Jaws video game (1987) – Revisited: Horror Game Review

The previous episode of our video series Playing with Fear took a look back at every video game that was inspired by the Steven Spielberg-produced classic Gremlins, and in the newly released episode we’re taking a look back at another game that owes its existence to a Spielberg movie: Jaws, released for the NES in 1987. This is a video game I actually played at that time, and I don’t think I had a great time with it… but I would definitely be interested in revisiting it, so it’s cool to see it getting the Playing with Fear treatment.

In this Jaws video game,

the player pilots a boat across the sea, randomly encountering groups of hostile sea creatures. When the boat hits something in the overhead map, the perspective changes to a side-view. The player’s boat releases a diver who battles various undersea threats such as jellyfish, rays, and smaller sharks. Occasionally, Jaws will appear on the map in the form of its familiar dorsal fin breaking the water’s surface. If players collide with Jaws’ dorsal fin, they can momentarily control their boat in the side-view encounter in an attempt to attack Jaws with depth charges. Jaws will always collide with the boat and release the diver into the water. Jaws will also appear after a brief moment if the player snags something in the overhead map with Jaws nearby.

Episodes in the Playing with Fear series take  

a look at the most impactful, successful, and scariest video games throughout the history of the medium and deciding if they’re still worth playing today.

Playing with Fear is Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Tyler Nichols, Produced by John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Some of the previous episodes of Playing with Fear can be seen below. To see more, and to take a look at the other video series we have to offer, head over to the JoBlo Horror Videos YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!