Best Home Version of Joust?

[VectorGamer]

Just like we did with Mario Bros., this time my son and I played all (except Lynx) home versions of Joust that I own. What is your favorite version?

 

The NES version was better than I remembered, but I like the 7800 the best because not only does it look and play well but it also has 4 different skill levels to choose from.

 

Joust is probably the most played game on my Lynx.

 

I'm pretty sure that the 8-bit and 5200 versions are the same game, so I'll combine them in the poll.

 

Atari 2600

http://youtu.be/oCunraaFP9w

 

Atari 8-bit

http://youtu.be/ZTlCxbNG5IM

 

Atari 7800

http://youtu.be/cYsaml4x6R0

 

NES

http://youtu.be/O0JZhX4FH7U

 

ColecoVision

http://youtu.be/JjLb8geVs84

[roadrunner]

7800 version

[+Cafeman]

Yep, looks like 7800 version is best. The sounds are better than I thought too.

[BassGuitari]

My gut is saying "7800 version." I was never that jazzed about Joust in general until I sat down and dug into the Atari 7800 version one day a few years ago. The 2600 and 5200 versions are very good, but the 7800 version feels like the total package.

Lancer was a good clone on the Color Computer, as well.

[TheGameCollector]

I'm going to cheat and say the SNES version of Williams' Arcade's Greatest Hits contained my favorite version to play on a home console.

[+SabertoothRetro]

It's 7800 all the way for me!

[BinaryStar]

Williams' Arcade's Greatest Hits on Megadrive/Genesis.

[ZippyRedPlumber]

I like most ports of Joust (Game Boy, Lynx, SNES/Genesis), but the 7800 version is the best. The NES version is second best.

[SegaShooters]

The 7800 version is just perfect: the graphics, sound, control, difficulty ramp-up, and it's dirt cheap and abundant.

 

Not to say that playing other versions of Joust isn't a bad idea because I still play the 2600 version at times.

[Ransom]

Apple ][ FTW!

 

 

(That's the version I played the most BITD. I'd never owned it on any other system until long after these systems all became 'classics'. These days, though, I prefer the 7800 version.)

[Nebulon]

7800 is the best I've seen so far.

 

The Lynx version is actually pretty good too.

 

Thankfully, there's a working (and properly maintained) Joust arcade machine at a restaurant in the city I'm in.

[jhd]

There were actually two unofficial versions for the Coco -- Buzard Bait and Lancer (which I had).

 

The screen was a bit cramped, but the gameplay elements were (almost) all there -- it only lacked the hand reaching out of the lava at the bottom.

 

Alas, I was never able to kill the petrodactyl, so I was never able to get past Wave 8.

Edited December 9, 2014 by jhd

[high voltage]

Wow, there was no C64 version.

[roadrunner]

The C64 has Jouste

[gamecat80]

Not a huge fan of this game, but another vote for the Atari 7800 version here. Good graphics, good controls, and the TIA sound is good enough for this game.

[NE146]

I'll be the first to admit it's not the "best" most accurate port, but I'm a sucker for the Atari 8-bit version even over the original. Plus, it's cool you can kill the Pterry in the butt.

[NIAD]

Gotta admit to not having played any of the other versions thru emulation (including the arcade version) in a very long time, but after playing the recently released AtariSoft prototype version on the ColecoVsion for an extended play session, I am very impressed. It helps also that the original programmer's developmental menu that allows for changing gameplay options as well as choosing an Immortal Game is still available, but only accessible by pressing the # button on both controllers at the same time from the new title screen implemented by Team Pixelboy.

 

i voted for the CV version, but now my interest is peeked and will be trying other versions, unfortunately via emulation

 

 

[AtariBrian]

7800 is the best imo followed by the 5200 .

[BrianC]

My vote is 7800 for favorite port. I love the way flapping works in that version. I also like the GBC (different from the b/w GB) and Genesis versions.

[BillyHW]

They all kind of look the same to me.

[The Usotsuki]

Of course - they're the same game

 

I did a ProDOS port of Apple ][ Joust some time ago. Needs 64K like all ProDOS software.

[Midnight Synergy]

Atari ST version (not listed) hands down. Or does it not count since it was released much later?

[TwinChargers]

I remember playing the 7800 and knowing only that one. Years later I saw it for the NES and was expecting to see a better port of what I considered a great game, but the NES really let me down. I was happy knowing that as a kid I had the superior version.

[chuckwalla]

I love the 7800 version and I've played all except the ColecoVision port.

[PacBilly]

7800, hands-down. Leagues better than even the arcade version. Flapping is 10x better. In the arcade it's a chore. Anything that seeks to re-create the arcade experience is missing the mark. The 7800 version really ramps up the fun factor. And I know it's a matter of preference, but I actually prefer the 7800 graphics to the original. The best version of the game in everything but maybe sound. The C64 port was finally released this year, and it's far from perfect but well worth checking out.