Jaws (NES) Playthrough

[@JohnnyMachiavelli]

10 minutes to beat a game that has haunted me since childhood. At the end of the day i guess it was i who needed a bigger boat.

[@theculture2020]

Facts

[@773fishin]

I fucking swear

[@HandJob69-w3p]

total home oh, you are

[@MartinHorth-b3c]

same here

[@swainer8014]

​@@HandJob69-w3p trolling is so 90s

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

Back when we weren't allowed to play all day, these small games were really fun. And now, kids spend years in front of monitors and smartphones, and that's not enough...

[@shadowbeast2276]

I've heard that many now will watch fireworks from their phones even if the fireworks display is happening right in front of them

[@jackcobb1090]

Texting across the table

[@steverogers7601]

Yea well. The thing about the old days is that, they the old days. - slim Charles

[@NintendoComplete]

This time, it's personal!

[@Invidente7]

It's a short and easy game.

[@larrylaffer3246]

Jaws 19: This time it's REALLY, REALLY personal!

[@LITTLE1994]

@@larrylaffer3246 "Shark still looks fake"

[@bigduke5902]

This game has value just for introducing the very idea of carpet bombing schools of jellyfish from a jumbo jet as a BONUS stage. Which implies you're doing it just for fun. I always found that funny.

[@roadkillz78]

You can slow down and speed up the plane's speed in the bonus game by using the directional buttons. I used to be able to nail 80-90% of those jellyfish by doing that.

[@FomorViceroy]

Will confess, I always enjoyed this game.

[@雪鷹魚英語培訓的領航]

It's well made.

[@WarlockX4]

I'm right there with you

[@RoBaDoB143]

Same

[@tomace4898]

The tune during the bonus scene is an absolute banger.

[@VINNYBOOVISION]

No it's not

[@paladinslash4721]

With all the stingrays you kill in this game, you’d think Jaws is a secondary objective compared to avenging Steve Irwin.

[@email6743]

Don't be so easily conditioned

[@AmisAngelstreams]

It turns out Jaws is actually the hero of the game because he's just trying to protect all the sea life that gets pointlessly massacred by our protagonist

[@neopoolricardo3791]

This was the most unappreciated game in the world. I love it

[@OrbGoblin]

Honestly I felt like the part in Jaws where they dropped bombs on jellyfish is often overlooked as a better part of the film.

[@RJ_MacReady]

LOL yeah right?

[@smokesreefer9417]

great scene 😏😏

[@RJ_MacReady]

@@smokesreefer9417 lol

[@benjaminperez7328]

It got Michael Caine an Oscar nod…….

[@smokesreefer9417]

@@benjaminperez7328 😏😏😏🤣🤣🤣👍👍

[@OmnistrikeRZ]

Remember in the movie when they had to get shells to beat Jaws

[@LorenHelgeson]

As rough as it is, JAWS is as nostalgic as the NES can get for me. It was the first NES game I ever played, and I still come back to it even today. One week before I started first grade, back in Fall 1988, my dad rented an NES from our local video store along with this and Rambo. My expectations for what the NES could do were non-existent, as the only other video game I had ever played was a single run at the arcade version of TRON.

[@LRon-ef7ni]

One thing i love is that they called the shark Jaws. Just once i wanted someone to yell out “it’s Jaws!!”, in the movies

[@jamesl.anderson1384]

9:22 Chief Martin Brody: Smile You Son Of A

[@m.beenis8845]

Funny enough, this was one of my first NES games in a small collection. It's still an okay game to go for one run through once in a while. Just aiming the bow of the boat to hit Jaws at the end was a pain.

[@NintendoComplete]

It took me awhile to figure out too. It's pretty easy once you get what the game wants you to do though.

[@OmeedNOuhadi]

😭😭😭This too my second NES game I would not start to rent games for 2 years. A kid In 1987 that felt closer to a decade with just Jaws & SMB/Duck Hunt. I didn’t realize how manuals worked so I had no idea how to beat Jaws anyway. As Okrah would saw, “I feel the hurt”

[@jackrockwell6698]

@@NintendoCompleteI never beat this game as a kid. I guess I was too young to figure out what I was supposed to do.

