Jaws
Stern Pinball, 2024 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.
Open Jaws in the Pinball Genie app →Keith Elwin's JAWS puts you in Amity Island's summer of terror: rescue beachgoers, hunt bounty sharks, attach barrels to the Great White, and finally blow him up in "Smile, You Son of a…". The layout has no scoops or saucers — everything is flow: two main flippers, a mid-right mini flipper, five "beach" shots (left orbit = West Beach, Wave ramp = Marina, center ramp = North Beach, fishing reel = The Pond, right ramp = East Beach), a harpoon lane hugging the left wall, a Chum Bucket Newton ball, a center captive ball/bash boat, and the star mech: a motorized Shark Fin drop target that swims across the mid-playfield. Premium/LE adds the Orca upper playfield (Lookout Tower ramp, ship's-wheel spinner, Radio target) fed by the Wave ramp, plus a motorized shark that crashes up through Ben Gardner's boat; the Pro's Wave ramp instead returns to the mini flipper, fueling the quickshot loop.
Core loops
Shark Encounters (modes). Hit the bash boat to light an encounter, then start it at its beach shot. Extra boat hits first bank boosts — L1 +15s, L2 +5M + Gear, L3 2x scoring for the whole mode. Shoot blue shots to progress; finishing lights an Encounter Jackpot at the fin worth 20–50% of your mode total plus a permanent +1x machete. Value order: Scars > Raft Attack > Beach Panic > Night Swim > Pond Attack. Starting all five lights the 4th of July mini-wizard.
Jaws Multiballs (barrels). No physical locks — "locking" means attaching barrels: feed the chum line (Chum Bucket + red left-flipper shots), raise the fin via yellow shots, and bash it. One barrel starts Reel Him In!, two starts The Chase (90+ switches light 20M captive-ball supers), three starts Cage Dive, whose completion qualifies the final wizard. MB1 is a utility multiball — stack it with Night Swim or Beach Panic.
Bounty Hunts. Spin the fishing reel to light hunts, complete each shark's tasks, and start at the reel: Mako (easiest — take it first for the 2x-reel perk), Thresher, Hammerhead, Tiger. Green shots and shark bashes wear the shark to a final capture shot. All four captures — or selling all six Gear pieces — qualify the 6-ball Great White Multiball.
Beachgoers & Search/Rescue. Shark tower standups light beachgoers at beach shots; three rescued at one beach starts a Beach Closed hurry-up (15M+ base, escalating). The 8th beachgoer is an extra ball; closing all five beaches offers the choice of Rescue or Search Multiball (mini-wizards).
Quickshots & Gear. Rolling the mini-flipper lane lights the harpoon lane blue; harpoon → quickly hit the fin = a Quickshot (3M + 200K/beachgoer, consecutive multiplier to 7x, 3 = extra ball, each lights Gear). Gear (collected at the right ramp) gives six consumable perks — Binoculars, Oxygen Tank, Tracker, Barrel Hook, Shark Cage, Dart — or hoard all six unused and sell for up to 375M.
Multipliers
There is no global playfield X. The machete is the engine: complete the left 3-bank, roll a lit inlane, and your next shot is multiplied (base 2x; permanent +1x per completed encounter, most bounty captures, and Night Search completion; at 4x+ base the harpoon gate must relight it). Spend machetes on beach-closed hurry-ups, encounter jackpots, Pipit, and Feeding Frenzy finishers. Add the quickshot multiplier (to 7x), encounter 2x boosts, and bonus X from Quint's Challenge knots (timed combos lit after spelling O-R-C-A on the Wave ramp).
Other features
Seven single-ball Character Combos (Chrissie Watkins, Pipit, Alex Kintner, Ben Gardner, Scout Leader, Sam Quint, Goat) each add +250K to future Beach Closed shots. Fish Finder (left 3-bank) awards Super Buoys, Super Life Ring, Cast 'N Catch, the Shark Hunter video mode, and Night Search Multiball — all five light Super Cast 'N Catch. Feeding Frenzy (shark tower sets) builds bonus. The Life Ring (target-lit, action-button save) rescues left-outlane drains; Flip-Lock holds a ball on the mini flipper during multiball.
