Licensed games based on the 1975 film

Jaws Board Games: Ravensburger Jaws, The Game of Jaws and More

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Jaws board games include at least four distinct licensed games: Ravensburger's 2019 Jaws, Ideal's 1975 Game of Jaws, Operation: Jaws and a Ginger Fox card game. Each Jaws board game below lists players, age and play time where a source gives them, and one section sorts out which Jaws is which.

  • 4 games
  • 1975 to 2025
  • 1 to 4+ players

You'll need a bigger table. Pick a game below to see how it plays.

Search for a Jaws board game and you’ll find some very different boxes: a hobby strategy game, a toy shark with a hook, a dexterity game with tweezers and a card game. The page below sorts them by how they play. For more creature features on the table, check out the horror board games hub.

Looking for the Jaws board game? Ravensburger’s 2019 Jaws is the hobby game.

Start here: three Jaws games for different tables

A plastic shark and a hook point to the 1975 Ideal game.

  • Strategy night

    Jaws

    2 to 4 players, about 60 minutes and ages 12+. One player is the shark; the others play Brody, Hooper and Quint across two acts.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 15 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
    How we rate

  • Quick card game

    Jaws: You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat Mini Movie Game

    2 to 4 players, ages 10+ and 10 to 20 minutes. One player takes the shark against the Orca's crew in this card game.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 5 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
    How we rate

  • Collectors and nostalgia

    The Game of Jaws

    Ideal’s 1975 dexterity game is now a collector’s item. NECA released a 50th anniversary edition in 2025.

    Difficulty
    Time to explainabout 3 min
    Player experience
    Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
    How we rate

Ravensburger’s Jaws tops the list, followed by other releases in order of reader interest. Player counts run from 2 to 4 for the Ravensburger game to 1+ for Operation: Jaws, so check each game before planning a group night.

Ravensburger Jaws, Operation: Jaws and other Jaws games

Short on time? The Ginger Fox card game runs 10 to 20 minutes.

Showing all 4

Jaws

  • 2019
  • 2-4 players
  • 60 minutes
  • Ages 12+

The hobby-style Jaws board game casts one player as the shark and the others as the crew. The film’s two halves become two distinct phases of play.

How it plays

Act 1 takes place on Amity Island. The shark secretly prowls the waters, attacking swimmers and evading capture, while the other players try to find it and save the tourists. In Act 2, the action moves to the Orca, where Brody, Hooper and Quint face the great white without knowing where it will strike.

The film or show connection

One player takes the shark against Brody, Hooper and Quint. Flip the double-sided board to move from the island hunt to the showdown on the Orca.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 15 min
Player experience
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type strategy board game In print

  • one vs many
  • hidden movement
  • two acts
Publisher
Ravensburger

Source 1 (ravensburger.co.uk) Source 2 (web.archive.org)

How to play Jaws

The Game of Jaws

  • 1975
  • Ages 6+

This is a toy-shelf classic, not a board game. Pull junk from a plastic shark’s mouth with a gaff hook and hope its jaws stay open. The original box said ages 6+, and the game is now a collector’s item.

How it plays

Load the shark’s mouth with junk pieces to hold it open, then take turns removing them with a gaff hook. The first player to remove four pieces wins, or five in a two-player game. Make the wrong move and the jaws snap shut.

The film or show connection

A 1975 tie-in from the Ideal Toy Company, featuring a plastic great white shark and 13 junk pieces, including tires and skulls.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type dexterity game In print

  • dexterity
  • vintage
  • kids
  • collectible
Publisher
Ideal
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • The Game of Jaws (Ideal, 1975, now a collector's item)
  • The Game of Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition (NECA, 2025, in stock at NECA)

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org) Source 2 (store.necaonline.com) Source 3 (dreadcentral.com) Source 4 (en.wikipedia.org)

Operation: Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition

  • 2025
  • 1+ players
  • 20 minutes
  • Ages 12+

Operation with a shark. Help the Police Chief protect beachgoers on Amity Island by removing film-themed items from a toothy mouth that lights up when you slip.

How it plays

Draw a Boat card to find out which item to remove, then use the tweezers without setting off the shark. If you slip, the player with the Bigger Boat card gets to try the same operation. The richest player wins when the last operation succeeds. The box includes 12 custom parts, Boat cards, Bigger Boat cards and Jaws money.

