Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2020Published by indie.io
Jetboard Joust
Developer BitBull Ltd
Fast & fluid arcade-style shooter with roguelike elements! Take flight on a lethal rocket-powered jetboard, blasting alien invaders with an explosive arsenal of ridiculous weaponry. Face off against massive, multi-stage bosses. Jetboard Joust resurrects the spirit of the arcade for the 21st century! From the Steam store page
68 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Mastodon, Bluesky) · newest Aug 12, 2026 · last updated Oct 7, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
52 positive · 11 negative
95% range 71–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 52 | 11 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
5 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
86 of 104 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 68 · most liked firstReally strong overall style and visuals, but the core gameplay is just a bit clunky and simplistic. Played it for about an hour and made it about halfway into the 2nd world before calling it quits out of boredom. Difficulty is extremely low, I didn't die a single time in the hour I played. Maybe it just has an extremely slow ramp up, but at this point I've lost interest in mindlessly flying around shooting basic enemies and collecting gems. When the game does introduce "challenging"…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The bullet hell genre has been around for quite a while now and in its wake has left us with quite a few wonderful titles. These games often combine the refined and tight controls synonymous with the modern era of gaming with a chaotic and frantic core gameplay style more akin to arcade titles of old. Think 1942, 1943 – The Battle of Midway, & 1944 – The Loop Master – as the earliest and best examples of this style! What I wouldn’t give to be 15 years old with a pocket full of quarters again! I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Introduction Jetboard Joust is a pixelart roguelike shmup. It's the sequel to a ZX Spectrum game the developer made as a teen 30 years ago which in turn was inspired by Joust. The sequel has game elements from Defender as well. A major improvement overall. Gameplay You're on a jetboard equipped with a pistol, your task is to protect the babies, clear the level of bad guys and destroy the world bosses. You jetboard is capable of jousts, temporary boosts you can use to quickly get away from a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a good take on Defender with a lot of stuff thrown in for good measure. If you are a fan of an arcade + roguelite smash up shooter... get this one during one of its frequent sales. Can't go wrong at that price.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm surprised the game gets such praise with such horrible controls. It's floaty in all the wrong ways. Take the ice blocks in platformer snow levels/biomes. Crank the slipperiness to 500% and set it in all 8 directions. Put some arbitrary limitations like not being able to move up and forward at the same time and you've got this game's controls. It's a jetboard that constantly falls down unless you're going up, but with awkward momentum added. Coupled with the pathetic range and a very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atari like shooter with chaotic gameplay. Plays a bit like Defender where you protect citizens from being abducted by space alien mutants. Whenever you go in either direction level loop itself. After defeating all enemies you go to altar and start boss battle. Each level is a bit different and there's plenty of bosses so you wonder what will come next. After winning claim your price below the altar and warp to next stage. Between the levels you can upgrade your character, jet board or one of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun modern day joust like game. Nice retro-y graphics and the sounds are pretty pleasing to the ears. Works FANTASTIC on the steam deck. 7/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Controls take a little getting used to at first, but overall I think its a very fun SHMUP style game. Would definitely recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is actually a pretty fun game for me as it reminded me of Xenon 2: Megablast from 1989. The controls take a little getting used to, however the shooter elements are spectacular if extremely pixelated (though that is kind of the point). I'm of the belief that written reviews can only convey so much, and that a video will go a long way to show you what the game is actually like. Check out this video and decide for yourself if the game is for you: https://youtu.be/0Qmo-dpKIak
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Love it. Retro aesthetic, garish colours, and hordes of aliens to blast through. Noisy and fast, I can highly recommend it for anyone that likes old skool SHMUPS, or just the idea of tearing around on a jetboard. Full disclosure: I played the game for free in beta, but brought my copy on release day because it's awesome.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not a good retro action game. The only reason I'm not feeling ripped off is I bought it during a 90% discount sale for less than a pound, but even then I still can't recommend it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loving this game. A harsh but fair playing experience with hard hitting action. The way it allows you to pick up almost where you left off is a great feature (despite knowing this might not sit well with some rogue-like diehards!)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very solid and fun defender-like-rogue-like!