We are still in the dog days of Summer and what better time than now to take a trip to the beach? Don’t have a beach near you? Don’t like going outside? That’s okay because you can stay inside and have a beach experience with Jaws the board game created by Ravensburger.
How to Play
Jaws is a game that can be played with two to four players and takes about an hour to complete. Players can choose to either play one of the heroes of the movie(Brody, Hooper, and Quint), or they can choose to play Bruce the Shark.
The game is separated into two different parts. The first part is finding the shark. If you choose to play as Bruce the shark, the main objective is to hide. Think of Battleship. The shark player chooses a location on the board and writes it down in secret. Throughout the game, the shark has abilities to help move around without getting caught. As the shark, you want to eat as many swimmers as you can without getting caught.
The job of the heroes is to walk together using special abilities of their own to track the shark. The players can drop trackers, they can close beaches, save swimmers, and much more. If the players catch the shark twice or if the shark eats more than 9 swimmers, the first part of the game is over and the second part begins.
The game board is two-sided. After part one is complete, flip the game over and start setting up. In part two, the heroes are on Quint’s boat and the objective is to kill the shark and survive. The heroes are given weapons and abilities based on how well they did in part one. They can use their weapons and abilities to move around the boat and attack Bruce. They just have to guess correctly where the shark is once again.
The player playing the shark secretly moves around attacking the boat or attacking players. The shark also gets abilities based on how well they did in part one.
The shark wins the game by killing all the players or destroying the entire boat. The players win if they kill the shark before the boat is destroyed.
Gameplay/Art
The gameplay is very addictive and the replay factor is really high. It is fun and pretty even to play as either the shark or the heroes. The abilities of each hero are pretty balanced so it’s fun to pick anyone to be. The main thing is using these abilities to work together. There is plenty of strategy involved.
There are also cards throughout the game that can make your moves easier, making for fun and different gameplay each time. Playing as the shark demands you to be sneaky and extra strategic which makes each game exciting and interesting.
The best thing is you do not have to be a fan of the movie to love this game. I have played it with fans and non fans and they both get lost in the fun. Yes, there are many quotes and themes to the game that if you are a fan you will greatly appreciate it. Still, it is nice to see a company focus on both nostalgia and gameplay equally.
The artwork is also great. Movie scenes come to life through the board, the cards, and the characters. There is so much detail throughout to please just about everyone. The double-sided game board is also a great touch as it adds an extra layer to an already entertaining game.
Overall
Jaws is honestly one of my favorite board games that I’ve played in recent years. The gameplay flows smoothly and the replay factor is high. There are plenty of cards, weapons, and strategies to use that each game feels different. If you are into the Jaws movie or like games where you have to work together and strategize, you definitely need to add this one to your collection.
The Jaws board game is available now on Amazon.
