2 reviews
This is another one of my favorite video games of all time and of course another childhood gem. This game was about everywhere, I remember playing it for the first time at the "Jolly Joker" video arcade in the "Yakima Mall" in Yakima, WA when I was about seven. This game was another one of the very first games I've ever played. It really caught my eye, it's one of those games you really don't see everyday, and no one has ever seen since, from how strange and novel it was is part of why it became the classic it is today. However this game is close to my heart as it's another game on my birth year.
The concept is cool if daft, the game takes place in a futuristic fantasy world or post-apocalyptic earth in which magic and medieval times have come back. I don't know it doesn't really matter all you need to know is there is some jousting coemption where you ride giant mutant Ostriches, and you simply knock your opponents out till you the last man standing. That's pretty much it in a nutshell, like in all the games of yesteryears you just simply played the game, have fun and don't die.
The graphical presentation is good, this game was one of the first contained platform action games as it's all taken place in one screen setting. The platforming arena you work with is very interesting and strange at the same time. It's three planes, on the top two planes they are floating cannon rocks and on the bottom is the rooted cannon ground rock with a bridge on both sides of its edges. And of course, under those bridges is the lava. On the platforms there are these transporter platforms in which you and your opponents will be assigned to appear.
The gameplay is solid, the control scheme is unique it's a little strange and awkward at first but it's easy to get the hang of and feels natural for this game. The game is on in which you use positioning, physics, and momentum to win. You have a flap button in which your push repeatedly to make your Ostrich go up as slow or as fast as you want. Along with a joystick to only go left and right, as fast or slow as you want. The game is just as much fun playing with a friend where you both can work together to get further at the same time competing against each other trying to rack up enough points over the other.
To beat your opponent, you simply must get high enough to wacky them off their Ostrich. I always love the sound that made every time you knock down any of the opposing knights it's just music to my ears.
Surprisingly when you are on the platforms and go though the edge of the screen you appear from the other side on the opposite platform. I'll admit when I discovered this for the first time I was blown away because I never knew that could happen in a video game and its rather trippy physics wise when you think about it. Though these became a common feature used video games afterward, but this game was one of the first. This works to your advantage because it actually can help you launch sneak attacks on your opponents, an avenue of escape before your opponent's try to hit you and also being able to go from a certain point in that game faster.
The game starts to get a little more difficult as you get further. From the arena changing like the bridges burning down so you have no safety from the lava, you can still fly over it but not too close otherwise a devil hand comes out to pull you right in and you can't escape its grasp. I'll admit as a kid that hand in the lava always scared me which is way, I made sure to never get too close to the lava in the first place.
An egg stage where you must collect all the eggs before they hatch with mutants' knights waiting to ride or could even kill you if you don't get above their lance. Even one wave where there are only a few platforms to work with which does make the difficulty in the game a little higher because you opponents hardly have anything to slow them down which make you vulnerable.
And there are you occasional frustrations like missing the target, doing something stupid, dying in a stupid way, or even unfair moments when the opponents hit you just as your coming out of transport but these are all minor gripes that don't last because in the gaming world there are always going to be inherit risks with the territory, as an old saying goes "if you can't stand the heat, you better stay out of the kitchen."
You do have a solid set of opponents from the regular jousting knight opponents to defeat. However their not all the simple to take out, once you've taken one of them out there is an egg that shows up. It's very important you always collect it because once they hatch, they reproduce a new knight but one of a different color where he's a little faster and stronger.
There are three kinds of knight, from the red who are flunky slow, the grey which is medium speeded, and the black whom is the fastest, that one is really deadly as he's the hardest to hit he literally just about zips all over the screen; but he can be hit but supply being at the right place right time.
Though the other had target is the firry phenix whom comes out if you take too much time in the round, which is why it's important you work fast in the game. The phenix was another thing that scared me as a kid as it was just this entity made of fire that just relentless comes at you like a heat seeking missile. Though the phenix can be neutralized if you hit it just right in the head, which will earn you extra points that is if you're willing to risk it.
"Joust" hits and flies high.
Rating: 4 stars.
The concept is cool if daft, the game takes place in a futuristic fantasy world or post-apocalyptic earth in which magic and medieval times have come back. I don't know it doesn't really matter all you need to know is there is some jousting coemption where you ride giant mutant Ostriches, and you simply knock your opponents out till you the last man standing. That's pretty much it in a nutshell, like in all the games of yesteryears you just simply played the game, have fun and don't die.
