Release: July 16, 1981
Sales: 250, 000-1, 000, 000
Model Number: OC-22
Octopus, known as Mysteries of the Sea and Mysteries of the Deep in the United Kingdom, is a Game & Watch game released as a part of the Wide Screen series on July 16, 1981. It is a single-screen single-player Game & Watch.
The object is to recover treasure from a sunken ship without getting caught by an octopus. The player must aim his diver under water by jumping off the side of a boat. Each time the octopus touches the player, one life is lost. A point is awarded for each portion of treasure retrieved from a sunken ship, and three additional points are awarded for evading the octopus a second time and returning to the boat. The game speeds as it progresses, and additional lives are granted at 200 and 500 points. In Game B, the octopus is quicker and there are more hazards.
Octopus was recreated in Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy, Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance, and Game & Watch Collection 2 for the Nintendo DS (a Club Nintendo-exclusive). It was also rereleased as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Mr. Game & Watch has an attack which has him hit opponents with a diving helmet, referencing Octopus. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Mr. Game & Watch’s Final Smash is “Octopus”, which has him transform into the octopus and hit opponents with his tentacles, referencing Octopus. In Nintendo Land, the octopus and the diver appear in the Octopus Dance minigame.
In March 2010, Takara Tomy released officially licensed Game & Watch-styled keychains based on three different Wide Screen Game & Watch models, one of which was Octopus. It does not actually run the game, instead just displaying a demo screen. While the game cannot be played, the speed at which the demo runs can be adjusted. The batteries are recharged with solar panels on the unit.