Jawbreaker II

The Good
Not very long ago, I reviewed the Atari 8-bit version of Jawbreaker, a Pac-Man clone where you run around the maze, collecting dots while avoiding the "jawbreakers". I decided to review the Commodore 64 version next.

The C-64 version is not the same as the 8-bit version. Instead, it is based on the Tigervision port for the 2600. You still have the jawbreakers and the teeth you need to control, but the dots are laid out across five levels rather than scattered throughout the maze, and you get to these levels by walking through the holes that move across the screen.

The sprites are bigger and there is more music. The sprites still behave like they do in the Atari 8-bit version, and all the animations are present. The only animation that isn't present is the jawbreakers turning blue when you collect those power pills in each corner of the screen. However, it makes up for this by turning the borders brown. I like the animation of the jawbreakers turning into big, spooky eyes. Since there is no central spot they can go, all they can do is go off the edge of the screen.

The music plays in the background while you play and it is quite pleasant to listen to if you ignore its repetitiveness. Eat a power pellet and it changes into another piece of music until the borders turn blue again. As for the sound effects, the only thing worth noting is the constant beeps as you consume each dot, and that high-pitch noise when you get your teeth knocked out.

Before the game, you are asked to configure the keyboard and skill level. The skill level just adjusts the speed of the game, and the higher the number, the faster the game is. A faster skill level is ideal for finishing the level quickly, but unless you have super-fast reflexes, you are more likely to run out of lives quicker.

The Bad
One bad thing I can say about the C-64 version is that it's way too easy. Part of the challenge of the Atari 8-bit version is avoiding getting surrounded by the jawbreakers. Here, you just wait it out until you see plenty of space, then just go up a level.

The Bottom Line
Even though it is not the same as the other ports, the C-64 version of Jawbreaker is excellent. Sure, there are still those animations and the characters themselves, but the sprites are bigger and there is actual music as you play the game. Like I said in my last review, this game is basically a score attack game and a good little time waster.