[@japaboston1]

I could never hit it!

[@CapitalNick]

Remember that scene in Jaws 4 when they dropped cannonballs out of a plane onto jellyfish?

[@kashirwin]

You remembered Jaws4??? Wasn’t Mario Van Peebles in that?!?!? 😅😅

[@knuclear200x]

Can't wait to play the sequel: *Bigger Jaws*

[@RealAlphaMale69]

lmfao

[@VAR_Austin]

thank u 4 this

[@pedraodoinga]

Can't wait for it's sequel too: "Way Bigger Jaws"

[@steverogers7601]

I want the big one

[@xGodofAcidx]

The size of the sailing vessel may be inadequate.

[@LIONTAMER3D]

In what direction, sir?

[@boyabangtv]

I always love the bg music when the player is out in the sea. I hum that to my 6yr old now. He loved it like I do!

[@jeffreyval9665]

I don't remember this game being this short. It took me forever to beat this when I was a kid.

[@Johnlindsey289]

I rented this 36 years ago when I was 6 at one of omahas video stores. One of the more playable ljn games unlike garbage like X-men or back to the future

[@BB-te8tc]

The first "overworld' I ever explored. I don't want to credit this game for getting me into RPGs (though I do quite like this game), but i think it planted the seeds for a budding JRPG interest later on. The great music helps, too.

[@JohnDoe-td3xx]

100%

[@rcblazer]

The music in Jaws is surprisingly good, and the game can be kinda fun once you know how to play it. That last part where you have to stab Jaws with the boat at the end is pretty frustrating though. Why can't I just say "Smile you son of a-!" and then blow him up?

[@NintendoComplete]

I'd like to see the smoke coming out of the eye holes like you could in the second Jaws.

[@johnnygrind77]

The music was done by Hirohiko Takayama, who also did other LJN movie licensed games like, "The Karate Kid," "Friday the 13th" and "Gotcha!" In an interview I read about him, his biggest wish was to compile movie scores, and video game music was the next best thing! My personal favorite soundtrack he ever did was, "Xexyz."

[@poltergeist3194]

When I was a kid in the late 80’s. I was playing this game when a quick summer afternoon thunderstorm rolled in to the area. Lightning struck right near the house and it took out the television and the console.

[@medicropper]

Whoever played this didn’t realize that you can slow the airplane down when bombing jellyfish in order to hit way more of them.

[@MrB1gPants]

Surprisingly, I figured that out first but couldn't aim the bow of the boat for Jaws😂

[@jasonk795]

I was going to note that. You beat me to it. 😊

[@bryymiller2475]

I love how this was based on Jaws 4.

[@mikemickypeterdavy]

Thank God we couldn't hear that awful Jamaican accent of Mario Van Peebles.

[@Shankmeyster]

I remember the Blue Marlin deep sea fishing game that had a great white as one of the special catches. Reminded me of this.

[@quarterburnt]

This feels like what an Atari 2600 game on good hardware would be.

[@kinggimpy]

I tried for so long to beat this game as a young kid in the early 90s, and this person just did it in 10 minutes. Man, makes me glad all I did to get this game was trade two ice cream sundaes at lunch. Imagine paying $70 for it.

[@kme321]

I remember this game, I've been trying to find this game for years. What a blast from the past!

[@davidmakai8508]

::moves a single space off the dock:: You’ve hit something!

[@AGnar0k]

Time to murder all the jellyfish and stingrays for daring to hit my ship!

[@TheDrexxus]

I remember playing this game as a kid :) Like most NES games, it didn't seem to have anything to do with the source material, but it was still fun to play anyway! Little Nemo was the same way and it was waaay better than the movie.