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm very much enjoying this game. Progression is forgiving by way of unlocking teleporters to later levels. Lots of variety of weapons and the gameplay is fast and frenetic. Some frustration arises from abductions seemingly happening instantly without warning and so much happening at once can lead to almost instant death at times. Otherwise it is a very well made game and can see myself putting upwards of 100 hrs. into it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →0.5 hours in, I can already deny what negative reviews have been complaining about. Guns have explanations, the map makes sense to traverse through, and fights don't demand for you to take hits to deal them, it just depends on your skill(and it seems some negative reviewers are focused on playing games without any skill, that's ok). That's the kind of game you're getting into: a skill-demanding bullet-hell. That being over with, the game's style does not knock you off your feet, but it has…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been following this game's development through #IndieDevHour for as long as I've been making indie games myself. The premise alone makes this my perfect kind of arcade style shooter with a retro aesthetic and fast-paced quick reaction gameplay, but the extra details like the random colour palettes on each level and the clever references to other arcade shooters like Space Invaders really adds to the challenge. One thing I have learned while playing is that while the most limited, joust is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jetboard Joust pros: //fast game with modern day graphics with easy controls that moves from location A to B to C and so on //good amount of action and special effects cons: //a lot of difficult battles/boss battles //some enemies are overpowered //upgrades cost a lot of resources //weapons loot rng system are mostly bad //some weapons are better than others //unobtainable health/ammo that drop through the ground //losing is a grindfest //good game Personal Suggested Purchase Price: $0.49 Or…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →first off this plays more like defender than joust. the "joust" comes from an attack where you jump off your sled and it hits enemies (that's no jousting btw but starfox also isn't doing a barrel roll). over all it's a good upgrade to defender with new weapons, branching levels, new enemies, a shop, and bosses. sadly the controls are a bit floaty and levels tend to feel samey even when it has different enemies. fights are also samey once you know how the ai acts and "difficulty" is added only…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well.... many things wrong with this game design. Visually.. .doesn't matter how it looks so much as that... it is HARD to read the screen. There is just too much confusion about where you are and what things are. The ground obstacles that you "run into" are annoying. The enemies that match your vertical heigh and keep shooting at you so that you can barely get off a shot without being hit, are annoying. Too many weapons without any seeming explanation of how they work or why you want them.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBG8dqHvk_w]Indie Showcase Video Jetboard Joust is basically what happens when you take the classic arcade game Defender and mash it up with a Roguelike. It's a side-scrolling shmup where you have to save civilians and take out various enemies for in-game money and points, which you can then use to upgrade your character and the various weapons you pick up through play. After you clear each level, you have the option for an extra miniboss battle which if…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jetboard Joust is not an easy game...but boy is it ever intresting and innovative in the roguelike genre...the gameplay is intense,the graphics are amazing the contenuity is vast and always updating and the controls feel and work smoothly...its a very cool little project that should gain more than it is getting....even only the design of game mechanics and world design make it a standalone that takes the concept operated by titles like Silver Surfer and makes it a lot more enjoyable in my…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Basically, it's Defender with roguelite elements, and a retro look. the game is too hard for it's own good, the pacing is fast - and some enemies have nearly as much life as you ) 50 hp defualt ) whereas the last boss has SEVEN HUNDRED. I cannot beat that final boss, and I don't feel liek trying again only to die in 3 seconds due to it's hitscan like attack that drains all your life. if you kill in combos, you get more coins, coins can upgrade your wep, board, or suit - and once oyu die,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Amazing retro goodness with modern sensibilities. Perfectly captures the feeling of old-school lo-res visuals, but with the dynamic juice you can only get with modern hardware. The color palettes for the different areas are beautiful, and there are a lot of them. The game has some challenge, but whenever you fail on a stage, there are always different approaches to consider, so it doesn't get stuck in that "git gud" slog of endlessly repeating one section with no improvement. There are a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kind of like Defender and a bunch of other cool arcade games from the 80s did a shedload of PCP and then spawned this monster. Gameplay is very Defender-esque. Basically shoot everything - especially the aliens that are abducting the humanoids, only with a gazillion more enemies and weapons, most of which are very chunky and satisfying (sometimes downright hilarious) to use. Then there's a roguelite element where you choose a route through the different levels to earn different types of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A refreshing retro title to play! Its loud, fast, and full of hoards of enemies! So far i've had a blast. It offers a good challenge and has a bunch of roguelike features. I highly recommend for fans of retro bullet hells!