Controling your mounted knight, the object of the game is to destroy each of the enemy knights, who are mounted on giant buzzards. Every board is static; each screen has five floating platforms (some which wrap around the screen), the base platform on the ground, and a pit of lava beneath (which should be avoided). Each wave begins with enemy knights appearing at one of four gray "spawn points".
 The enemy knights have 3 different speed and agility levels. The three types of knights, from weakest to toughest, are: Bounder (red, 500 points), Hunter (white, 750 points), and Shadow Lord (blue, 1,000 points). To destroy a knight, the player must collide with the knight while the player's lance is vertically higher than the other knight. If the player's lance is vertically lower, he/she loses a life and is awarded 50 points.
After destroying a knight, an egg will fall to the ground. The player must touch the egg to destroy it before the egg hatches into a more powerful knight. If the egg hatches, it is still harmless and may also be destroyed (by touch) prior to the new knight mounting the new buzzard. The award for destroying eggs and hatchlings progresses with each one collected, from 250 to 1,000 points in 250-point increments. This progression starts over once the death of the player or the beginning of another wave. A wave is cleared when the player destroys all enemy knights and eggs.
 Two players can play Joust simultaneously, and each player earns points for destroying enemy knights as well as his human opponent (2,000 points). Cooperative play is possible by agreement, but accidental kills are often possible (as collisions will occur). Completion of Team Waves award 3,000 bonus points each to players who successfully avoid killing one another (see Gladiator Waves below)
The first 15 waves consist of only Bounders and Hunters. In wave 16, the Shadow Lord makes his first appearance. More Shadow Lords are added each wave until there are only Shadow Lords in every wave. Surviving these waves consistently is the mark of a Joust wizard. Shadow Lords are fast, but they are very predictable. Always try to kill the Hunters before dealing with the Shadow Lords. Fortunately, Shadow Lords take a long time to energize, which gives you a chance to kill the Hunters.
Two different strategies are required after wave 15. The middle ledge is the key. When the ledge is there, stand on the energizing area right under it. When Hunters approach from the side, fly up and kill them. Shadow Lords usually drop down from the side ledges. As long as you're on the ground, they will stay on the ground. When one runs toward you, fly up just before he hits you. You will kill him and also catch his egg in the air. When the middle ledge is not there, play it like a Pterodactyl wave (see below). Stand on the bottom ledge over the first player's score. Hunters coming from the right will drop into the lava. Hunters coming from the left will be caught by the Lava Troll. After the Hunters are gone or trapped, go back to the middle. The basic idea is always the same--let the enemies kill themselves by coming to you rather than chasing after them.
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 During the first two waves flooring at the bottom of the screen covers a lava pit. On the 3rd wave, the floor burns away. On the fourth and subsequent waves, a troll inhabits the lava pit; if any player or enemy knight flies too close to the lava, the troll's hand will emerge and tug the mount down toward the lava. Players can escape the troll's grip by repeatedly pressing the "Flap" button.
As waves progress, some platforms disappear, to be rejuvenated for Egg Waves.
Gladiator Waves encourage players to kill each other by similarly offering 3,000 bonus points to the first player to do so.
Every fifth wave is an Egg Wave, which begins with a full complement of platforms pre-populated with eggs. These hatch after a period of time, although it is possible for a player to destroy all eggs before any have hatched.
The egg waves occur on a fixed schedule, and there is a three or four second pause in between waves while the dialogue box is up. Use this small time to fly up to the upper-most level and collect eggs from top to bottom. Any eggs you don't collect will hatch below you, and you can begin from a more advantageous position than if you start collecting at the bottom. Also, it is much easier and faster to go down than up.
On wave 8, then every fifth wave, a Pterodactyls appears at the beginning. Only one Pterodactyl appears on early waves, but the maximum of three will appear in later Pterodactyl waves. Avoiding the Pterodactyl and jousting the other warriors is difficult, but it's usually unnecessary. The early Pterodactyls can be killed from one of two spots. When the middle ledge is present, stand on it before the Pterodactyls come out. The Pterodactyls will appear on the bottom and fly right up into your lance. On some waves, the warriors will come after you before you can hit the Pterodactyls. It's all right to jump up a little to avoid them. The Pterodactyls go to the same place as long as you're standing on the ledge before they come out.