[@bigduke5902]

As a kid, this game baffled me and I wrote it off as over my head. What a weird and ambitious way to translate a movie that should be next to impossible to turn into an interactive video game. Stuff like this, even if it ultimately fails, really helped influence my taste and ability to accept new or even abstract ideas. Jaws, like so many other weird NES games, has so much more value for being an ambitious failure than the mediocre also ran it could've been.

[@POLE7645]

Yeah, the developers had talent, but there were only three of them and it was their first NES game. They were learning on the fly as they were making it.

[@jacobwebb2623]

I know a lot of people don't like games based on movies and even less like LJN games, but I actually like "JAWS." The gameplay was simplistic but fun and I really liked the "Open water" theme.

[@ThreeLions82]

I remember playing this at my mates back in the day. It was quite popular at the time.

[@sporepics]

"You gotta tell that ocean floor to go f#@ itself!"

[@Leahi84]

I actually liked this game. I think people were too hard on it. It's fun for what it is.

[@MarshallFlores]

Not a great game, but significantly better than its negative reputation would have you to believe. Certainly a decent enough title to spend a quick 15-20 mins on once you figure it out.

[@LorenHelgeson]

If it looks at it as an arcade-style score chase game, it fits the bill perfectly.

[@IaeyanElyuex]

A lot of people reviewing it are reviewing it as a current game. Were there better NES games? Certainly. Were there worse NES games? Certainly. How they could have translated the movie to an NES game better? I don't know. The only Jaws-related media I have consumed are this game and a half-hour GMod animation involving Sonic characters and Conker the Squirrel.

[@Jmpmaster83]

You’re gonna need a bigger boat…my arse, as a kid I couldn’t figure this game out. Now I feel…well not good about it 😂😂😂

[@kingschwag4208]

Beat this in 10 min. I couldn’t beat it my whole childhood 😂😂

[@carlosbarraganrosillo3534]

I like this videogame, greetings from Guaranda, Ecuador. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🇪🇨🇪🇨🇪🇨🇪🇨🇪🇨🇪🇨

[@AgentofLADON]

So Quint has to pay for all the equipment by hunting seashells because the mayor of Amity bay drained the shark hunting budget to let tourists carpet bomb jellyfish?

[@buescherg]

I actually quite enjoy this game, even though it has some flaws. The core gameplay loop is pretty decent. But the soundtrack for it is great. The ending theme in particular is one of my favorite tracks in the entire NES library.

[@basic_r]

I was afraid of this game a child. The first time it put me swimming in the water I turned it off and don't remember turning it back on. :)

[@laurentpeterson5276]

I used to go to the Boys and girls club in the early 90s, and they had this game. It was always checked out, and the kids would gather around.

[@polymathperspective]

This is such a cool thing. I sit back have a drink in the evening and watch this

[@ClarkTheShark]

The most difficult game ever.

[@B-MO_]

This was the 3rd NES game I ever played the 1st&2nd of course being Super Mario Bros & Duck Hunt. Nov of 87 my cousin got her NES before me. I got mine August of 88 & I remember both like it was yesterday. That music is so nostalgic.

[@bigorange2082]

As a kid I loved this game.

[@figment1988]

While this game has a strong cult following, it's even part of a mini tribute shrine at Universal Studios Florida where they used to have the ride (which got replaced with Diagon Alley). Thing is that when the ride closed, they moved the replica of Bruce the shark to the San Francisco region next to a bar called Chez Alcatraz, and on the left of the bar, you'll see a boat wheel which has a lot of jaws memorabilia including a Jaws cartridge for the NES. P.S. if you're 21 and up, be sure to get the Ocean Attack drink. You'll be in for an entertaining moment there.

[@KORIGAN1]

I just saw this on eBay apparently the 1987 Jaws NES game has five screw variant on the back it's worth like $1,000

[@spiritchild9101]

Awesome game. Quick & easy, good graphics, and an awesome soundtrack.

