Shark Simulator

About

"Shark Simulator" is a physics sandbox game where you play as Ed, a mischievous shark, wreaking havoc on a tourist-filled paradise island using your powerful jaws. Cause destruction, avoid fierce cops, and upgrade your abilities with various equipment and weapons. The game features a stunning soundtrack and opportunities for shopping sprees, making it a thrilling and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 377 reviews

humor40 positive mentions

graphics5 negative mentions

The game is hilariously fun and offers a unique experience of being a shark causing chaos on land.
It features goofy physics and a variety of customization options, making it entertaining for casual play.
As a free game, it provides a good amount of laughs and is a great time-waster for those looking to unwind.

The controls are often janky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating at times.
The game suffers from significant lag and performance issues, especially when there are many NPCs or police involved.
Limited content and repetitive gameplay can lead to boredom after a short period of play.

humor
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its chaotic and silly nature, with players enjoying the hilarious interactions, absurd physics, and quirky graphics that lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke laughter through its goofy mechanics and unexpected scenarios, making it a fun experience overall. Despite some minor frustrations, the comedic elements and entertaining gameplay make it a standout feature that players appreciate.
- “It's all about causing chaos, leaping out of the water, and interacting with other sea creatures and people in hilarious ways.”
- “Once you get the hang of it, the controls can be quite hilarious with insane physics launching you fifty feet into the air and spinning like a UFO.”
- “Embark on a hilarious and chaotic adventure with Shark Simulator, a wtf physics sandbox that introduces Ed the Shark, on a mission to give tourists a vacation they'll never forget.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
55%
25%
The graphics of the game are widely criticized as extremely basic and poorly optimized, often described as "horrendous" and reminiscent of outdated titles. However, some players appreciate the simplistic style, finding it fitting for the game's humorous theme, while others note that it can still be enjoyable despite its graphical shortcomings. Overall, the consensus leans towards the graphics being a significant drawback, impacting gameplay experience.
- “Shark Simulator presents an exciting new open world concept with experimental graphics and creative balancing to show that the best games in the world do not need to be created by triple-A game studios; what really matters is what is made, not how it came to be.”
- “Its free, has cute graphics, and you can have some fun laughing at what happens.”
- “The graphics are fun and colorful, the low-poly models remind me of Katamari Damacy's graphics, and the premise sets the game up to be a fun time.”
- “The controls are hardly responsive, the shark is just some dead weight you have to struggle to behave as you expected, and despite the low graphics and small map, the game has frame rate issues that make it unplayable.”
- “Shark simulator has very loose controls, an awful camera system, and its graphics are so basic that they make Mario 64 look like BioShock by comparison.”
- “Horrendous polygon graphics and frustrating gameplay make Shark Simulator virtually unplayable instead of so bad it's good.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics that provide enjoyable moments, though it is often described as simple and not overly engaging for extended periods. While some players appreciate the lighthearted and wacky physics, others criticize the frustrating controls and poor graphics, leading to a mixed reception overall. The shark simulator offers a blend of exploration and chaos, but its execution may leave some players wanting more depth.
- “The unique gameplay mechanics that make every moment enjoyable.”
- “The premise of a shark causing mayhem on land sets the stage for a unique and entertaining gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay of shark simulator revolves around exploring the island, causing destruction, and engaging in various activities.”
- “Horrendous polygon graphics and frustrating gameplay make Shark Simulator virtually unplayable instead of so bad it's good.”
- “Gameplay: 2/10”
- “It didn't really affect my gameplay since it was pretty small, but it is a glitch that might annoy some players in the future.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is largely absent, with players noting a lack of meaningful narrative beyond the chaotic premise of controlling a shark in a sandbox environment. While some quests provide humorous and absurd tasks, such as using various mobility items and completing bizarre achievements, the overall experience feels shallow and unpolished, leading to frustration rather than engagement. Despite attempts at humor and chaos, the game fails to deliver a compelling story, leaving players wanting more depth and coherence.
- “This game rivals Homer's Odyssey with its powerful story, a true timeless classic.”
- “Embark on a hilarious and chaotic adventure with Shark Simulator, a wtf physics sandbox that introduces Ed the Shark, on a mission to give tourists a vacation they'll never forget.”
- “I 100% completed this game's quests and achievements, so I feel that I have gotten to know it pretty well.”
- “☐ no story”
- “☐ story?”
- “Fells really weird to not recommend a free game, but there’s a reason why the most completed achievements are only earned by 12% and 6% of the people. The game is unplayable and beyond the initial chuckle you’ll get from the concept, you quickly realize there’s nothing to it but grinding those demanding achievements and getting confused about the terrible implementation of almost anything (guns that don’t aim correctly, mobility items that make it even harder to move where you want and make the frame rate even worse, not getting healed by eating people, missions that simply can’t be completed...).”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The optimization of the game has received largely negative feedback, with users reporting significant performance issues and poor frame rates, especially when compared to similar titles. Many players describe the game as poorly optimized and frustrating to play, indicating that it requires substantial improvements to run smoothly. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game's current state detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend.
- “Performance and optimization: my laptop isn't the best, but even then, I've been able to play Maneater, another shark game, on medium settings and had a smoother experience in terms of FPS when compared to Shark Simulator.”
- “For example, it is not fully debugged or optimized, but still a nice experience.”
- “This game could use an overhaul of optimization to make it run more smoothly.”
- “This game may be a fun little time waster but it is extremely frustrating to play as it is poorly optimized and is basically unplayable.”
- “Just expect poor optimization and janky physics.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as repetitive and time-consuming, with opinions varying on its enjoyment; some players find it engaging, while others feel it tests their patience, especially towards the end. Many suggest that extensive grinding may require significant time investment, likening it to needing a "second life" to fully engage with it.
- “They are pretty grindy and repetitive, but I enjoyed them.”
- “Grindy (even I lost my patience near the end).”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of adorability and chaos, evoking feelings of whimsy and excitement through its unique mechanics, such as the grappling hook, which adds a playful element to the violent and chaotic environment. Players find joy in the juxtaposition of wholesome moments amidst the mayhem.
- “It's adorable, it's wholesome, it's violent, there's guns, and city-wide chaos.”
- “And I can't forget trying to use a grappling hook, which made me feel a lot like Spider-Shark.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with a score of 2/10, though some players find it to be entertainingly chaotic, offering a bit of replay value despite its shortcomings.
- “The game offers a variety of choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
- “I love how different strategies can lead to entirely new experiences every time I play.”
- “Replay value: 2/10”
- “Absolutely wacky with some replay value.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, including frequent glitches such as falling through the map and problematic controls, particularly with the camera. There is a strong call for developers to address these issues to enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- “Please fix glitches; my game is really glitchy.”
- “The dev just needs to sharpen up the controls (mostly the camera), clean up a few glitches (like falling through the map), and add some missions/objectives.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for featuring misleading mobile ads, which detracts from the overall experience and raises concerns about transparency.
- “The game feels like a cash grab, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game purchases.”
- “I was disappointed to see that many features are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra.”
- “The monetization strategy is aggressive, with ads interrupting gameplay and pushing for microtransactions at every turn.”