When the middle ledge is missing, stand on the bottom ledge directly above the hundred-thousands digit in the first player's score. You have about an inch of space in which to kill the Pterodactyls. This time, the Pterodactyls enter from the middle and come down to you. While you're standing there, no Buzzards will enter from the bottom ledge. Any Hunters coming down from the right will buzz right over your head and sink into the lava. Once the Pterodactyls are gone, move back to the center and play the wave normally.
Original Joust machines were often victimized by the infamous Pterodactyl hunters. A technique was quickly developed which allowed players with very little skill to play one game forever. You could catch the last enemy in the hand and stand on the middle ledge while the Pterodactyls would rise from the bottom and fly up to you. You could stand there all day and kill Pterodactyls as the last enemy was still stuck in the Lava Troll's grasp.
A new chip was quickly provided to correct the problem. With the new chip, mass slaughter of Pterodactyls isn't possible, but hunting a single Pterodactyl can still be done. Attacking one from the air is an excellent test of your flying prowess. The best time to go after one is when there are a lot of warriors flying around. You get a slow motion effect, which gives you a better chance to spear the Pterodactyl right in the mouth. An easier way to kill one is to take a cheap shot at the end of a wave. When the Pterodactyl leaves the screen at the end of a wave, he leaves on one of three levels. When he goes off the middle of the screen, you can kill him by standing on one of the side ledges (the lower one on the right side). Another way is to stand on the extreme right edge of the bottom ledge on a wave with the middle platform. When the Pterodactyl comes out from the middle platform let him come to you. Just before he reaches you, flap once and you'll jump up and kill him.
1) GET TO THE TOP - At the start to the game, your knight begin at the bottom of the screen. Enemy knights will appear at the other starting points (noted by the gray platforms). It will then be up to you to successfully defeat them. If you are new at the game, fly to the top of the screen to gain the advantage (and swoop down on the enemy riders from above). If you are an expert, you wont need to be at the very top of the screen in order to take out enemies.
2) FLAPPING - Learning to "flap" your stead's wings is an important aspect of the game. How fast/slow you flap your wings determines speed and maneuverability. Once you become an expert at flying (or "flapping"), the game will become much easy. You can use your skills to either fly around the board faster, or to attack (and defeat) enemy knights..
3) WHOSE ON TOP? - Whoever is the higher rider during a joust will be the winner. If you and an enemy collide on the same level, the impact will knock you both backwards a little and turn you both around. This can prove to be dangerous if more then one enemy is coming for you since the first one turns you around and the second knocks you off your mount. Also, be aware of platforms directly above you - if you are above an enemy, and you "hit your head" on the platform above you, then you will bounce lower ... and can possibly end up lower than the enemy (which could cost you a life).
There is a programming "bug" which may be exploited to the player's advantage. It was, later touted by producers as a "hidden feature" (and not the "bug" it actually was). On the right side of the screen there are two platforms situated so that one is above and slightly overhangs another. If a player runs across the lower platform, the player will run into the upper one and be stopped. However, if a player flies their bird so that its belly skims the lower platform (low enough that its legs do not extend), the bird will "belly flop" across the platform, and, illogically, "squeeze" through the meeting point of the two platforms, shooting out below the upper platform.
Skilled players can take advantage of this flaw - players could suddenly pop out below the platform and land on an enemy knight below, catching him by surprise. Game creator John Newcomer stated in interviews that this flaw in the game's design was so popular, they decided to intentionally leave it in and it became a permanent part of the game. |
 POINTS |
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 Death |
50 |
 Human Opponent |
2,000 |
 Bounder |
500 |
 Hunter |
750 |
 Shadow Lord |
1,000 |
 Egg (1st) |
250 |
| Egg (2nd) |
500 |
| Egg (3rd) |
750 |
| Egg (4th) |
1,000 |
 Pterodactyl |
1,000 |
| |
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| Survival Wave Completion |
3,000 |
| Team Wave Completion |
3,000 |
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