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Jaws

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This can't be! There has never been a Great White in these warm tropical waters before. NEVER! This is more than a coincidence... this shark appears to be possessed... as if it's hunting you down... like it's personal. You'd better prepare yourself and strike back before it's too late. Will you u...

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Developer
Escape

Released on
1987

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Action

Publisher
LJN

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

This can’t be! There has never been a Great White in these warm tropical waters before. NEVER! This is more than a coincidence… this shark appears to be possessed… as if it’s hunting you down… like it’s personal. You’d better prepare yourself and strike back before it’s too late. Will you use the mini-sub, sea plane, sailboat or just scuba gear? Perhaps it won’t even matter. Remember, this is some kind of unbelievably powerful eating machine you’re dealing with. Quick, grab your weapons, pack your explosives and check your maps. It’s out there… you know it… and it’s coming for you. This is serious! This is the ultimate Jaws challenge, because this time it’s not over until only one of you is left alive!

Jaws

Overview & History

Released by LJN in November 1987 and developed by Westone, *Jaws* for the Nintendo Entertainment System translates the thrilling tension of Universal Pictures' iconic blockbuster into an unconventional multi-stage action game. Unlike standard linear platformers of the era, the game thrusts players directly into the turbulent waters of a seaside resort town terrorized by the infamous great white shark. The storyline challenges you to traverse different ocean sectors, collect conch shells from hostile marine life, and use them as currency at local ports to upgrade your weaponry. The game's historical notoriety stems both from its unique genre-blending structure—shifting abruptly from top-down maritime navigation to side-scrolling underwater combat, and finally to a tense, first-person boat-versus-shark finale—and its infamous ending screen, which simply displays "YOU WON" alongside a static sprite of the shark, leaving players yearning for a more cinematic resolution.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Gameplay is split into three distinct phases. In the first phase, you pilot a small research vessel across a top-down ocean grid while dodging jellyfish, stingrays, and periodic shark attacks. Touching enemies reduces your ship's hull integrity. By diving into the water via the second phase, the game transforms into a side-scrolling action stage where your scuba diver must swim through coral reefs, harpooning aggressive sea creatures like barracudas and manta rays to farm conch shells. Once you accumulate enough currency, you return to the port to upgrade your engine speed or purchase the ultimate deterrent: the explosive submarine. The final phase shifts to a first-person perspective aboard your vessel, where you must time your anchor drops and torpedo launches to pierce Jaws as he leaps dramatically out of the ocean toward your screen, draining his health bar before he destroys your hull.