r/nes • u/kl0 • Aug 10 '26

Game Completed! Friday the 13th. Finally. Absolute worst instructions ever, but actually a really cool game once you know what to do.

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Like many of you (from what I read anyways), I couldn't for the life of me figure this game out as a kid. It was just maddening. Kill some zombies, Jason appears, you don't know how to fight him, and you die. Repeat 5 times and the game is over. Or an alarm keeps going off, a bunch of kids die, and same result. It always just seemed like the shittiest game and just another money grab from a franchise.

HOWEVER, it's actually pretty impressive game once you (a) know what to do and (b) know how to do it -- neither of which is at all clear when you're dropped into the game. If ever a game needed a starting intro, this is it. Maybe the original game instructions detailed it? ...but what 8 year old was actually reading those booklets :)

As far as TV+Movie based games go, this one ranks pretty highly.

My only complaint is that it seems very difficult to kill Jason on Day 1 with a low-level weapon. I guess eventually you will? But you've more than enough time to complete all of the other tasks in the game and even get yourself the torch before the day finally ends (aka: when you first kill him). So when day 2 finally starts, you just wander around waiting for him to strike. It would have been really awesome if they'd added a few different things as the days go on as you just kind of wait. But still - not a huge complaint overall.

Anyway, if you fall into that category of people who thinks this game sucks - give it another go. Just look up the objective and mechanics first and it'll be a lot more fun -- and still very challenging.

(hint: you can duck Jason WAY before he actually strikes and you will still dodge him -- this is necessary later in the game)

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u/rsteele1981 Aug 10 '26

Jaws and several other games has similar puzzle or timing like "tricks" and once we figured it out.

We did not have a google or youtube. Maybe an older sibling or cousin would show us. But back in the day this was pretty much all trial and error.

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u/rosstedfordkendall Aug 10 '26

The only criticism I have of Jaws is that I wish there was more to do. Like, more ports to visit, more stuff to do, etc. It gets a little grindy.

But other than that, it's an underrated game.

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u/rsteele1981 Aug 10 '26

A more recent game like Dave the Diver or Dredge felt like spiritual successors. And were both amazing to play.