Task: Play Joust on an Atari 8-bit Computer
Needed: Joust ROM and emulator or cartridge and computer
Time: 10-15 mins
Dedication: My good friend Steve Nash (RIP)
Introduction
I turned 16 in 1984 and was fortunate enough to be able to drive a 1980 Formula Firebird. Before heading out on Friday and Saturday nights, my friend Steve and I would swing by the local arcade and play coin-op video games for an hour. Our go to game was Joust which we often played together in two-player cooperative mode. I pumped many a quarter into that game over two years.
The game was very successful and quite unique in that it didn’t have a space theme. The game was ported to the 2600 and the other Atari consoles. The 2600 version is pretty simplistic and not much fun to play if you are used to the original arcade game. However, the version for the Atari 8-bit computers is very good and really fun to play. This remains one of my top 10 most played Atari games and ranks right up there with Donkey Kong in my opinion. Be sure and give it a try if you have never played it!
Instructions
The ROM is available from Atarimania. You can also play it from a disk image (#13) provided by Homesoft.
You can usually find Joust cartridges loose on eBay for around $5 to $10. There are new in the box versions available on eBay for around $30. A must have for your cartridge library!
The gameplay is described in the Wikipedia piece.
Comments
This game is great but even more fun with two players. Find a friend to play with!
