Jackbox

If you never played Jackbox, I have to say now's the time because it's super fun! For anyone who doesn't know, Jackbox is a collection of digital party games that allow you to collaborate and compete with family and friends. It's a great way to come together and have a laugh. I was introduced to Jackbox by my Intro to Game Studies class, where we were playing Quiplash and Trivia Murder Party. There were a bunch of us, so I didn't really get to play but got to play along, spectating and helping my classmates make decisions during the game.

We started out with Trivia Murder Party. I wasn’t sure what to expect , but it wasn’t expecting in a good way! The game begins with a group of players, and when one player answers a trivia question incorrectly, they are sent to the "Killing Floor" to play a mini-game. For example, two of my classmates were attempting to figure out which key to use to unlock their character's cage before they "drowned." One of them succeeded, and the other one….. well they drowned… These high-intensity mini-games made this game so interesting and not just your average trivia game, even for spectators like me were engaged. The game balance is answering trivia questions in a bid to survive was a very good combo to keep the intensity of an engaging game high.

Then, we also played Quiplash, which was the silliest game I've ever played, and I loved it! It reminded me og MadLibs but way more intense and collaborative. Players are given such topics as "What's the best gift for your grandmother's 90th birthday?" and then they have to give absurd answers. Then, all the participants, along with the audience, have an opportunity to vote for the best among them. The mechanics of this game involve prompt-entry input and majority voting, therefore, audience participation is an inherent part of the game.