Joust/Gameplay

Controls

 * Joystick: Press left or right to direct your mount in either direction. When standing on the ground, pushing left or right causes the bird to immediately run in that direction. While in the air, you must push left or right in conjunction with flapping in order to accelerate in the desired direction.
 * Flap: Tap this button to flap your bird's wings. The more you flap, the faster you will rise in the air.  A steady tapping rhythm will sustain your height in mid-air.
 * 1-Player: Press to start a one player game.
 * 2-Player: Press to start a two player game.

Players
You are the knights on birdback. You are actually in direct control of your player's mount. You must guide the bird through the air, aiming to collide with the enemy when you are higher then they are. Your goal is to clear each stage of enemies. Two players play together at the same time. If they are playing cooperatively, they must stay clear of one another because they can be just as much of a threat to each other as the enemies can. Your bird mount can run at great speeds, but it can be equally fast through the air. At increased velocities, it takes more work to slow a bird down in mid-air and reverse it's direction.

Bounder
Bounders are the most basic enemies. They start the game off moving just a little slower than your mount. By stage 3, they move at full speed right along with you. They are slow to make decisions and they take a while to turn around. They tend to stick to a certain height and patrol it, but they will follow you up or down if you occupy an area for a while. Knocking a bounder off of it's mount causes an egg to fall. Pick up the egg before it hatches in to a Hunter.

Hunter
Hunters are more deadly than Bounders. They attempt to hurl their mounts at you with great force. They are more decisive then Bounders, often taking the time to stop in mid air and turn around if it would provide the fastest access to your position. Hitting a Hunter from above makes an egg appear which you must pick up before it hatches in to a Shadow Lord.

Shadow Lord
Shadow Lords don't mess around. They are extremely skilled jousters and can control their mounts with amazing accuracy. You will be hard pressed to out-maneuver a Shadow Lord. All that you can do is try to intercept them and rise above them at the last possible moment in order to knock them off of their ride. An egg will appear, and if it hatches, another Shadow Lord will be waiting inside.

Pterodactyl
Except on specific pterodactyl rounds, these prehistoric birds will not usually appear until you have spent a considerable amount of time on a single stage. Then they appear and hunt you down. They swoop in, adjusting their height little by little in order to get closer to you. They are not invincible, but the method to kill them is extremely difficult. You must direct your lance into their mouth. If you are even a little too low or too high, the pterodactyl will kill you.

Lava troll
There are species of trolls who make their homes in pools of lava, and one such troll lives in the jousting cavern. After the lower bridge burns away in stage 3, he awakens waiting for any bird, friend or foe, to dip just a little too close to the lava. When he sees an unsuspecting victim, he reaches his hand out and tries to grab the feet of the nearest bird. Only persistent flapping will enable the troll's next meal to escape.