[@9b8ll]

Damn fam! Is this a speed run!? You managed to kill jaws and beat this game quick, I'm Impressed. I dont remember this game being this short. Also killing jaws was a pain in the ass. Jaws felt like a real long final boss 🤣

[@NintendoComplete]

Thanks! :) Haha no not a speedrun, just evidence of too much time being spent on it :)

[@roadkillz78]

If it took you a while, it was probably because you never leveled your power up by much. Each time you entered harbor (after getting the receiver), your power level goes up. Your power is only effective against sharks however, particularly Jaws himself. The maximum was 9, I believe, but you only needed to get to around 5 to quickly defeat him. Additional tip: If you max out it power level 9 and keep entering harbor, you just gain extra strobes to stab Jaws with the boat.

[@spoonshiro]

Game's super short and easy, but honestly plays okay and has some decent music. Thank Westone for that I guess.

[@fun456ful]

I remember my uncle had this game in the 90s on a tv vcr combination and I remember playing this at the age of 4

[@ericradford2142]

At least the ending didn’t have a “You have defeated the shark but is it really dead?? We’re not telling. End” ending like the Friday the 13th NES game.

[@mikemickypeterdavy]

Right? 😅😅😅😅

[@thisisgoodnews8043]

Whether they told us or not Jaws really was dead at the end of part 4. Jason went to Manhattan, heII, space, fought Freddy and was “re-imagined” since that NES game came out.

[@DirtyJack80]

My fav part of the movie where the dropped depth charges on jellyfish made the game, sweet.

[@Pumpking1984]

wow this game. the nights of anger.

[@ShinoSarna]

"Hey, you know what shmups are missing? Grinding. Let's make a game just about that!"

[@drain_001]

We rented this game multiple times, I think we actually beat it too. Not in 10 minutes mind you.

[@CarnageCounts]

Fantastic work as always NintendoComplete!

[@NintendoComplete]

Tyvm!

[@B0redom13]

I had so much fun with this game when I was a kid

[@samfalcon]

I love this game. I’ve beaten it countless times.

[@psychedelicartistry]

This game was great I know AVGN liked to hate on it b/c of its dev company but it truly was a masterpiece I remember being a kid wanting to scuba dive and shoot the eels with my harpoon and fly in a plane over the Atlantic dropping bombs on jellyfish with that music playing!! Such good memories! Took me years to get to the end. Didn't know how to lvl up didn't realize u had to go back and forth to the ports twice to get to lvl 2 weps. The submarine was op btw! That music at the end is lit, too! Ending is kinda dumb, but w/e it's an NES game we didn't play them for the ending we played for the experience!!

[@_Majoras]

i enjoyed this game it also had epic music

[@guardian08527]

I rented this game more times than is healthy back in the day. It was okay as a 15 minute time waster if you just wanna swim around and shoot stuff. The fact you could beat a $50 game in just over 10 minutes is highway robbery!

[@merlinthegray]

I loved this game as a kid! It's not exactly a great game design wise, but I really liked it.

[@kylec254]

Pro Tip: During the bonus game, push the left directional button or right, depending on which way you're going to move slowly. Also, my favorite hack in this game is when you fight Jaws (if you don't have the sub) you can stay at the top of the water and Jaws can't get you (you'll clip right through him).

[@tedlogan5628]

One of my favs to play for a quick game g session. The only hard part for me was timing the strobe light attack at the end. Was only successful 1/5 times.

[@vgaoct91]

Welp, another LJN title that looks like it's worth a try. Maybe it could be as enjoyable as I found the Punisher, who knows? And it's true that LJN commissions other companies to make the games for them. Didn't know the folks behind Wonder Boy and Atlus jointly made this.

[@jasonsantiago6308]

The Punisher is a much better game

[@Ale_ale123-z3r]

𝕙𝕚

[@tommybrown9534]

I can't even begin to count how many times I cried in fear while playing this game. Also, while playing Resident Evil and getting bit by multiple zombz😳😳😳

[@TheRamon81]

Jaws, Battletoads, and Ghosts and Goblins were impossible! So many hours spent on those games! Taught me persistence though.

