Joust
1982 · Platform / Action · Arcade
Overview
Joust (1982) is Williams' flapping-combat game: ride an ostrich, flap to gain height and strike enemy riders from above to unseat them.
Deep Dive
In Joust a knight on an ostrich battles buzzard-riding enemies across floating platforms; in any collision, the higher lance wins. Unseated enemies leave eggs that hatch into tougher foes if not collected in time, and an indestructible pterodactyl hunts players who linger. A second player rides a stork, and the two can work together or knock each other off. John Newcomer's flap-based physics make it one of the most skill-driven games of its era.
Developer Story
Joust was designed by John Newcomer at Williams Electronics in 1982. The concept of a knight riding an ostrich and jousting against buzzard-mounted enemies was entirely original. The physics — flapping to gain altitude, collisions decided by height — required genuine skill to master. Joust also featured a co-operative two-player mode where the second player rode a stork, but friendly fire was always enabled.
Did You Know?
- The physics system required players to flap the button to gain altitude — whoever was higher in a collision won, creating a genuinely skill-based mechanic.
- Joust's two-player mode was co-operative but friendly fire was always on — accidental kills were common, and deliberate betrayal was possible.
- The Buzzard Riders regenerated as faster pterodactyls if their eggs weren't collected quickly — time pressure was constant.
- A pterodactyl could occasionally appear and was indestructible, forcing players to avoid rather than fight it.
- Joust was ported to the NES and Atari 2600, with both versions being notable for faithfully capturing the original's feel.
Sources & further reading
- Joust (video game) — Wikipedia
