Joust 2: Survival of the Fittest

Joust 2: Survival of the Fittest is an arcade game developed by Williams Electronics and released in 1986. It is a sequel to Williams' 1982 game Joust. Like its predecessor, Joust 2 is an action platform game set in a fantasy world that features aerial combat. The player controls a knight riding a flying ostrich and must progress through levels by defeating groups of enemy knights riding buzzards. Joust 2 features improved audio-visuals as well as new gameplay elements such as mutant buzzards, the ability to transform into a flying horse, and themed levels.

The game uses more advanced hardware than the original Joust, allowing for the new elements. John Newcomer led development again, which Williams initiated in order to sell a conversion kit that allowed arcade owners to convert an existing cabinet into another game. While Joust used a horizontal monitor, the company chose a vertically oriented screen for the kit as a result of the design's popularity at the time.

Released during the waning days of the golden age of arcade games, Joust 2 did not achieve the critical or commerical success that Joust reached. The game was not ported to contemporary home systems but was later released as part of arcade game compilations starting in 1997.