Wizard path
Mini-wizards: 4th of July (all 5 encounters), Search/Rescue MB (all beaches closed), Great White MB (4 sharks or gear sell-out), Super Cast 'N Catch (all Fish Finder awards), and Say Ah! (Prem/LE, all 5 Orca wheel awards). The final wizard, "Smile, You Son of a…", requires completing Cage Dive: three timed phases (Quint's Demise, Clash on the Mast, the fin-and-targets finale) ending with one last shark hit — victory launches the 6-ball Super Celebration Multiball.
Stern continues tuning values as new code ships.
How Jaws plays
Survive the summer on Amity Island by hunting the Great White. Complete shark encounters, attach barrels, capture bounty sharks, and blow up the shark in the final wizard.
The loop
- Hit the bash boat to light a Shark Encounter, then shoot its beach shot to start the mode.
- Feed the chum line with red-arrow shots to raise the fin, then bash the fin to attach a barrel and start Jaws Multiball.
- Complete the left 3-bank and roll a lit inlane to arm the machete, then spend it on a high-value shot.
- Spin the fishing reel to light Bounty Hunts, complete tasks, and capture sharks for permanent perks.
Reading the lights
- Machete Arm Lanes (lanes) — lit: A lit inlane arms the machete multiplier for your next shot. · then: Shoot a high-value target like the captive ball or a mode jackpot.
- Quickshot Lanes (lanes) — lit: Rolling the mini-flipper lane lights the harpoon lane blue; a harpoon shot followed quickly by the fin collects a Quickshot. · then: Hit the fin immediately after the harpoon lane.
- Chum Line & Barrel Arrows (shot arrows) — lit: Red arrows mark shots that fill the chum line; yellow flashing shots raise the fin to attach a barrel. · flashing: Yellow flashing shots raise the fin; red flashing shots are jackpots during multiball. · then: Bash the raised fin to start a Jaws Multiball.
- Encounter Start Shots (mode) — lit: A lit beach shot starts its Shark Encounter; hit the bash boat first to light one. · then: Shoot the lit beach shot to begin the mode.
- O-R-C-A Letters (letters) — lit: Strong wave-ramp shots spell O-R-C-A; completing it lights a Quint's Shack award at the right ramp. · then: Shoot the right ramp to collect the award.
- Fish Finder Awards (ladder) — lit: Each hit on the left 3-bank advances the Fish Finder award; completing all five lights Super Cast 'N Catch. · then: Shoot the bank to collect the lit award.
- Lookout Tower Extra Ball (status) — lit: Eight shots to the Lookout Tower ramp light an extra ball (Premium/LE only). · then: Shoot the ramp to collect the extra ball.
Lane change: not verified for this machine yet.
Start scoring
- Ball one — Take the skill shot ladder (light plunge, short plunge, or full plunge to the lit 3-bank) for quick points. Then hit the bash boat to light a Shark Encounter and start it at its beach shot. — Skill Shot — Level 1: Light Plunge, Skill Shot — Level 2: Short Plunge, Skill Shot — Level 3: Plunge Through, Strategy: Beginner's First 30 Seconds
- Building — Build the machete multiplier by completing the left 3-bank and rolling lit inlanes, then stack Jaws Multiball with a Shark Encounter. Bank encounter boosts at the boat for 2x mode scoring. — Machete — the Next-Shot Multiplier, Encounter Boost — 2x Mode Scoring, Jaws Multiball 1 — "Reel Him In!", Night Search Multiball
- The big one — Complete all three barrel multiballs (Reel Him In!, The Chase, Cage Dive) to qualify the final wizard 'Smile, You Son of a…', a three-phase battle ending in Super Celebration Multiball. — Final Wizard: "Smile, You Son of a…", Jaws Multiball 1 — "Reel Him In!", Jaws Multiball 2 — "The Chase", Jaws Multiball 3 — "Cage Dive"
The Action Button on Jaws
Center of the lockdown bar.