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jetboard Joust offers a challenging, yet fun retro arcade experience. Its fast-paced gameplay will have players go against a diverse set of enemies. While making the player stop to plan weapon and utility upgrades, to fight interesting bosses.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jetboard Joust, developed by BitBull Ltd and published by indie.io, is a vibrant and kinetic homage to the golden age of arcade shooters, reimagined through the lens of modern roguelite design. It takes inspiration from classics like Defender and merges that high-speed, side-scrolling chaos with contemporary mechanics, progression systems, and challenge balancing. The result is a game that feels both nostalgic and fresh—an experience that thrives on intensity, precision, and sheer visual…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎮 Review Title: “Jetboard Joust – Retro Chaos with Modern Firepower! 🚀” ⭐ 1. Introduction Don’t let the retro look fool you — Jetboard Joust is a high-speed, explosive ride that blends old-school arcade vibes with modern rogue-lite depth. Developed by BitBull Ltd, it’s a tribute to the golden age of shooters, packed with fast-paced action and addictive gameplay that keeps you coming back for more. ⚙️ 2. Gameplay Highlights You control a jetboard and blast your way through relentless…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A weird and slightly psychedelic reimagining of the already rather psychedelic arcade classic, Defender mixed with just a tiny hint of Joust. Personally, I've never much liked Defender or Joust, so it's a credit to the game that I'm giving it a positive review at all. Even so, despite some very heavy modern ideas being inserted, there just isn't enough variety in levels or waves to keep the game feeling fresh for the length of time you're dealing with those same enemies in a run. Some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredibly fun & charming game. Absolute bargain. Hidden gem.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not a good game. I hate having to play through the entire game from the beginning again using only default weapons to get the full ending. I'd rather play the game using the teleport where I left off to face the final boss again with only default weapons to get the full ending. Because of this, I cannot recommend this game. I hate the fact you to play the game all over from the beginning again to get the game's full ending if you lose a life which makes no sense. This is the second time I've…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →nO LO RECOmIENDo, peRDI A Mi eSPOSa Y tENGO PENSION alimENTICIA... 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/_Llbg-C2CEM Gleefully expressing the horseshoe theory of weirdness, if any of the elements were less weird it would fall apart but this house of weird cards is just plenty weird to stay standing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like the arcade classic *Defender*, then you'll probably like this. It can be a bit repetitive, but the constant allure of upgrades is keeping me engaged enough to keep playing. For some reason, it seems that few players have beaten the second worlds, since beating the boss is a golden achievement. Maybe they're just getting bored, or maybe it's too hard. Either way, I beat the boss, and I'm still playing, sooooo...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An interesting combination of Defender and Joust with Roguelite elements. I love the pixel graphics it's so charming! Bought it on sale for only a dollar. Absolutely amazing game. Will Bitbull make more video games?? They're very talented.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is loud, brightly colored, brash, and fun as hell. it's like defender on crack
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Edited, Note: After more than 50 hours of gameplay I have not found 30 weapons or more during gameplay. If you have 30 weapons 25 are very inefficient, where only 4 have great efficiency. Where only 7 weapons are long-range, if you care about this aspect of the gameplay and bother with it do not recommend, if the 5 weapons of more than 30 satisfy you during gameplay then still keep the recommendation, because it still offers pure arcade action and fun. Error note upgrade logic: If you use…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not at all impressed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun Arcade Shoot em Up. Lots going on. The screen sometimes seems filled up with too much graphic noise to be able to concentrate on your goal of clearing them all out. I sometimes can't find my own jetboard in all of the clutter. THAT BEING SAID , the game is fun. Great replay Value. Great Sound. The Controls work great. Many levels. So I would recommend this game 4 sure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thoroughly enjoyable shooter that, thankfully, allows you to unlock save points (teleports) so you don't have to start from scratch each time and can play in short runs. Bouncy, almost platformer-style physics take a bit of getting used to and seems initially out of place in a game like this but leads to some very satisfying moments when you get the hang of it (which didn't take me long). Weapons all feel very different and pretty well-balanced. Good variety of enemies. Bosses are great (I've…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It feels like joust, has a little defender in there also, combat and controls are better streamlined for modern gameplay.