Molecule Man is an isometric

Isometric projection

Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...

 3D

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...

 arcade adventure game released by Mastertronic

Mastertronic

Mastertronic was originally a publisher and distributor of low-cost computer game software founded in 1983. Their first games were distributed in mid-1984. At its peak the label was the dominant software publisher in the UK, a position achieved by selling cassette-based software at the £1.99...

 in for a variety of 8-bit home computers.

Plot

Molecule Man is trapped in a radioactive maze and must reach the escape teleport before the radiation kills him.

Gameplay

The player controls the Molecule Man in his quest to escape. He must find the teleport and repair it using 16 circuit board pieces that are scattered around the maze. Bombs must be purchased to blow open inaccessible areas. Meanwhile the radiation is killing him and health pills must be purchased to prolong his life.

Coins can be found lying around. These must be collected and taken to dispensers to purchase bombs and pills.

There is also a time limit that must be beaten.

Controls

• Q - Up
• Z - Down
• I - Left
• P - Right
• B - Buy (bombs/pills)
• G - Pick up (coins/circuits)
• D - Throw bomb
• A - Abort game
• SPACE - Pause/Unpause

Miscellaneous

• The game will end within seconds unless a health pill is consumed. Fortunately, a coin is just NE of the start, and a pill dispenser just beyond.
• A level editor is included which enables the player to design their own mazes

Reviews

• ZX Computing: "No not another 3-D maze game! 'Fraid so..."

• Sinclair User
  Sinclair User
  Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
  
  :

  "It's a little bit of Cylu, it's a bit Ultimate

  Ultimate Play the Game

  Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...

  
  , it's a bit like quite a few other games, but Molecule Man is still wonderful... Around six months ago quite a few programmers seemed to discover surrealism as a way of life, programs started to be filled with objects normally not associated with one another - Sweevo

  Sweevo's World

  Sweevo's World is an isometric 3D arcade adventure game released by Gargoyle Games in for the Sinclair Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. An enhanced version for the Spectrum 128K was also released, titled Sweevo's Whirled...

  
  with its little girls, odd fowl and tropical fruit is one memorable example. Molecule Man belongs to the same surrealist school of graphics design... a very entertaining, fairly original and addictive game..."

External links

• PC remake of Molecule Man by Robin Thompson
• Molecule Man at Lemon64
• Molecule Man at c64.com