The Jackbox Survey Scramble Review

Initial release date: October 24, 2024

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

Genres: Indie game, Casual game, Party video game, Strategy

Developer: Jackbox Games

Publisher: Jackbox Games

The Jackbox Games crew is highly regarded in our household. Throughout the Jackbox game series, they have continuously had us smiling, squabbling, and generally having a good time, and this latest attempt is no exception. The Jackbox Survey Scramble has a clear principle. Guess the most common responses to a given subject using only single words, similar to the popular Saturday night British game show Family Fortunes from the mid-1990s. Simple, certainly. Easy? Not very much.

These categories can range from “Names beginning with T” to “Things that are blue”, or “Favourite sandwich fillings” to “Good one-word movie titles” (which turns out to be a lot more difficult than it appears). With responses from real individuals, there’s a wide range of opinions on exhibit, from the reasonably obvious to the completely insane. I am not sure who would prefer lettuce to tuna as a sandwich filling, and I doubt we could ever be friends.

There are now four games available at launch, with additional modes planned in a free upgrade in the future. These include “Hilo”, a surprisingly tactical option in which you must estimate the top or bottom answers against your competitors in rounds, with the twist being that points will be split if you all chose the same answer. You’ll need to think outside the box to guarantee that you get all of the points by not always selecting the most obvious option. It’s the simplest setting available, but it’s also the most pure. It’s become a favourite in the collection, and I can imagine it being played frequently at gatherings for many years to come.

“Speed” requires you to think quickly and feverishly in order to obtain as many high-ranking answers as possible while adhering to a limited time limit and avoiding theft by your enemies, uh, I mean friends. It’s an excellent spin on the overall notion, requiring both rapid thought and an even faster typing thumb.

“Bounce” is the set’s least enjoyable track, a strange mash-up of Arkanoid and Family Feud. When playing in teams, you must move an on-screen paddle left and right by offering more or less popular replies. Use this to prevent a slowly moving ball from reaching the bottom of the screen, denying the opponent a point. Miss and they score, and the first to five is proclaimed the winner. This level puts the most pressure on players, as the ball advances as you urgently try to identify the correct word. It’s more stressful than the other games in the pack, and it feels out of sync with the overall pace and mood of the pack.

Finally, “Squares” is a new spin on noughts and crosses. In this team-based activity, you will compete to create a row of three squares on a 9×9 grid. Answers are listed in order of popularity, beginning with the top row and progressing below. Guess the most popular response in the square and you’ll lock it, halting your opponent in their tracks. This one has been a family favorite, as you’ll quickly become competitive over “most popular song subjects” when the last square is at stake and pride is on the line.

Games can be played at your leisure, or you can participate in a full Grand Prix. This Tour mode takes you through everything on offer, allowing you to eventually prove you are your generation’s best guesser. I really like the more simple, clean style in The Jackbox Survey Scramble. Although there is a fully voiced host, like with many previous games in the series, this time around it is more streamlined and gets you into each game mode quicker, giving you more time to marvel at the general public’s crazy. There are a plethora of options available to tailor your experience, including an option for less US-centric content, a choice of the English-speaking locale from where the player data is taken (including Australia), or a toggle for a more family-friendly presentation with naughty word filtering, making this suitable for pretty much any occasion, even those where you can’t say “dash it!”” or “Darn!””

It’s another fantastic game from the Jackbox team, certain to evoke laughter and highly contested replies among players. Anyone with a phone may join in on the fun, as it is simple to understand and play, and the online lobbies are quick and easy to connect to. You can enter by scanning the QR code displayed on the screen. With new answers added to the pack with each game played, there’s always a motivation to return and see what new lunacy other players come up with. So encourage Granny to pack up Monopoly this holiday season and Uncle Dave to bring out his iPhone. The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a new game that arrived just in time for Christmas and has the potential to become a classic.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 89%

Controls: 90%

Aesthetics: 85%

Content: 88%

Accessibility: 87%

Value: 90%

Overall: 88%

VERY GOOD!

Summary:

The Jackbox Survey Scramble expands on the classic Jackbox format with a new emphasis on survey-based humor and innovation. The game is ideal for parties and gatherings, with funny prompts that push participants to think on their feet and share laughter. Survey Scramble’s simple controls and approachable design mean that everyone, from casual gamers to Jackbox pros, can get right in and have fun. While it adheres closely to the Jackbox graphic design, the game’s attraction stems from its wit and social involvement, making it an excellent complement to any party playlist.