One button, two very different jobs. Armed, it throws out the Life Ring to rescue a left-outlane drain; during any multiball it freezes the mini flipper up so you can park a ball out of play. Premium and LE owners get a third job: locking in the Orca wheel award.
- Ball rolling into the left outlane: Fires the Life Ring save, but only while the insert glows orange — the window is short and shrinks with every use.
- Ball cradled on the mini flipper: A tap keeps that flipper raised, so a two-ball multiball plays like single-ball with a spare banked.
- Ready to release a parked ball: Hold instead of tapping and the mini flipper drops the ball back into play on your terms.
- Lining up the fishing reel shot: Bank one ball on the mini flipper first so only one ball is loose while you aim.
- Orca wheel dial sweeping (Prem/LE): Press when the pointer sits on the award you want — Shark Ramps and the rest lock in on that press.
Goals in Jaws
Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.
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Skill Shot — Level 1: Light Plunge
The first skill shot on offer: a light plunge that drops the ball into the pop bumpers just off the shooter lane. Collecting it moves the ladder up to Level 2 for your next ball.
Reward: 5M + 5s ball save
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Skill Shot — Level 2: Short Plunge
A short plunge that reaches the mini flipper clean — the pop bumper next door voids it. Level 1 is the rung below this one.
Reward: 10M + Gear + 5s ball save
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Skill Shot — Level 3: Plunge Through
Full plunge clean through to the flippers, then make the lit fish-finder target from the right flipper — nothing else touched on the way. Level 2 is the rung below this one.
Reward: 15M + Gear + 5s ball save
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A hidden plunge option: bring the ball to the flippers clean, then make the Chum Bucket your first shot.
Reward: Current skill-shot value
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The deepest cut: a clean trip to the flippers, then a dead-center captive-ball hit — it awards the skill-shot value and advances it for next time.
Reward: Skill-shot value, and advances it
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Quickshot: Harpoon → Fin (the #1 money combo)
The game's signature two-shot farm: light Quickshot at the mini-flipper lane, shoot the harpoon lane, then quickly nail the moving Shark Fin.
Reward: 3M + 200K/beachgoer × up to 7x; 3 Quickshots = Extra Ball; each make lights Gear
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Character Combo: Chrissie Watkins
One of seven fixed Character (Memorial) Combos, single-ball play only. Each unique combo completed permanently adds +250K to all future Beach Closed hurry-up shots.
Reward: Escalating 5M+ and +250K baked into every future Beach Closed hurry-up
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The hardest character combo — it starts on the fishing reel, the trickiest shot on the game, and ends on the shark itself.
Reward: Escalating 5M+ and +250K to future Beach Closed shots
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During the Raft Attack encounter, ramps raise the fin and specific 3-shot chains ending at the fin multiply the award — Wave ramp → harpoon gate → fin is the 4x line (5x via Lookout Tower on Premium/LE).
Reward: Fin award (5M + 2M per award) multiplied 2x–5x
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Any shot that feeds the left inlane — the center ramp, the left orbit or the harpoon lane — comboed straight into the captive ball awards 2x damage, which is the efficient route to lighting encounters and qualifying Jaws Multiball.
Reward: 2x damage toward Shark Encounters and Jaws Multiball
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Jaws Multiball 1 — "Reel Him In!"
The first barrel multiball. There are no physical locks — the 'lock' is attaching Barrel #1 by shooting the raised Shark Fin. Low-scoring on its own; best stacked with Night Swim or Beach Panic.
Reward: 5 jackpots to complete; add-a-ball at 3 chum-bucket hits
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Jaws Multiball 2 — "The Chase"
The second barrel multiball needs two barrels, each qualified manually: chum line → Ready Barrel at the 3-bank → yellow shot raises the fin → bash the fin to attach.
