Best Home Version of Joust?

[zzip]

The ST version was the closest to the arcade experience for me.   We played a ton of the 8-bit version as well because it's the first version we had.

 

I don't like how the home versions make flapping too sensitive.   It's too easy to overflap and then you die because you bounced off something you didn't expect to and right into the path of an enemy,

 

19 hours ago, PacBilly said:

Anything that seeks to re-create the arcade experience is missing the mark.

you're entitled to your opinion, but I can't agree.   It's a Williams quarter-muncher,  it's not supposed to be easy! 

[+GoldenWheels]

Like PacBilly said....the 7800 version is better than the original arcade version. Hell, the excellent 8 bit port is also better than the arcade.

 

Getting the flap and the physics right is the most important aspect. Both of those versions have it just about perfect.

 

 

 

 

[+GoldenWheels]

On 12/10/2014 at 1:09 PM, chuckwalla said:

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

It's disappointing but it has a nice options screen where you can mess with some game values like flap power and starting level...that is cool.

[mbd30]

I've only played the NES and Atari 2600 ports, and as much as I love the NES, I voted Atari.

 

[Trinity]

SNES Gameplay is great. And the sound is too.:)

 

 

[NE146]

What I like about the Atari 8-bit versions is the top of the screen is a little more "bouncier" than typical, so it allows moves like this  (which I used to call "the hammer")

 

I also liked you can kill the pterodactyl from the rear ?

 

[Agent X]

I'm somewhat divided between the 7800 and Lynx versions as my top pick.

 

I started off with the 2600 version (very good, considering the hardware), but when I got the 7800 version a couple of years later, it was a huge step up in replicating the look and feel of the arcade game. I love this version for similar reasons that many others here have stated. It's slightly more forgiving than the arcade game, due to minor differences in physics and the sprite sizes. I've probably invested more time into the 7800 version than any other version of Joust.

 

Later, I got the Lynx version, and that one's even closer to the arcade than the 7800. Despite the low resolution, the graphics make excellent use of color and animation, and the sounds are great, too. They also added a new "Gladiator Mode" that lets two players fight it out one-on-one, with no enemies to interfere.

 

The 7800 is far easier to set up for two-player games, since you only need one system with two controllers and a single copy of the game. For the Lynx, you need two systems and two Joust cartridges, but Gladiator Mode is a great alternative to the main game.

[youki]

For me the best version is the Atari ST version  , i had so much fun with it competing my friend.

 

 

[The Usotsuki]

I have the SNES and Genesis ports legit xD

 

Of course being me I'm biased to the Apple ][ version.

 

(And having watched too much CGR, I've also taken to calling it "Birdass" ;p)

[DavidD]

I rather liked the Game Boy version that was part of Defender/Joust...

 

I'm not sure if it ever had a solo release, though.

[doctorclu]

Overall it goes something like this:

 

Atari ST has the best graphics.

Atari Lynx has the best sound.

 

And the Atari Jaguar version with the ST port has them both... along with the sound sets from all the other Atari systems that you can select.     Ironically, the Atari 2600 had a better sound set than the original ST sound set.

 

But if I have to choose a straight up classic version, it would be the Atari 400/800 (XL/XE/5200).  Just like how the game handles.  You can soar along in that one.   Mostly a combination of gameplay/replayability along with the graphics and sound which just overall works.

[Noah98]

SNES/Sega Genesis versions are the best.  The next best is the 7800 version, but the graphics, sound, and controls are a little off.  I disagree that the flapping is a chore in the arcade.  I think the 7800 controls feel less precise.  Still better than the nes version, but not as good as the SNES/Genesis versions, which I think are a fair comparison since they are cartridge based games and not too far off in console generations.