JOUST!
While, never having a real story. The gameplay takes place on a singular level threw out the endless waves of enemies that takes up the experience. You play as an ostrich with a knight on top. Using the left analog stick to control the direction of the ostrich, while using the A button to flap the wings of the ostrich to keep the bird constently afloat. As the levels go on, there are similar ostrich like characters that swoop in each level, and you must take them out. By doing so, you must fly high enough and collition into them, while staying at a higher altitude before contact. The highest character is the champion, while the lowest is meet with your domise.
However, thats not the end of it. After the defeat of a singular enemy, you must also collect the egg that the bird drops below it. Giving you more points to your overall score. But if you do not collect the egg in time, it will hatch another knight and a bird will fly by collecting him and continureing to challenge you. To make the gameplay even more challenging, if you do not finish each wave under a certain time frame, then pteradactals will come flying in to attack you. Taking out these enemies is an even harder challenge.
These different waves take place on different platforms. Some that spawn enemies, and some that exist to just dissapear after each different wave. To make matters worse, the liquid magma that receeds underneath will become a nucence after a while. As the land that covers the pit will slowly disipait away as each new wave begins. Endangering you to the firery pit, while also giving in the additional annoyance of the misterious hand that comes from the lava to grab and take you in with it. Make those ocatiosn when you bearly save yourself from the fire below, even more intense as you try to avoid the death that waits below.
As you repeat each level, in the endless waves that take place in the game. The entertainment never really goes away. It stays entertaining, and never ceases to be engaging. The challenging gameplay that comes along with it also stays entertaining, since it keeps you engaged in the action. Bring back that classic arcade gameplay that has become some what abscent from gameplay these days.
the presentation of the game has stayed as great as it always has been. And for a game that is over twently years old, its quite great that the level design holds up well. With the higher resolution added in, and the choices of new backgrounds and the older graphical perspectives of the original game. Makes for an interesing visual package for those that missed the game back in its hay-day. The audio also is a enulated well, from the different sounds of the enemies to the flap of the very ostrich which you control.
Aside from the already addictive gameplay, there are even more hooks to the game that keep it interesting. Other then unlockable achievements and online scoreboards, there is a full on online mode over Xbox Live. While it is standard affair, being able to play online iwth other players is a great feature. The head-set that is also featured is verry well implemented also.
While games become more and more complicated and deep as time goes on. There is something to be said for games that take a simpel concept and deliver in spades. "Joust" is a perfect example of a time when games where all about this, and in being so, the core gameplay was as amazing and addictive as ever. Anyone that has an Xbox 360, should definitely download "Joust" for there next purchase on "Xbox Live Marketplace". Considering the addcitive nature and pure fun that can come from the game, its really hard to pass up. Adding in the 5$ price tag, and theres no real excuse that anyone has for not giving this classic a try.
There is nothing, but pure fun that comes from this perfect realization of a true arcade classic.