In addition to Gauntlet, Midway has brought the esteemed Joust over to the 360's Live Arcade service. Like Gauntlet, it has undergone some cosmetic touches; however, there is some debate at Joystiq HQ over the fidelity of the loft-to-button-press ratio. There is a delegation that believes this version plays poorly because it is too hard to keep your trusty ostrich afloat while another thinks this is exactly how the original played, that the other delegation has poor memory, and that this is all a result of using an ostrich as a vehicle.
The demo offers a limited numer of waves (levels) where you are tasked with bouncing on the heads of competing
jousters. This isn’t really how jousting works but we’re willing to overlook this infraction. It makes sense that
this classic title would be on the Arcade service; it offers compelling gameplay and enough nostalgia to make anyone
feel like a little kid again. When titles like Geometry
Wars cost the same $5 though, it’s hard to recomend Joust for more than retro-appeal.
Overall Score: 7.5/10
