Jawbreaker (video game)
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | John Harris |
| Products | Jawbreaker |
Jawbreaker is a Pac-Man inspired game developed by John Harris for the Atari 8-bit computers platform and released by On-Line Systems in 1981. Arriving prior to an official home version of Pac-Man, it received widespread acclaim and achieved significant commercial success. Harris’s contributions to both Jawbreaker and his Atari 8-bit adaptation of Frogger are documented in Steven Levy’s 1984 publication, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.
Following its initial release, the game was adapted for the Apple II in 1981, with a markedly different version for the Atari 2600 appearing in 1982. Legal complications led to this 2600 iteration serving as the foundation for later ports on the Commodore 64 and TI-99/4A, which were marketed under both Jawbreaker and Jawbreaker II, resulting in some marketplace ambiguity.
Failed licensing and litigation
In 1982, the Atari 800 original was so similar to Pac-Man that it was often mistaken for a product by Atari. Upon discovery, Atari reached out to On-Line’s Ken Williams to address the issue. However, talks broke down due to cultural differences between Atari and On-Line, particularly tensions between Williams and Harris. Subsequently, Williams instructed Harris to redesign the game’s visuals incorporating a dental motif.
Atari pursued legal action seeking to halt sales of Jawbreaker along with another On-Line title, Gobbler, on grounds of their likeness to Pac-Man. Although Williams refuted these allegations, he voiced concerns about the implications such a case might have on software duplication precedents.
Ports
The Atari 2600 adaptation diverges considerably from the original Atari 8-bit version because of hardware constraints and does not serve as a straightforward Pac-Man imitation. This variant became the basis for subsequent computer ports developed by various programmers. These editions, released under both Jawbreaker and Jawbreaker II, failed to replicate the commercial success of the original.
Reception
John Anderson of Computer Gaming World commended Jawbreaker, remarking that its visual and audio elements were comparable to those produced by Atari itself, awarding it four stars for its engaging gameplay. In addition, InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers listed it among Sierra’s top arcade titles.
At the 1982 Arkie Awards, the game earned "Best Computer Action Game," recognized for its attraction to Pac-Man enthusiasts on Atari platforms and its unique chiptune rendition of "The Candy Man".
In 1983, readers of Softline voted Jawbreaker as the second most popular program for Atari 8-bit systems, trailing only behind Star Raiders. The publication praised its rapid gameplay and uniform quality across different platforms. David H. Ahl from Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games recommended it alongside comparable games for aficionados of this genre.
External links
- Jawbreaker at Lemon 64