Jawbreaker: The Original

[zraider]

I've been looking for a game which I used to have when I had my Atari 800; it was Jawbreaker, and I had to load it from tape.

Apparently, this is an extremely rare game.

Thanks to Jindroush and his excellent info, I know a little more about it, and that it was made by Sierra Online. I don't know if an 'original' cartridge was made, but I would appreciate any help locating this software.

Also, does anyone know anything about this Atari 2600 256 game multi-cartridge; there's one for sale on Ebay, and I've never run across this and wonder if the games are the real thing.

Thanks.

[Callipygous]

There may be as many as 3 or 4 versions of JB floating around. Sierra was sued over the original by Atari. Too much like Pac-man. This version is by John Harris and probably the one you had on tape. Another version with the graphics modified was produced as result of the lawsuit. At least one of these versions made it to cart. Then there was JB II by "Chuckles" (Charles Bunche). It is similar to JB on the 2600. Also came out on cart. Sierra, perhaps because of the lawsuit, seemed to confuse things on purpose. The advertising was unclear about which game is which. I have a cart with JB label, although the game is JBII.

[zraider]

Thanks for the info MOB. I knew John Harris was the programmer of the original Jawbreaker, but I had forgotten about all the legal hassle over the game/s.

I guess I'll have to search really hard to find the "real thing"; there's an assortment of cartridges on Ebay right now, and Jawbreaker is one of them, but I'll bet it's not the one I'm after. Oh well, maybe I'll get outbid.

Thanks a lot for the info. I'm just up the freeway (I-45) in Conroe.

[ndary]

you are right, JB1 & JB2 is confusing. i seen a cart version on the atari xl computer of Jawbreaker that looks like the 2600 jawreaker.. but it was a cart with a printed text sticker.. on ebay i bought a xl cart that has Jawbreaker 2 stiker and it was the different game.. in this game you get to brush your teesh when you finish a label

[Callipygous]

Okay, I see the auction now. The red label cart is the one I have. It says Jawbreaker on the label, but it is by Chuckles and not the maze game by Harris. In other words its actually JB II. Hope this helps. The disk format of the Harris version might be easier to find.

[megatrader]

I have a copy of Jawbreaker on disk from Online-Systems. I'm pretty sure it's the one that came out before the lawsuit. I also have a game called Mousekattack also written by John Harris. It's kind of the reverse of Pac-Man. There's a maze that starts out empty and you traveling through the maze leaving a trail of pipe, I think you're supposed to be a plumber, while mice chase you.

[Goochman]

MouskAttack was a great game! Lay that Pipe!

 

2 players was even better!