The film or show connection

The items include a dog’s collar, chum buckets and beach-closed signs. The Police Chief is tasked with protecting beachgoers on Amity Island.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 3 min
Player experience
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type dexterity game In print

  • dexterity
  • tweezers
  • family
  • in print
Publisher
The Op (USAopoly)
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (theop.games) Source 2 (shop.asmodee.ca)

Jaws: You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat Mini Movie Game

  • 2-4 players
  • 10-20 minutes
  • Ages 10+

Ginger Fox’s compact one-versus-all card game is sold as the Jaws Card Game. The shark tries to sink the boat as the Orca crew fights back.

How it plays

One player is the shark, biting the boat with cards in an attempt to sink it. The others make up the Orca crew and play cards to hit the shark with a tank token. The box contains 45 game cards, 13 game tokens and a game board.

The film or show connection

It turns the shark-versus-Orca crew clash into a one-versus-all card game.

Difficulty
Time to explainabout 5 min
Player experience
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type card game In print

  • quick
  • one vs many
  • card game
Publisher
Ginger Fox
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (gingerfox.co.uk)

Compare Jaws board games by player count, play time and age

Jaws games compared by year, players, play time, ages, type and in print
GameYearPlayersPlay timeAgesTypeIn print
Jaws20192-460 minutes12+strategy board gameYes
The Game of Jaws1975Not listedNot listed6+dexterity gameYes
Operation: Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition20251+20 minutes12+dexterity gameYes
Jaws: You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat Mini Movie GameNot listed2-410-20 minutes10+card gameYes

Jaws board game timeline, 1975 to 2025

Jaws games have surfaced in waves: the 1975 release, the 2019 hobby game and the 2025 anniversary edition.

Looking for the Jaws board game? Ravensburger’s 2019 Jaws is the hobby game.

Two different games share the plain title Jaws, so the comparison below gives you a quick way to identify each one. If you’re buying a gift, the details matter more than the name on the box. The strategy game has its own explainer: the Ravensburger Jaws board game.

Ravensburger Jaws and The Game of Jaws: two different Jaws games

Searches for a jaws board game can turn up at least four separate products.

Ravensburger Jaws (2019)

A strategy board game for 2 to 4 players, ages 12+, that takes about 60 minutes. One player is the shark; the others play Brody, Hooper and Quint.

Ideal's The Game of Jaws (1975)

This dexterity game comes with a plastic shark and a gaff hook. Pull junk from its mouth before the jaws snap shut. The original box said ages 6+, and the game is now a collector’s item.

NECA's 50th anniversary edition (2025)

This reissue includes a 15-inch shark and over 15 accessories. The jaws work differently: press the shark’s tongue area to snap them shut.

Operation: Jaws (2025)

The Op’s Operation edition comes with tweezers and a shark mouth that lights up. The publisher lists 1+ players, ages 12+ and about 20 minutes.

A quick way to tell them apart

A plastic shark and hook point to the Ideal game or its NECA reissue. A double-sided board and shark mover mean Ravensburger. Tweezers mean Operation.

Ravensburger’s two-act structure helps the game capture the film: first, the hunt around the island; then, the fight aboard the Orca. If you like one player with a different goal from everyone else, Disney Villainous takes asymmetry in another direction.

Need a shorter game? Operation: Jaws takes about 20 minutes and is for ages 12+.

How Ravensburger's Jaws retells the film in two acts

Play moves from the island hunt to the boat showdown.

  1. Act 1: Amity Island

    The shark secretly prowls the waters around the island, attacking swimmers and avoiding capture. The crew tries to locate it while saving the tourists.

  2. Act 2: Aboard the Orca

    Flip the board. Brody, Hooper and Quint are well armed, but they don’t know where the great white will strike next.

  3. In the Box

    The UK listing includes a double-sided game board, a shark mover, 16 shark ability cards, 16 resurface cards, 22 gear cards and 16 Amity event cards.

The Gloomhaven spin-off is here to clear up a common mix-up in search results. If you’re looking for dungeon crawls and fantasy campaigns, the fantasy board games hub is a better starting point than a page about a shark.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion isn't a Jaws game

The name can cause confusion, but this is a fantasy dungeon game.

