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The game of Jaws could be put in the same camp as Buckaroo or Operation - all three had the effect of leaving you a nervous wreck by the end. Of course, this was made even worse by the game's association with that most horrific of films, Jaws. OK so the shark in the game wasn't quite as scary as Steven Spielberg's creation was, but the memories of 'da da... da da..... da da da da da' were still so fresh in our young minds when the 1946 game came into our lives. The game was perhaps so popular because the Jaws movie actually spawned very little merchandise despite its success with viewers. So everyone jumped on the band wagon and made Ideal Toys very happy. The game itself was made up from a plastic, spring-loaded shark that would snap its jaws shut without any warning. All kinds of items, such as a plastic skull and even a severed human hand, were placed into the shark's mouth, which players then had to take it in turns to delve in with a hook and rescue. Of course, the aim was to try to control your shaking hand enough to take your item out before the shark's jaws snapped shut. This all depended on that moment when the weight of the objects remaining in the shark's mouth became too light to keep the jaws from snapping shut. It really was edge of the seat stuff - just like the movie! Unfortunately, the type of fear induced by the game Jaws wasn't long-lasting. And despite a few movie sequels hoping to resurrect interest in the brand, the game sunk into the deepest, darkest depths of our memories.
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