmi can be recommended to players of all ages, and knowledge of German is not required (there will be quizzes between some levels on how to properly brush your teeth, but these will not let you fail even if you give a wrong answer). The game is allowed to be freely distributed for non-commercial purposes.