Reward: 20M super jackpots at the captive ball (10-second window); add-a-ball at 8 chum hits
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The easiest of the four Bounty Hunt multiballs and the one to start with: its capture perk (reel spins count 2x + longer Flip-Lock) makes every later bounty faster.
Reward: Bounty collect + capture perk: 2x reel spins and longer Flip-Lock; capture lights Gear
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A 2-ball multiball earned as a Fish Finder award. Jackpots at every major shot time out and unlight; the Fish Finder targets relight them. Completing it earns a permanent +1x base machete.
Reward: 4 jackpots = light Gear; completion = permanent +1x base machete
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Shark Encounter — Scars (center ramp)
The highest-value of the five Shark Encounters and the one to play first: safe single-ball shooting, and completion earns a permanent +1x machete. Boost it to 2x before starting.
Reward: Encounter Jackpot = 35% of mode total (15% if fin missed) + permanent +1x machete
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Shark Encounter — Night Swim (left orbit)
The West Beach encounter — and the best mode to stack with Jaws Multiball 1, since the multiball keeps the mode alive and multiplies its shots.
Reward: Blue shots 1M + 750K each; jackpot = 35% of mode total + permanent +1x machete
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Fish Finder — Collect All 5 Awards
The left 3-bank cycles through five awards: Super Buoys, Super Life Ring, Cast 'N Catch, Light Video Mode (Shark Hunter) and Night Search Multiball. All five light Super Cast 'N Catch.
Reward: 5 awards; all 5 = Super Cast 'N Catch mini-wizard at the center ramp
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Quint's Shack: Spell O-R-C-A & Tie a Knot
Strong Wave-ramp shots spell O-R-C-A to light a Quint's Shack award at the right ramp (always 'Light Bounty Hunt' first), and unlock Quint's Challenge knot combos for bonus X.
Reward: Shack award + each knot = +1x bonus X (2nd+ knots are permanent)
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Machete — the Next-Shot Multiplier
JAWS has no traditional playfield X — the machete is the multiplier engine. Light it at the left 3-bank, arm it through a lit inlane, and spend it only on planned big shots.
Reward: Base 2x next shot; permanent +1x per Shark Encounter completed, per Night Search Multiball completed, and per bounty shark captured on the first attempt — Mako's bonus lights Gear instead, and post-4th-of-July Encounter Challenges hand out a permanent shot multiplier rather than machete.
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Encounter Boost — 2x Mode Scoring
Extra boat hits before starting an encounter bank boosts: Level 1 +15s timer, Level 2 +5M and light Gear, Level 3 doubles scoring for the entire mode — one of the biggest score levers in the game.
Reward: L1 +15s / L2 +5M + Gear / L3 2x scoring for the whole encounter
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Start all five Shark Encounters to light this mini-wizard at the center ramp: keep every beach open on individual timers and collect 25 fireworks for a super jackpot multiplied by open beaches.
Reward: Super jackpot × open beaches; every firework adds +150K to Super Celebration; encounters become 2x Challenges after
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Final Wizard: "Smile, You Son of a…"
The final showdown, qualified by completing all three barrel multiballs (Reel Him In!, The Chase, Cage Dive). Three ~60-second phases re-enact the movie's ending; victory starts Super Celebration Multiball.
Reward: Hurry-ups worth 1M × seconds remaining; victory = 6-ball Super Celebration Multiball
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Strategy: Beginner's First 30 Seconds
The consensus opener: safe skill shot, feed the boat, start Scars, follow the arrows, and qualify the Life Ring outlane save early. Skip the fishing reel — it's the most drain-prone shot on the game.
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Strategy: Tournament Opener & the Scars Stack
The high-score line: Level 2 skill shot, machete lit, 2x encounter boost banked, Scars completed for the permanent machete, then Jaws MB1 stacked into Night Swim with Flip-Lock control.
