If you have a bunch of people over to play games during the holidays, but not enough controllers to play with everyone, then Jackbox has you covered!  Their latest batch of party games is out, and all you need are cell phones or tablets to play them!  Just connect to Jackbox.tv on any mobile device and enter in the room code and you’re in!  It’s pretty simple and works well, and in some games, even people who don’t have cell phones can be part of the audience and participate, too.  The Jackbox Party Pack 9 is available on most anything that can play games, but reviewed on PS4 here.  Let’s take a quick look at the five games on this collection.

Fibbage 4

Gotta be one of Jackbox’s most popular titles.  Three or more players can play.  The game will ask you a question, and each player must come up with an answer.  But it can’t be the right answer.  With your phone, you must type in a lie or fake answer that’ll trick the other players.  If you can’t think of one, you can choose for the game to come up with one for you, but you won’t get as many points.  Then everyone will have to answer the question with multiple choice answers.  If another player picks your lie, you’ll get points.  Also, one answer is the true one and if you pick that one, you’ll also get points.  Whoever has the most points by the end of a few rounds, wins!

Roomerang

This is more of a social party game than anything.  Like a mixer or icebreaker, if you will.  It’s also the hardest one to get enough people to play, because you have to have at least four, and up to ten to play!  You are in a group of people living in a house together and you can be your own self or a persona they give you.  You then answer questions and vote on the best ones.  You can also kick out people or protect others.  But don’t worry if you get kicked out, you’ll be back in the next round as a ‘new’ person.  After a few rounds of this, whoever gets the most points from votes, wins.  Definitely one of the weaker games on here in my opinion.

Junktopia

A wizard has turned everyone into frogs, and he’ll turn one of you back under one condition.  You must shop for junk and describe it as something better than what it is.  Other players (three or more) will vote on the best answers and whoever gets the most points after a few rounds, wins.

Nonsensory

This is another one of the weaker ones here.  Three or more players will either write or draw something, and then the other players are given a description and must choose a number or percentage to how close it is.  You get points if you are close to others and the actual answer.  The problem is the computer picks this answer, so you really don’t have control over it and it’s a bit random and hard to understand.

Quixort

It’s a trivia game, but with a unique twist.  You can be in teams and when it is your turn to answer a question, you use your cell phone like a controller to sort answers in a trivia question.  You might have to sort the release dates of fast food chains or the lyrics in order of the SpongeBob Squarepants theme song.  You get points depending on how close you get, and after a few rounds, the team with the most points wins.

And that’s it.  Like most Jackbox games, there are some good ones and not so good ones.  Here is no exception.  But it is certainly better than the Jackbox Party Pack they came out with this time last year.  A good pick if you have any get-togethers going on.

Kid Factor:

The Jackbox Party Pack 9 is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Crude Humor, Violent References, Use of Tobacco, Suggestive Themes, and Drug Reference.  Most of these games on here are just as dirty as you make them to be.  There is a kid friendly mode that you can toggle off and on, which is nice.  I think someday, Jackbox should make a collection of all kid friendly games, with topics and questions geared toward kids.  Don’t you think that would be a neat idea?  With that all said, I think this game is best enjoyed by kids who can operate a cell phone and text with ease, as long as the kid friendly option is turned on.

Tags: Game Reviews