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My first time giving Steam a go, I usually play on console. Really enjoyed this game - challenging but fun. Massive fan of the retro graphics and sound effects also, there should be more games like this on console!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Defender clone on steroids. Snazzy colors!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The jetboard feels nice, 'cause it's a craft with the presence in the world -- one that has mass and acceleration. Steering your board into position for a ramming boost or just to aim the gun is a fun challenge here. Neat QoL things: You can quit and save progress at any time and you can revive yourself multiple times per level as long as you have the money to do so.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Recently fired it up and found myself playing for hours. What a fantastic retro game that was easy to learn!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Amazing game! I've tried it with and without a controller, works extremely well for both (i preferred controller though). My friend recommended it to me and i don't regret getting it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's okay. A little Roguelite based upon Defender. It doesn't do anything original and it won't keep your attention forever, but if you like blinking lights, retro aesthetics, and arcadey action, then it's for you, and the game sells for less than a dollhair on sale, so there's no reason to be argumentative. There are a few balance problems, the upgrades are too expensive and don't happen often, but at the same time, the game is rather on the easy side and there seems to be infinite continues,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A cool little Defender game. Some progression via shops, nice graphics and sound, plays well.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is on 90% off, for the price the little content is fine, Just be aware this is not a horizontally scrolling game, you’ll revisit the same areas and fight the same enemies over and over. Ammo is limited, gems you collected barely cover upgrades. That said, the pixel art looks great. I beat the wasp boss in an hour and then uninstalled it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game to just pick up and play. Its a must grab for quick fun if it's on sale. I'm a casual gamer and this was casual enough with some twists and turns that a more serious gamer could appreciate.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣤⣤⣤⠤⠤⣤⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡟⣻⡿⢻⣦⠐⣤⣦⣤⡌⢳⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣶⡿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠿⣦⠻⣷⣼⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡿⠿⢹⠁⢾⠿⠆⢰⡷⣶⠀⣿⡀⣿⡇⠄⠙⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⢿⢀⣦⣶⣴⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣶⣿⣁⣿⣿⣤⣆⣈⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡇⢈⣿⣥⣿⣿⣧⣼⣧⣬⣿⣤⣿⠈⣿⣿⣿⣧⣼⣿⠉⡇⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠑⢶⣉⣿⣹⣿⡏⠉⢿⣿⣅⣀⣩⣷⠋⢹⣹⣿⣏⣹⡖⢃⠀⠀⠀ ⡅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠀⠘⣿⣷⣆⣼⣿⣿⣽⣿⣿⣄⣼⣿⣏⠈⠉⠀⠀⢡⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⣄⣀⡶⠒⣒⠒⠒⣶⡖⠚⠛⢻⣶⣾⠛⣿⣿⣇⡜⠃⣸⣿⣿⣿⣤⠛⢣⣼⡟⠛⠛⠛⣿⠛⣷⣆ ⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣇⡀⢀⣀⣤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣼⣇⡀⠀⠀⠀⣟⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠷⢶⣆⣀⣶⣀⣀⣿⣇⣀⣀⣸⡷⠶⢶⡂⠶⠶⠲⠖⠲⠶⠶⢷⣀⣈⣿⣿⣷⣀⣀⣀⣟⣁⣻⠿ ⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠉⠁⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠁⠀⠁⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠉⠀
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Check out our latest review for Jetboard Joust from featured SomeAwesome author Gerard G.C.! 🐝🐙 #RetroGames #SideScroller #BulletHell
unlabelledView post →Ha! I got a double KO! No draw though. Yep, I still lost! Ouch! 🤕 #gaming #JetboardJoust #Shmup #shmups #NintendoSwitch
unlabelledView post →This game should'nt be played, not by you. There exist 4 world, and 4 Bosses. I have completed 2.5 Worlds, The enemies have some/mid levels of variety, but they are not the concern, even tho they are basically same with occasional different enemies coming up. The Levels are all the same in their layout, YES THEY ARE THE SAME, EVEN BACKGROUNDS, but that is not the concern, The Colour schemes can sometimes be stunning and other times eye cancer, but that is not the concern (by the way the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ehh ... looks more fun than it is maybe i'm just bad though idk definitely wouldn't pay full price
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →From the archives #Switch #NindieOfTheDay is #JetboardJoust! https://nindiespotlight.com/game_profile.cfm?game=jetboard-joust-switch
unlabelledView post →Strange game. Plays similar to defender.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're a fan of Defender, pick up this game on sale. I can't recommend for full price. I would say epilepsy warning as well.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Love it, the game is fun but i think 8-bit games doesn't fit with this fast, almost threw up.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played only for an hour so far, game isn't so bad although some bosses are kinda stupid. I feel like some more random attacks, far more challanging moves and more phases would do the job, but oh well, I'll see what other bosses have in it as well. Also nerf joust attack dmg on mini bosses - u need to shoot them 2 times, joust them and they are dead.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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