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Strategy: Hoard Gear, Sell at 25x
Quickshots are the fastest Gear source. Collect all six pieces without using any perks, then sell to Quint at the right ramp for up to 375M — which also qualifies Great White Multiball.
Reward: 15M × up to 25x (all 6 unused) = 375M, +50M per Quint's Challenge knot; qualifies Great White MB
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Jaws Multiball 3 — "Cage Dive"
The third barrel multiball, and the last gate before the final wizard. Three barrels must be attached one at a time, each earned by refilling the chum line and re-qualifying a barrel at the 3-bank before bashing the raised fin.
Reward: Three hurry-up jackpots plus 50M-class fin super jackpots; completion qualifies the final wizard
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Complete All Five Shark Encounters
Each encounter has its own start shot and each one you finish adds a permanent +1x to base machete, so the sweep compounds all game. Light each encounter at the boat, bank a boost, then start the one whose shot you are hitting cleanly.
Reward: Five Encounter Jackpots plus a permanent +1x base machete each; all five lit start 4th of July
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Bounty Hunts are separate small multiballs, one per shark on the board, each qualified by spinner rips and mode chores and each ending on a capture shot at the fishing reel. Take the easiest one first — its perk speeds up every hunt after it — and finish with the six-ball Great White, which unlocks by selling gear to Quint.
Reward: A capture perk per shark, escalating bounty collects, and the six-ball Great White hunt
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JAWS keeps a second menu of ways to play behind its attract screen, and most players never learn it is there. Holding both flipper buttons while the machine sits idle brings up a list of alternate games built on the same code, including one that drops the pinball entirely and runs only the game's hidden video game.
Reward: Access to Competition, a standalone Shark Hunter video-game session, and the 4th of July Challenge, Jaws: The Revenge, and The Shark Is Broken challenge modes
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One of the five Fish Finder awards is not points at all — it arms a genuine video game, and the right ramp is the shot that launches it. Once it starts the flippers stop flipping and start firing harpoons at sharks, while divers swim through the same water and cost you a shot if you hit one.
Reward: 3,000 points for every point scored inside the video game, so a 5,000-point run pays 15 million. This award cannot be multiplied by Machete. A fast-moving extra ball icon also appears inside the video game and can be shot for an extra ball.
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The Six Pieces of Gear and What Each One Buys You
Gear is the closest thing this machine has to an inventory. Six different pieces exist, you get to pick which one you take before you take it, and each bends a different part of the game your way for a limited run of use. Every piece you leave unspent is worth more when you finally sell the whole set.
Reward: Six perks chosen one at a time; a full set sold to Quint pays a large score and qualifies the final bounty hunt for the great white
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Pick Your Shark: The Bounty Hunt Upgrade Ladder
Bounty hunts are this machine's upgrade tree. Work the fishing reel and the right ramp to light one, choose which shark you want to go after, and every shark you land hands over a perk that stays with you for the rest of the game.
Reward: A lasting perk for each shark landed — the mako doubles reel progress toward later hunts, the tiger removes the once-per-ball limit on flip-lock
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Shark Teeth and the Progress That Outlives the Game
Signed in, JAWS keeps a second record that has nothing to do with the score on the display. Achievements you earn are filed against your account, every achievement point also pays you shark teeth, and those teeth are the currency that opens the challenge modes hiding behind the attract screen.
Reward: A bank of shark teeth that buys the challenge modes, plus an achievement record and a Bounty Hunter rank that keep building across every game you play signed in
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Lookout Tower: The Repeatable Deck Loop
Premium/LE only: the small ramp on the Orca deck is a return trip, not a one-shot — eight of them across a game bank an extra ball, and catching the exit straight into the right ramp completes the Quint combo.
Reward: 8 lifetime lookout tower shots = extra ball; lookout tower into right ramp = Quint combo; also the 5x leg of the Raft Attack fin combo
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