Jaws is a competitive, hidden movement strategy game for 1-4 players from Prospero Hall and Ravensburger, translating the classic suspense film into a casual board game filled with fan service.
I wrote this one up because I wanted to celebrate Shark Week! And as fun as movies and celebrity guests are, remember to appreciate actual sharks and learn more about them.
Like the movie, Ravensburger’s Jaws is split in half, resulting in very different dynamics.
In the first phase, Quint, Brody and Hooper must locate and tag the shark as it stealthily gobbles up swimmers around Amity Island. In the second phase, they use gear to battle the shark head-on as it surfaces to destroy the Orca and eat them.
These two phases can be played independently or together, where results from the first phase affect resources in the next. One player will control the shark, while the others control the humans.
Ravensburger has consistently produced thematic games that demonstrate a genuine comprehension of the adapted IP, and Jaws is no exception.
It was a bold move to include two different hidden movement games in one. Both of them are fairly light, featuring streamlined mechanics and luck. But there are enough actions, characters and resources to allow some rewarding deduction and misdirection.
Each person has a distinguishable role, mirroring the film and creating a solid sense of cooperation. This is especially true in the first phase, where the humans rely on Quint to tag the shark with barrels.
The shark is more of an underdog in the first phase. It’s thematic for a shark to have a disadvantage against the island, but it feels like the devs intended to make the Orca phase inevitable. This is a little unbalanced, but it’s still possible for the shark to win, and it’s undeniably fun to mislead the trio of humans after a brisk meal.
The events, gear, and abilities successfully emulate memorable obstacles and actions from the film by cleverly bending simple mechanics.
The overall art design uses an artificially weathered look, a color scheme that pops, and even wooden components. This provides a vintage and authentic 70’s feel, reminiscent of both the movie and older games. It also results in detailed imagery, which is less cartoonish than other Ravensburger classics like Horrified.
Final Thoughts
Jaws smartly recreates iconic moments from the film, even including two disparate phases. This makes it reliably fun to revisit, and justifies the luck in hidden movement mechanics. Aside from some balancing issues, Jaws boasts a friendly rulebook, a consistent sense of surprise, and satisfying visuals.
Score: 7.5/10
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