Shark! Shark!, 1982 Mattel/Don Daglow/Ji Wen Tsao (20 From Intellivision #20)
16Cute, generally relaxing but fun game in which you are a fish swimming about in the ocean, trying to gobble up other fish that are your size or smaller and avoiding the fish (and other sea life) that are bigger than you. The sea life consists of sharks, seahorses, fish, crabs, lobsters and jellyfish. Touching a fish bigger than you kills you, and touching a fish smaller than you or equal in size eliminates the other fish and gives you points-- and every 1,000 points you will GROW in size. If you reach 5 sizes that is your maximum, and every 1,000 afterwards nets you a free life! Note though, that you will restart at the smallest size each time you are eaten. The mean, black shark appears here and there and is deadly to touch no matter what size you are.. but he can be killed! To do so, touch his tail from behind. This will prompt him to turn around, so get back to his tail. As long as you can stay close it's very possible to nibble his tail 6 times in quick succession without getting eaten-- this will kill him and give you a very nice bonus and a free life! Being big enough to eat the lobsters (which "jump" from the sea floor to kill passerby fish) and crabs also nets you an extra life. Later in the game the lobster will jump higher and higher. You can press keypad buttons 1, 2 or 3 to dart forward quickly with your fish, though you must coast forward a bit first. You can also use the side buttons on the controller to stop. Press keypad button 1 at the title screen to have a very slow fish, button 2 for a slow fish (recommended), button 3 for a medium-slow fish and the dial controller for a normal speed fish. You can play 2-player simultaneous action, with both players going until their fish dies and when both players' fish are dead they are simultaneously playing again on their next life. Relaxing but enjoyable, innovative game worth of the top 20 list. See you soon with game #19! Stay safe, avoid big crowds and wash your hands!