Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

Joust

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Joust, developed by Williams Electronics and published by Atari, is an arcade action game brought to the NES in 1988. Players ride an ostrich and battle enemy knights on buzzards across floating platforms, relying on momentum-based flight and height management. Its unusual controls, competitive aerial combat, and instantly recognizable premise made it one of the most memorable arcade conversions of its era.
Series
-
Release Date
1988-01-01
Publisher
Plays
2

The game uses a side-view, single-screen stage structure. You control a knight mounted on an ostrich, using directional movement and repeated flapping to gain or lose altitude. Movement has deliberate inertia, so positioning and timing matter as much as attack speed. Combat is resolved by colliding with enemies from above; the higher rider wins. Defeated enemies drop eggs, which can hatch into stronger foes if left alone. Clearing all enemies advances the round, while hazards like lava creatures add pressure from below.

Knight

The player-controlled rider mounted on an ostrich.

Buzzard Rider

A common enemy knight mounted on a buzzard.

Lava Troll

A hazardous enemy emerging from below to disrupt positioning.

Stay slightly above enemy riders whenever possible, since height determines the outcome of collisions. Use short, controlled flaps instead of constant button mashing to preserve stable movement. Destroy eggs quickly before they hatch into tougher enemies. Watch platform edges and keep enough space to recover altitude safely. When multiple enemies appear, isolate one target instead of diving into the center of the screen.

No cheats or unlockables available

Tips

Learn the rhythm of flapping before focusing on aggressive attacks.

Tips

Use height advantage to win most aerial collisions.

Tips

Clear eggs early to prevent the battlefield from getting crowded.

User Reviews

A clever arcade game with a genuinely unique flight system.

User Reviews

Simple to understand, but surprisingly demanding to master.

User Reviews

The NES version captures the spirit of the original well.

Comments

5/5
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