[@thatbobusguy]

And Mike Tysons Punch Out! If you didn't peep a look in the Nintendo magazine when your mom was grocery shopping, it was damn near impossible to figure out how to get past the hippo dude😂

[@olivercorbinbarnett3589]

Omg so many memories forgot all about this game

[@Jet-ok7qm]

The randomness of this game, one moment youre swimming, killing harmless stingrays with your poon gun. Then, suddenly, you're in a plane, poopin out cannonballs at innocent but suspiciously fast swimming jellyfish. Why would anyone do this? I didnt know a cessna did that. 😂

[@RoBaDoB143]

Ahh NES Jaws... where you collect shells and the other items don't matter

[@Davtwan]

Info: you can speed up or slow down the plane during the bonus stages in order to aim those cannonballs better.

[@G0NZ-b9y]

This one and Simon's quest were my favorite games

[@Riese79]

This Poor soul really grinded jaws to the End...

[@sayedatabatabai5557]

“Alright we got a dive bomber! We’re gonna bomb the giant killer shark right?” “…” “Right?” “So…. get this…. how much do you HATE jellyfish?”

[@NJ_Trekkie]

This was top tier gaming. The best.

[@jimvac77]

This game presents bombing jellyfish from an airplane as if it is a normal thing.

[@susanfit47]

This game I owned a long time ago. Didn't got passed the electronics, I would have. I still own it. I might try to beat it one day.

[@sillybilly686]

There are plenty of tie ins to the movie. The shells, the tracker, the sub, the plane (though not bombing jellyfish) and strobe and ship attack ending.

[@GasSoakedRag]

This game terrified me as a kid, such anxiety, lol.

[@ClellBiggs]

A lot of people say this is a bad game but I had a lot of fun with it.

[@S.T.A.N.D_inspirational]

Was better than who framed Roger rabbit

[@Omarencarnacion1]

uuuff i really enjoy this game as a kid hehehe

[@t.mendoza1396]

Fun game. My first Nintendo game from a movie was top gun and the reason I wanted to be a jet pilot for the longest time. My favorite movie game was TMNT. Not the arcade one

[@rw7975]

We rented this in 1991 I was 5 or 6... had no idea how to play was just scared when we found Jaws lol

[@Sgtviolence]

Ah, the palm trees of New England and upstate New York…

[@benjaminperez7328]

Jaws 4 (which this game is LOOSELY based on) takes place in The Bahamas.

[@mustangcircut]

From someone who has a boat I remember playing this game and still have it. My hair was on end with the music and then jaws comes out jumping😂. But I have one question. When you “hit something” why are we diving looking for starfish and shooting stingrays??🤣

[@pepperlewis1]

Timing the stab with the boat was a nightmare.

[@kelefane6233]

This was a fun one.

[@john_mccarthy_hi]

Buddies and me (Kids, really) snuck down a friend's basement, found his nes setup, despite the pleas from my friends we popped this cartridge in before the kid who lived there found out. When he found out we invaded his setup it was not so good. Stressful child memory... His brother also had a poster of Michael Jordan in his room, full scale (6'6)

[@FireBomberBassist]

Took me years to figure out and beat this as a kid.

[@FromNothing]

I mean I know this is nearly a 40 year old game but they could've done better with the ending. Like at least have an outro text with some simple animation like a sunset lol.

[@TheCoreyd1086]

10 minutes it took for you to beat this game that to this day i cannot beat. It was hard and not to mention boring but as the movie poster said this time its personal

[@trollingisasport]

Damn. How'd you get it to look so sharp?

[@roadkillz78]

LJN had a bad reputation of making terrible NES games, but this was actually one of their better games. I actually enjoyed this game. A clever, quasi-rpg/action game with multiple gameplay modes. Simple, but entertaining.

[@superstaramyrosethehardcoreyt]

Incredible video.

[@retronemesis7064]

When I was little, I always assumed it was a port of an arcade game. I remember looking for it in arcades and asking people who worked there if they had Jaws. No such luck.

[@aaroncrft4104]

Loved this game growing up but never understood that the game was never based on the first movie lol