This is a different Joust than you may be used to, but in the end it's still a very fine Joust. No more than six enemies attack every level, and flight plans are very predictable. Even the Shadow Lords are relatively easy to beat if you study their patterns. On the other hand, eggs behave much differently here, floating through the air instead of landing on platforms or in lava. This means you must collect every egg, and you must be careful that an egg doesn't suddenly hatch with you underneath!
Everything else Joust players know and love is just about the same. Two players can face off, teaming up in Team Waves and then fighting to the death in Gladiator Waves. Pterodactyls are here, also a little more predictable but still quite annoying and deadly, especially in the waves that share their name. The Lava Troll didn't make it, but the lava pits still open from the third level onward. And while those Shadow Lords may be easier to best, by no means will they go without a fight!
A little more arcade faithfulness might have improved things, but some players may actually prefer the different strategies required by Atari 2600 Joust. Either way, there are few reasons to complain here.
Grade: B+.