Shoot ’em ups, or shmups, were the pinnacles of classic ’80s arcade gaming. The fast-paced and intense combat took a lot of concentration to master. You were considered the king of your local arcade if you were good enough to be at the top of the leaderboard.
This frenetic gameplay style has since evolved into insane bullet hells that only seem to multiply the number of bullets on screen with every new title. Jetboard Joust goes back to the roots of the arcade side-scrolling shmup, placing its focus on challenging movement and aiming skills instead of placing yourself in the right spot on the screen.
Here are five reasons you should give Jetboard Joust a shot.
You love classic shmups
If you miss the days when shooting alien scum out of the sky required a dexterous hand and a keen eye for landing shots, Jetboard Joust has you covered. It takes more than simply dodging a few bullets to get the job done. Zipping and boosting across the screen is just as satisfying as it was back in the good ole’ arcade days. The game ups the ante by including helpless bystanders on the ground that need to be guarded or else they’re mutated into aliens who’ll join the fight against you.
You love old-school pixel art
It’s not a retro game without a pixelated art style. Where most other pixel-based games try to change the way we think of the classic sprites, Jetboard Joust sticks to the familiar by limiting its color palette and keeping the animations simple yet fluid. Looking at the game, we’re quickly reminded of titles on the Amiga. Some of the alien designs even feel like subtle nods to games like Space Invaders.
You love retro synth audio
It’s not a classic arcade experience without the familiar bleeps and boops bursting out every few seconds on top of a midi-based synth soundtrack. Every audio effect and track in Jetboard Joust makes you feel like you’re once again walking through a dimly lit arcade hallway with nothing but the blinking of lined-up monitors and excited crowds surrounding you.
You love going straight to the action
Jetboard Joust doesn’t waste your time with long openings and tutorials. Once you’ve set up your controls, you’re taken directly to where the alien scum are so you can start blasting them out of the sky. The game is simple and straightforward enough to allow you to focus on your maneuvering and shooting. Even upgrading is quick so that you can take your new abilities and weapons for a spin as swiftly as possible.
You love pixelated explosions
One of the best parts about playing Jetboard Joust is the explosions. Aliens explode into glorious confetti of pixels, making every shot and boost that much more satisfying. It’s quite easy to get addicted to the whole effect as it beckons you to return for another round every single time you die.
Overall, Jetboard Joust is a real nostalgia trip of a time when simple and intense gameplay was all we needed to keep dropping coins at the arcades.
Links
Get Jetboard Joust on Steam
Check out our Jetboard Joust review