r/retrogaming • u/joshisnot12 • 1d ago
[Achievement Unlocked!] Jaws - Beat!
This is actually my first time ever playing this game. I remember seeing an old AVGN episode about it iirc and it always looked kinda fun to me so it’s been in my backlog for a few months now. For a simple repetitive game it actually has some decent depth & mechanics. The game manual absolutely helped, especially learning that holding down the A button allows you to quick-turn while swimming. The mini sub was a bit of a let down considering you have to go out of your way, probably do several dives just to get it, and then more on the way back to the next port, only for it to disappear after a single hit. Still, it was a cool being able to launch bombs and the regular shots while using it. Not much to say about the music other than it wasn’t bad. The famous Jaws theme on the title screen that would fade into & out of silence added a nice bit of suspense to the initial experience. The power up system did exactly what it should and it felt pretty tight for a LJN movie title. The ending screen, although very simple, I found gorgeous. Just a beautiful shot to end on. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t love Jaws or these early arcade/high score (but with an ending) style hybrid games. I definitely had fun and can see myself popping it in for a short gaming session again now that I know how to finish it.
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u/AgressivePeppering 1d ago
I got him one time as a kid. Congrats!
(I can still hear that music…)
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u/joshisnot12 1d ago
Man, as a kid I would’ve lost my shit finally getting that last hit haha. Even now I still jumped outta my chair when I gottem lol.
Thanks! And grats on gettin’ him as a kid!
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u/retrocube16 22h ago
Congrats! 🎉 I actually love this game, I actually didn't know you can watch bombs from the mini sub. If you have an NES Max or NES advantage controller it really helps out in this game
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
Thanks! I only knew because of the manual tbh. I do have both a Max and Advantage, but I almost always have my Turbo Blaster plugged in. If you haven’t heard of them, absolutely check it out. It was made by the same guy who pitched the handheld NES back in the day and you can still find them on eBay for a reasonable amount!
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u/RPO1728 19h ago
We used to hand the controller off to my mom or dad when we got to jaws
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
I love that shared memory most of us have. Mine was my older brother bc my mom HATED video games and my dad was a logger who couldn’t care less unless the game was Road Rash hahaha
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u/its_raining_scotch 1d ago
I always felt bad killing all the sea creatures
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u/joshisnot12 23h ago
I feel that! They’re totally just regular aquatic animals who are just swimming around minding their business lmao. It’s only the sharks who’re comin’ at you!
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u/WretchedMotorcade 19h ago
There's a re-release version on the switch that adds new content, I haven't had the chance to try it out yet but I really wanna.
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
Oh shit I had no idea. I just got my niece the Switch 2 so I might have to borrow it for a bit to check it out.
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u/10blizzard 15h ago
If you enjoyed the NES version, the updated version is absolutely a fantastic upgrade! Expands on the original and makes it more immersive and definitely more challenging in a very fun way!
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u/Skyhooks 21h ago
It's one of my favourite games on the nes. I actually bought the LRG ps5 version a year ago, still haven't had time to unwrap it but I have played jaws on the nes in the interim.
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
It’s a solid game for what it is, no doubt. I think it gets more hate than it deserves bc so many folks don’t have the game manual or feel like you shouldn’t need one for most NES games. Like many, it’s surprisingly complex relative to how it looks at first glance.
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u/Skyhooks 9h ago
Also super satisfying to bomb all the jellyfish in a row in the mini game.
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u/joshisnot12 8h ago
Oh dude when you hit a whole row, especially 2-3 times in a row, it’s so damn satisfying 👌
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u/RanchHere 20h ago
It’s funny how certain games trigger very specific memories. This is one we played allll night at a sleepover at my friend Corey’s house - we were probably 9. Honestly cannot remember if we beat it that night or maybe later in the week, but I do remember beating it at some point. I remember figuring out the harpoon being the biggest bitch.
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
I love that so much about retro games! It’s like an unlockable for your own brain haha. And yeah, that ending kill shot is a big pain in the ass lol.
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u/RanchHere 14h ago
oh is THAT the ending? How you kill Jaws? with the harpoon? Then maybe that’s why I remember it.
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u/joshisnot12 12h ago
Yep! The very end switches to a different view where you’re just controlling the front of your boat and jaws fin is roaming all randomly going back and forth. Gotta time it right when it’s in front of you and perfectly centered, then stab when it pops up and its belly is perfectly centered too. It takes a lot of trial and error lol.
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u/RanchHere 11h ago
yessss then I think we totally beat it that night. lol, thanks for the memory ✌️
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u/joshisnot12 11h ago
Hell yeah! Thanks for the story! It’s a big reason why I post all the games I beat, because hearing fellow gamer’s stories is pure nostalgia. This community is largely awesome as hell and I love it.
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u/elrico_suave 18h ago
That ending screen would be perfect for a killer v a p o r w a v e tune.
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u/joshisnot12 16h ago
Legit 100% true. It’s a goddamn banger of an end screen that fits perfectly for that genre. The plane flying off into the distance would make a fantastic loop too.
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u/joehigashi83 15h ago
That’ll learn em
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u/joshisnot12 12h ago
“Smile, you sonuvabitch!”
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u/Forsaken-Age-3960 11h ago
WOW!! This is a blast from the past
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u/joshisnot12 11h ago
Totally! I remember seeing this game on Blockbuster shelves as a kid, but we never had our own console until PS1. So I only got to play games when I’d visit friend’s houses every once in a while. I think it’s part of why NES has always been my favorite console. I was born in 87 and without any consoles I basically missed 99% of those experiences back then. I’m taking back my damn childhood gaming haha
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u/Forsaken-Age-3960 10h ago
Lolol
Yea I was 7-8 yrs old when this came out so was my prime Nintendo yrs. Thanks for the post cuz I had totally forgot about this game and just seeing these images brought me back to me and my two bros crammed in a bedroom to share and waiting my turn to play lol.1
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u/David4Nudist 1d ago
I never could beat this game. Shooting the shark with the spear gun was useless because, after a few minutes, the scene would cut to the plane flying back and forth, where you had to drop bombs on those marine animals (I'm too tired to remember their names).
Where the game reaches its hardest point is when the jellyfish (I think that's what they're called) swims diagonally instead of straight up. The little shark is very easy to defeat, but Jaws himself is impossible at that point in the game. I've gotten to the mini submarine once, but I didn't keep it long when one of the underwater creatures collided with me.
I seriously don't know how anyone can beat Jaws. How do they reach the end of the game when it gets too difficult at the aforementioned point?
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u/joshisnot12 23h ago
Ahh I see what you’re saying. The trick, which is hilariously facepalm when you figure it out, is you have to continuously sail back and forth between the 2 ports. You just have to collect as many shells as possible each way and trade those shells for power increases for your harpoon gun. It automatically increases your gun power if you have enough shells each time you reach a port…but you can’t visit the same port twice in a row. The more shells and points you get, the more the jellyfish and small sharks (and random encounters in general) start to get more aggressive. There’s kinda of a sweet spot for the time you want to spend before trying to kill Jaws, otherwise every trip back and forth is just another risk of losing a life, which decreases your power level and halves your total shells.
That’s the basic game loop though. Luckily, I try to always have the game manual or I would’ve been totally clueless about how it’s supposed to work lol.
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u/Red_In_The_Sky 22h ago
Love this game. If you can beat this, you can survive Peter Griffins Meg training
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u/AnthonyChristopher 1d ago
I agree. I anjoy this game as a quick pick up and finish. I could never quite understand how to kill jaws at the end. It just seemed to work randomly when stabbing him.