Joust (Green label)

Take to the skies in Williams’ 1982 arcade classic, Joust. This unique platform game puts you in control of a knight riding an ostrich, tasked with battling other knights across precarious levels. The core gameplay revolves around “jousting” – using your lance to knock opponents from their mounts by striking them from above; a lower position results in being unseated and losing a life. Fallen enemies drop eggs that must be quickly collected before they hatch into new adversaries, adding an element of urgency to the aerial combat. The game offers a distinct two-player experience, allowing you to either team up against waves of buzzard-riding knights or face off head-to-head in a competitive duel. Mastering flight requires precision as inertia and gravity play significant roles; skillful maneuvering is key to avoiding collisions and lava pits while progressing through the levels. Each enemy type presents a different scoring opportunity, and a watchful eye must be kept for the pterodactyl that appears periodically to challenge players. Joust's dedicated arcade cabinet stands out with its simple black design accented by colorful side art depicting knights on ostriches. Available in both upright and cocktail table formats, the game's unique horizontal monitor layout for two-player simultaneous play made the latter a popular choice for conversions in later years. The gameplay’s shared sound effects also hint at connections to other Williams titles like Defender and Stargate.