It may be punishing at times, but Jetboard Joust is truly at its most exhilarating when it’s firing on all cylinders.

If the arcade scene is your niche, you've found a surefire winner. Jetboard Joust will likely not find a large audience due to its arcade inspirations, which is evidenced by its mechanics and structure choices. Nevertheless, those looking for a brutal game to harness their skills, there's certainly a lot to like here. Colorful explosions, juicy crunch, and fluid animations will ensure that you'll pay attention for a good while. How much longer will depend entirely on your taste for its overall control and adherence to the retro mantra.

The best arcade games feel like they would fit right alongside the 80s classics and earn just as many coins. Jetboard Joust isn't going to take over anyone's life the way that games like Hades or Griftlands do. However, as something to pop in and out of between other games, players could do much worse than Bitbull's PC debut. It has a style all its own and gameplay that borrows from several recent hits and the classics of the past. Considering that it costs just a single sack of quarters, that's more than worth it.