A couple of nights ago I was at a gathering at a friend’s place of residence, to test their newest Xbox Live Indie game. Whilst I had a quick stab at the game, I’d waited a little too long to take my turn and alcohol had made me unable to participate to a worthwhile degree…
Until we broke out Johann Sebastian Joust!
J.S. Joust is “a no-graphics, digitally-enabled folk game for 2 to 7 players”. Players stand in a circle, each holding a Playstation Move controller. When the game begins, the Move controllers light up and an assortment of pieces from J.S. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos” begin to play – at this point players must attempt to waggle or knock their opponents Move controllers whilst keeping their own steady. The controllers are extremely sensitive, and the slightest sudden movement can end a player’s game. There’s a slight element of chaos where the sensitivity of the Move controller is tied to the music – as the music speeds up the sensitivity decreases allowing for more extravagant movements. It’s a game of last man standing – the last remaining player with an active Move controller wins the round.
I adopted a rather effective, yet creepy stance, prompting “child catcher” and other such slurs to be thrown my way – though nothing could sway me from victory!
Sure it can get a little rough, but as long as there’s some ground rules laid out before hand, nobody should lose an eye.
I’m not sure if many people are going to actually play this and it’s a damn shame, but I’m really not sure how many people actually own a Move controller, let alone 7!?
Anyway, it’s bloody good fun, especially with a good crowd and a few drinks. I fully recommend watching the developer for any future games of this ilk.
For more about J.S. Joust check here.
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