Jaws scores 7/10 in the verdict of The Games Market editorial team.
Once Upon a Time
Jaws, fins on the horizon for a surprising title!
by Simon Larocca·August 10, 2025
The fear is a mystery, just like the bottom of the sea.
When a semi-unknown director named Steven Spielberg brought to the big screen a musical theme destined to enter History and a menacing fin in the middle of the ocean, fear settled into the folds of the subconscious of the spectators in the theater.
On the strength of the rather unexpected success, sequels were produced and, in turn, video game versions that rode the wave, as they say, of the “Jaws” franchise.
Jaws was released in 1987, a full twelve years after the first chapter of the successful series starring a terrible and relentless great white shark: the game’s plot, to tell the truth, blends characters, elements, and storylines from both the fourth (mainly) and the first film, with the aim of recreating in 8-bit form the adrenaline-filled atmosphere that worked so well on the big screen.
Svilupped by Westone, and produced by the omnipresent Nintendo under official license from Universal Studios, Jaws was published by the famous, especially in the States, LJN: a subsidiary of Acclaim (does Mortal Kombat ring a bell?) until the mid-Nineties, this company dealt mainly in toys, action figures, and merchandising related to hit TV shows and blockbuster movies (I still have, somewhere, an Hulk Hogan, rest in peace, borrowed from my brother), so every element of the Jaws project was carefully studied to push the tie-in game to the maximum.
Ovviamente, the NES in those years was the best choice, both for worldwide fame and for graphic capabilities: we’re talking about a shooter in the end, where the strategic element is reduced to the bone and mild crafting elements are introduced related to upgrades for the marine vehicle, essential for successfully finishing the game.
Aboard the iconic boat seen in the movies and which you will have to try in every way not to end up like its celluloid counterpart, your task will be to explore a stretch of ocean, sailing among islands and atolls.
Novelli Jacques Cousteau, when the vessel hits “something” (on screen this rather vague message will appear: you’ve hit something!”) the game mode will change and we will switch to the good old fixed-screen shooter; if you have ever played the old Asteroids, you know what I’m talking about.
Suited up in the wetsuit and with the spear in hand, the goal will be to make your way through jellyfish, starfish that have never been so fierce, and small sharks, much less cute than the baby sharks duddurududduru from the song, I assure you!
A graphical level, the game is nothing to write home about, especially due to the sparse and not-so-inspired backgrounds, but it more than makes up for it in the middle and final stages, when the gameplay changes as does the game view and, despite the technical limits of the NES, it will really seem as if you are towering over the bow of your vessel, watching the horizon in anticipation of the clash between you and the shark, between man and nature.
Indeed, after finding a particular object necessary to locate the enemy and, basically, following the boat’s search-exploration-upgrade pattern, the shark will appear in all its ferocious magnificence and it will be up to you to fight it, and I’m not talking about taking it on armed only with a miserable harpoon… But I won’t add anything else, otherwise I’ll end up spoiling the game for you myself!
Let’s rather talk about how it marked not only an era for movie and video game enthusiasts, but also its collectible value.
Growing over time like the restless waves of a stormy sea, the original U.S. version of Jaws is a true shining gem in the international landscape that The Games Market, with a certain excitement and the pride of those who love pieces of video game history, makes available on its platform.
So, just like in the immersive gaming experience, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the Shark, right?
7
Pro
Objectively appreciable is the attempt to transform the heart-pounding adventure into an arcade game with a build-up of tension
Intuitive controls and an interesting gameplay switch depending on the phases of the game
Contro
However anomalous it may seem, the game falls short graphically precisely in the sections where we dive into the depths of the sea
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
Simon Larocca
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
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