Joshua & the Battle of Jericho
A Christian action puzzle game based on the Battle of Jericho.
Joshua & the Battle of Jericho is a 1992 Christian video game from Wisdom Tree, the developer and publisher. Its theme comes from the biblical account in the Book of Joshua, where the Israelites bring down Jericho’s walls by marching around them and sounding their trumpets. The game is a tile-based action puzzle title, and unlike most Christian games of its era, it does not rely solely on Bible quizzes—though it does present five multiple-choice questions about the Book of Joshua between its levels.
Wisdom Tree first released the game in the United States for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992, then ported it to Game Boy (1993), MS-DOS (1994), and Sega Genesis (1994).
The game follows 1991’s *Exodus*, which itself was a reskin of *Crystal Mines* (1989), a title by Ken Beckett for Wisdom Tree’s predecessor, Color Dreams. Beyond changes to theme, graphics, and mechanics, *Joshua* adds a password feature for returning to a level. It contains 100 levels, 5 quizzes, and 10 bonus stages, but unlike *Exodus*, it has no background music.
In *Crystal Mines*, the player controls a gun-wielding robot mining an exoplanet; in *Joshua*, the player takes the role of an unnamed Israelite who infiltrates and plunders Jericho. He attacks enemies and destroys obstacles using blasts from a shofar, a Jewish ceremonial horn. Enemies include Amorites, Hittites, and other Canaanites. The trumpet blasts (called “toots” in the game) also break blocks of Jericho’s wall. Other destructible tiles represent “Israelite discontent,” “Achan’s sin,” and “foreign idols.” The blasts are shown as white quavers. Occasionally, destroying a block reveals an item or power-up.
Every level has a time limit. To progress, the player must collect enough gold, silver, brass, and iron to meet a quota, plus five “Joshua questions.” Once these are gathered, he must reach the exit. Obstacles include movable boulders, immovable barriers, destructible objects, enemy soldiers, citizens, goats, and more.
After each level, including the final one, a Bible quiz appears. Correct answers to questions about the Book of Joshua—and other books like Numbers and Deuteronomy—earn the player Bibles. The game continues even if the player answers incorrectly.
- Developer
- Wisdom Tree
- Publisher
- Wisdom Tree
- Release year
- 1992
- Platforms
- Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, MS-DOS, Sega Genesis
- Genre
- Tile-based action puzzle game
- Themed on
- Battle of Jericho from the Book of Joshua
Lore & Background
Joshua & the Battle of Jericho is a sequel to 1991's Exodus, which was a redesign of Crystal Mines (1989), a title developed by Ken Beckett for Wisdom Tree's predecessor, Color Dreams. The game introduces a password feature for revisiting a game level, and has 100 levels, 5 quizzes, and 10 bonus stages. Unlike Exodus, the game has no background music. The player character is an unnamed Israelite who infiltrates and pillages the city of Jericho, attacking enemies and destroying obstacles with blasts from a shofar (a Jewish ceremonial horn). Enemies include Amorites, Hittites, and other Canaanites. The trumpet blasts (called 'toots' in-game) also destroy blocks of Jericho's wall; 'Israelite discontent', 'Achan's sin', and 'foreign idols' are likewise represented by destructible tiles. The trumpet blasts are symbolized by white quavers.
Reader's Guide
Joshua & the Battle of Jericho is significant as one of the few Christian video games of its era that departed from the strict Bible quiz format, offering tile-based action puzzle gameplay instead. Published by Wisdom Tree, it was released in the United States for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992, with later ports to Game Boy (1993), MS-DOS (1994), and Sega Genesis (1994). The game's 100 levels and 100 quizzes, along with a password feature, provided replayability. Its legacy lies in representing an early attempt to merge religious themes with mainstream video game mechanics, though it remained a niche title. The game's use of a shofar as a weapon and its destructible wall blocks directly reference the biblical narrative, while the inclusion of enemies like Amorites and Hittites and items representing 'Israelite discontent' and 'Achan's sin' reflect its scriptural inspiration. The game advances even if the player answers Bible quiz questions incorrectly, making it accessible to a broad audience.
Did You Know?
- The game was one of the few Christian video games of its day that did not adhere strictly to a Bible quiz format.
- Joshua's trumpet blasts are called 'toots' in-game and are symbolized by white quavers.
- The game has 100 levels, 100 quizzes, and 10 bonus stages.
- Unlike its predecessor Exodus, Joshua & the Battle of Jericho has no background music.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Joshua & the Battle of Jericho?
It is a 1992 Christian video game that adapts the biblical narrative of the Israelites surrounding Jericho and collapsing its walls through marching and trumpet blasts. Wisdom Tree both developed and published the title.
What genre does Joshua & the Battle of Jericho belong to?
The game is a tile-based action puzzle, which distinguished it from many contemporary Christian titles that leaned heavily on Bible trivia as their primary mechanic.
Which platforms was Joshua & the Battle of Jericho released on?
Wisdom Tree shipped the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, MS-DOS, and Sega Genesis.
Does Joshua & the Battle of Jericho include Bible quiz segments?
Yes, five multiple-choice questions drawn from the Book of Joshua appear between levels, but they supplement rather than define the core action-puzzle gameplay.
Who developed and published Joshua & the Battle of Jericho?
Wisdom Tree served as both the developer and the publisher when the game launched in 1992.
More in Christian video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced