Joust

"Simply the best!"

One of my all-time favorites has got to be the game Joust. I know it got a sequel due to its popularity and all, but that was right around the big video game crash of 1984, and the way it was designed made it hard to be ported to home consoles. Still, the original still got the credit it deserved, and was ported to many a home console, including the 7800, where it got a truly wonderful port!

Graphics: 10/10
Now this is how an arcade-to-console port should've been done back in those days. The grey pads where jousters teleport in after losing a life or at the beginning of a new round are there, and the ledges collapse when they're supposed to instead of simply disappearing. You can even see the lava bubbling as it rises closer and closer! Now that's what I call quality! You'll also see every message that tells you what kind of round you're playing, or if you earned any bonuses or not.

Sounds: 10/10
You'll hear the sound of jousters appearing in each round, the classic 'song' (if you will) that plays when your invincibility is working when you get a new life, and when two jousters' lances collide, you'll hear the sound of them glancing off. Of course, when you someone wins a joust, you'll hear that classic 'boom,' like you'd expect to hear. And, yes, that spoony Pterodactyl's call is still in there!

Controls: 10/10
Unlike standard jousts, which took place on horses, this one takes place in a different universe, where ostriches can fly and are used in the jousting combats instead! To fly, you simply press the fire button repeatedly to flap your wings. Your objective is to defeat all of your opponents by surviving the jousts. Simply aim your lance higher than theirs, or land on top of them! After you've defeated your opponent, they'll be turned into an egg while their ostrich flies away. Collect the egg to earn extra points, but be fast, since if the egg hatches, a tougher rider will emerge and the ostrich will return to retrieve it's toughened rider! And, of course, there's the Pterodactyl which flies around and interferes with you!

Replay: 10/10
There are many different types of waves, including the survival wave, where you earn points for not losing a life during the wave, the egg wave, where you get the advantage since all of your opponents are already eggs, and you can take as many as you can before they hatch. In two player mode, there's gladiator wave, where the first person to dismount the other player earns a bonus, and team play mode, where both players earn points for working as a team and keeping each other alive. Whether you're playing solo or with another player, there's never a lack of excitement!

Overall: 10/10
If you're in for something unique and fun, Joust is definitely one gladiatoral battle you'll want to saddle up for! Grab your lance and prepare to Joust, warrior!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/14/02, Updated 10/14/02