I've wanted to play that 'Killer Shark' arcade game briefly seen in 'Jaws'

Back in the 70s a campground near Mandeville, Louisiana had a Killer Shark machine in a small arcade next to their pool, I spent the entire vacation (and way too many quarters) in there much to my parents' dismay :)

[1] https://www.kongregate.com/games/bomtoons/cavern-of-the-evil...

https://www.retrogames.cz/play_381-NES.php

When you get the minisub (appears randomly after 20 conch shells or I think 30,000 points) it is sooooo fun.

I managed to find a game that was conceptually similar, but certainly not the game my father played. It was Sky Hawk by Nintendo, made in 1976:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2GMAWtqJr3w

The way it works is there are actually three clips of footage: plane attacking, plane exploding, and a light spot indicating the target area needed to register a hit. The latter two are shown on the bottom half of the film frame at different times. A mirror usually reflects the top half of the film, showing the "attacking" footage, toward the screen where the player can see it. However, the gun is mechanically linked to a light sensor pointed at the bottom half, and if it picks up the light spot in the "light spot" footage, a hit will be registered. When the "plane blowing up" footage starts, the mirror will pivot to reflect that to the screen instead, and you will be awarded a point.

It was an ingenious setup that required no computers to operate. It was pure mechanics and optics.

Another difference is, Sky Hawk used footage of R/C model planes to simulate the incoming fighters. From my father's description, the game he played used footage of actual fighters taken during actual WWII engagements. But the idea is the same, and it makes me wonder if a similar mirror setup were used in his game as well.

https://www.underthepier.com/ in Southwold, Suffolk

https://www.novelty-automation.com/ in Holborn, London

There links pages also cover some other arcades in case there's something closer to you.

The esplanade in those days was basically a sullen row of shops, one after the other offering beach-goers refreshments and entertainment, luring every customer in with the promise of fun and cheer .. and every single one of those 8 or so shops had a small Cold War going on against the other, for entertainment devices.

At one end, there was an air-hockey paradise with a side row of electromechanical games, one of which was indeed Killer Shark, along with another airplane bombing game that ran on a big map, rolling underneath the camera through which the player would view and send down their 'light bombs' as we kids referred to them, way back then. My first impression of "Germany", as it were, rolling endlessly in some kind of ethereal, hypnotic landscape. Pinballs and stuff too, almost an overwhelming selection of blinking chaos into which to pour coins. Each shop had its speciality - my Dads' place (MINDERBINDERS, in case there are any sand gropers about) specialised in pinball and stag films in a back room, for those who knew the secret handshake.

Killer Shark was great - it was so clearly a mechanical game that you could never beat, but on occasion the odd punter would score a free game or so. Even more of a treat, the proprietors would sometimes start off the games with 20 credits or so, just sitting there, to attract the teens. There was another electro-mechanical, ocean themed game, something like "SPEAR HUNT", which offered players a few snapper and some stingrays upon which to direct their sun-kissed ire, should they have a remaining 20c or two to waste.

I loved that era of my life (was just a boy starting school) .. 1976 .. the brand new "Breakout" appears suddenly, and it immediately soaked up all the coins from the neighborhood. I remember seeing the service guy open up Breakout and all the coins just came pouring out .. and then, slowly, the rest of the strip went video and computer, Space Invaders arrived, and the electromechanical games slowly phased out, becoming ever more unpopular and under-used as the year rolled over.

My first memory of Killer Shark was fun - my last, sadness, as its faded exterior got loaded onto the truck to be replaced by something brighter, flashier, more challenging. Soon enough there were only 'computer games' and pinballs, and all those delicate machines got replaced, one by one. Eventually, the esplanade itself got replaced with a modern monstrosity, and the era ended with the fervent twang of the 80's arriving, power synth chords and all.

But I still remember the squealing joy of a player, spearing themselves a shark, only to be pissing themselves with laughter/fearjoy once the shark 'recovered' and made them face a frontal attack. It was, somehow, cathartic.

Until a real shark showed up in the surf and bit a kids leg off, during prime surf hour.

That made me the computer kid I still am, today.

https://shop.sternpinball.com/collections/games/products/jaw...

Broken video links as well. Here appears to be a few:

https://youtu.be/RSgvQr9tV9Y

https://youtu.be/ObUw9ezvp5o

https://youtu.be/ATcbU9w-PuY

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_Shark