The graphical presentation is good, this game was one of the first contained platform action games as it's all taken place in one screen setting. The platforming arena you work with is very interesting and strange at the same time. It's three planes, on the top two planes they are floating cannon rocks and on the bottom is the rooted cannon ground rock with a bridge on both sides of its edges. And of course, under those bridges is the lava. On the platforms there are these transporter platforms in which you and your opponents will be assigned to appear.
The gameplay is solid, the control scheme is unique it's a little strange and awkward at first but it's easy to get the hang of and feels natural for this game. The game is on in which you use positioning, physics, and momentum to win. You have a flap button in which your push repeatedly to make your Ostrich go up as slow or as fast as you want. Along with a joystick to only go left and right, as fast or slow as you want. The game is just as much fun playing with a friend where you both can work together to get further at the same time competing against each other trying to rack up enough points over the other.
To beat your opponent, you simply must get high enough to wacky them off their Ostrich. I always love the sound that made every time you knock down any of the opposing knights it's just music to my ears.
Surprisingly when you are on the platforms and go though the edge of the screen you appear from the other side on the opposite platform. I'll admit when I discovered this for the first time I was blown away because I never knew that could happen in a video game and its rather trippy physics wise when you think about it. Though these became a common feature used video games afterward, but this game was one of the first. This works to your advantage because it actually can help you launch sneak attacks on your opponents, an avenue of escape before your opponent's try to hit you and also being able to go from a certain point in that game faster.
The game starts to get a little more difficult as you get further. From the arena changing like the bridges burning down so you have no safety from the lava, you can still fly over it but not too close otherwise a devil hand comes out to pull you right in and you can't escape its grasp. I'll admit as a kid that hand in the lava always scared me which is way, I made sure to never get too close to the lava in the first place.
An egg stage where you must collect all the eggs before they hatch with mutants' knights waiting to ride or could even kill you if you don't get above their lance. Even one wave where there are only a few platforms to work with which does make the difficulty in the game a little higher because you opponents hardly have anything to slow them down which make you vulnerable.
And there are you occasional frustrations like missing the target, doing something stupid, dying in a stupid way, or even unfair moments when the opponents hit you just as your coming out of transport but these are all minor gripes that don't last because in the gaming world there are always going to be inherit risks with the territory, as an old saying goes "if you can't stand the heat, you better stay out of the kitchen."
You do have a solid set of opponents from the regular jousting knight opponents to defeat. However their not all the simple to take out, once you've taken one of them out there is an egg that shows up. It's very important you always collect it because once they hatch, they reproduce a new knight but one of a different color where he's a little faster and stronger.
There are three kinds of knight, from the red who are flunky slow, the grey which is medium speeded, and the black whom is the fastest, that one is really deadly as he's the hardest to hit he literally just about zips all over the screen; but he can be hit but supply being at the right place right time.
Though the other had target is the firry phenix whom comes out if you take too much time in the round, which is why it's important you work fast in the game. The phenix was another thing that scared me as a kid as it was just this entity made of fire that just relentless comes at you like a heat seeking missile. Though the phenix can be neutralized if you hit it just right in the head, which will earn you extra points that is if you're willing to risk it.
"Joust" hits and flies high.
Rating: 4 stars.
- hellraiser7
- Jun 16, 2021
- Permalink
Even by the primitive standards of 1982 this game is an embarrassing obscurity that very much deserves to be completely forgotten. You play as a knight on a flying ostrich (yeah...seriously) who must kill birds by dropping onto them on a single-screen level design that is reminiscent of the original Mario Bros.
I honestly can't imagine what Williams Electronics were smoking when they came up with this idea, but the controls are even worse than the concept and the "novelty" of the game wears off in five seconds, so don't expect to play this trash to the end.
Joust deserves to be forgotten.
I honestly can't imagine what Williams Electronics were smoking when they came up with this idea, but the controls are even worse than the concept and the "novelty" of the game wears off in five seconds, so don't expect to play this trash to the end.
Joust deserves to be forgotten.
- CuriosityKilledShawn
- Oct 26, 2013
- Permalink