Joust
Joust is an arcade action game in which the player rides a winged ostrich- or stork-like mount and, by flapping its wings, fights knights riding buzzards above platforms floating over a lake of lava. The Atari 800 release was handled by Atarisoft, an Atari subsidiary focused on converting arcade machines to both competing and Atari's own home platforms. The dueling principle is simple: players collide in mid-air, and whoever is higher at the moment of impact wins; the defeated opponent falls, and their egg must be collected quickly before a new opponent hatches from it or before it gets knocked into the lava.
The controls require constant rhythmic pressing of the button to flap the wings and keep the character aloft, giving the game its characteristic nervous, bobbing motion in the air. Platforms are scattered irregularly across the screen, and the player can fly through them via the screen edges, which wrap around to the opposite side. Stronger opponent types and dangerous lava, from which fiery ghosts can rise, gradually appear, noticeably speeding up and toughening the game as levels progress.
The Atari 8-bit conversion tried to preserve the characteristic feel of flying and colliding from the arcade original, and thanks to that Joust found its loyal players on home computers too. The game is still valued today for its original concept of duels based on flight height rather than classic shooting, and for its emphasis on fast decision-making amid chaotic aerial mayhem. For today's player it offers short but intense sessions built on a simple yet hard-to-master principle. The game shows its greatest quality especially in a duel between two players on one screen, because the unpredictability of the opponent's movement and the need to react instantly to changing flight height create tension that simple rules manage to sustain throughout play, which is exactly why Joust is still remembered as one of the most distinctive arcade concepts of its generation.
Why play it: For fans of local multiplayer who want to experience how a single idea, dueling by flight height, can generate tension without a single extra weapon.
Game 103 of 124 for Atari 800 / 8-bit
The same title elsewhere (4)
The arcade machine offered smooth animation of the flying ostriches and buzzards along with a vivid color palette that home consoles of the era tried to match with mixed success. The weaker Atari 2600 hardware forced blockier graphics, a more limited color range and simpler sound, which slowed the game down and drained some atmosphere compared to the arcade cabinet. The Atari 5200 ran on a more powerful chipset than the 2600, so its version offered smoother flight and more colorful surroundings closer to the arcade original. Anyone wanting Joust at its best should go for the arcade version, while those after a solid early-1980s home experience will prefer the Atari 5200 over the older 2600.