Short on time? The Ginger Fox card game runs 10 to 20 minutes.

What it is. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a standalone cooperative campaign game from Cephalofair Games, set in the Gloomhaven fantasy world.

Where the name comes from. Players take on the roles of four new mercenaries in a prequel campaign. It has no connection to Spielberg’s film.

Jaws board game facts

A plastic shark and a hook point to the 1975 Ideal game.

  • Ravensburger’s Jaws has two phases: a hunt around Amity Island, then a showdown aboard the Orca.

    Source 1 (ravensburger.co.uk)

  • Ravensburger’s Jaws box includes 16 shark ability cards, 16 resurface cards, 22 gear cards and 16 Amity event cards.

    Source 1 (ravensburger.co.uk)

  • The 1975 Game of Jaws comes with a plastic great white shark and 13 junk pieces. Their weight holds the mouth open, but one wrong move makes the jaws snap shut.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • The original Game of Jaws was boxed for ages 6+ and later ages 4+, though the film is a mature horror story.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • In Operation: Jaws, the richest player wins once the last operation succeeds. Slip up, and the turn goes to whoever has the Bigger Boat card.

    Source 1 (theop.games)

  • Ginger Fox’s Jaws card game pits one player as the shark against the Orca crew. The box has 45 game cards and 13 game tokens.

    Source 1 (gingerfox.co.uk)

Jaws board game questions, answered

Is there a Jaws board game?

Yes, there are a few. Ravensburger's Jaws (2019) is the strategy board game, while Ideal’s The Game of Jaws (1975) is a dexterity game. There’s also Operation: Jaws and a Ginger Fox card game.

How do you play the Ravensburger Jaws board game?

One player secretly controls the shark; the others play Brody, Hooper and Quint. Act 1 is a hunt on Amity Island, followed by a showdown aboard the Orca in act 2.

How many players can play the Jaws board game?

Ravensburger’s Jaws is for 2 to 4 players, as is the Ginger Fox card game. The publisher’s page lists Operation: Jaws for 1+ players.

Is Ravensburger's Jaws the same game as The Game of Jaws?

No. Ravensburger's Jaws (2019) is a strategy board game for ages 12+. Ideal's The Game of Jaws (1975) is a dexterity game with a plastic shark and a hook.

Is there a Jaws game with a plastic shark and a hook?

Yes. In Ideal’s The Game of Jaws (1975), players hook junk from a toy shark’s mouth. NECA released a 50th anniversary edition in 2025 with a 15-inch shark.

Is there an Operation game based on Jaws?

Yes. The Op’s Operation: Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition is for ages 12+ and takes about 20 minutes to play. It comes with tweezers and a shark mouth that lights up.

Is there a Jaws Monopoly?

We haven’t found an official publisher page for a Jaws edition of Monopoly, so we don’t cover it as a game here.

Is there a Jaws card game?

Yes. Ginger Fox’s Jaws card game is a one-versus-many game for 2 to 4 players, ages 10+, and takes 10 to 20 minutes.

Is Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion based on the Jaws film?

No. It’s a Cephalofair fantasy campaign game, and the name has nothing to do with the film.

What age is the Jaws board game for?

Ravensburger’s Jaws is for ages 12+. The Op lists Operation: Jaws for ages 12+, Ginger Fox’s card game is for ages 10+, and the 1975 Game of Jaws was boxed for ages 6+.

How long does the Ravensburger Jaws game take?

Ravensburger lists about 60 minutes for 2 to 4 players.

Short on time? The Ginger Fox card game runs 10 to 20 minutes.

Looking for the Jaws board game? Ravensburger’s 2019 Jaws is the hobby game.

Sources

  1. Ravensburger UK: Jaws: The Game ravensburger.co.uk
  2. Ravensburger US: JAWS (archived product page) web.archive.org
  3. Wikipedia: The Game of Jaws en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia: Jaws (franchise) en.wikipedia.org
  5. NECA: The Game of Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition store.necaonline.com
  6. Dread Central: horror movies turned into board games dreadcentral.com
  7. The Op: Operation Jaws theop.games
  8. Asmodee Canada: Operation Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition shop.asmodee.ca
  9. Ginger Fox: Jaws Card Game gingerfox.co.uk
  10. Cephalofair: Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion cephalofair.com