Jaws
The great white shark and the game's primary opponent. Jaws appears during ocean encounters and must ultimately be defeated in the final battle.
How it plays
The main view shows the ocean from above. The player steers a boat through open water, catches smaller sea life, collects shells, and avoids or attacks hazards while looking for opportunities to confront Jaws.
Shells improve the boat's offensive power, allowing later encounters to become more manageable. The game alternates between routine ocean activity and direct shark battles, with progression centered on strengthening the boat rather than exploring a conventional series of stages.
Plan your run
Collect shells whenever it is reasonably safe, since they improve the boat's attack strength and make later shark encounters less punishing.
Avoid wasting time on unnecessary engagements. Keep moving around dangerous enemies, learn the shark's approach patterns, and attack when you have a clear opening rather than chasing continuously.
Meet the cast
The great white shark and the game's primary opponent. Jaws appears during ocean encounters and must ultimately be defeated in the final battle.
Before you begin
Prioritize shells because upgrades are essential for the final confrontation.
Use open water to maintain distance from hazards and Jaws.
Expect repetition between major encounters and plan your progress around gradual power increases.
Editorial context
A distinctive but modest NES licensed game whose fishing and shark-battle structure is more interesting than its limited variety.
Jaws is a 1987 NES action game developed by Westone and published by LJN. Loosely based on the Jaws film franchise, it places the player in control of a small boat searching the ocean, gathering resources, and preparing for encounters with the great white shark. The game combines top-down boating and fishing with arcade-style action and a final battle against Jaws. Progress depends on improving the boat and weapon strength through collected shells. Its unusual structure and recognizable license attracted attention, but contemporary and later reception was mixed because of repetitive play, limited variety, and imprecise controls.
Catalog entry maintained by EmuGamers Editorial Team
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