Oct 24

Oct 24 012 - Waiting In The Lobby

JACKBOX PARTY PACK 9

This week has been an absolute challenge to get any content or written anything out. But this week had the release of two big games – Gotham Knights and the yearly “Jordan Game Extraordinare” - The Jackbox Party Pack.

Now in it’s 9th edition, Jackbox Party Pack continues to offer five games of various clever wit and improvisational comedy skills.

If you want to know what I think about the earlier 8 party packs, please check out the archive over at patreon.com/JordanHass

The five games in this pack are Fibbage 4, Roomerang, Nonsensory, Junktopia and Quixort

FIBBAGE 4 is the fourth version of my all time favorite Jackbox Title. A weird fact is given with a blank missing, and it's up to the players to come up with a silly enough answer to that blank. This time around, there are new video clues where Jackbox audiences come up with funny statements about themselves to figure out. And another is the final Fibbage is one blank but two separate statements at the same time. Requiring a good lie that could be broad enough to get double the damage.

And they have kept the Fibbage Enough About You, but included newer questions that are perfect ice breakers, making this a really good Jackbox Game. A really easy 5 out of 5.

ROOMERANG is a parody of reality television each player gets to be in the role of a reality show contestant, complete with hobby and interest and look. There is a question that comes up and contestants SHOULD be in that role and write an answer that’s relatable. Like a cat lady or crypto bro. Whoever gives the best answer gets points, and “safety” and then there is a vote off, where one player is eliminated, but surprisingly, a new player enters the game with a new hat and name (so the contestant gets a second chance to play along with a new occupation). It honestly is really funny, but you'll need to be around the right people, I kinda wish players were able to “Name” the players AFTER getting their role. Because it's weird being Jordan the guy who likes Sonic the Hedgehog and not something silly like Miles “Tails” Prowler. Overall it's very fun and I give it a 4 out of 5.

NONSENSORY is a drawing game and an opinion game that has a CGI monkey named Professor Nanners. Essentially the goal of the game is similar to Wavelength and Guesspionage. Where a player secretly gets a score and prompt “the name of a restaurant that would get 3/5 stars” and then attempt to write a funny name, or drawing a 20 year old. Sometimes the drawings become weird like trying to get 60% Shoe over Ghost. Which makes no sense, but on a comical statement is worthwhile. At certain points, contestants can be sure and press a confidence button to risk their score for double points. It is also a really fun game that I am happy about, and also give it a 4 out of 5.

JUNKTOPIA is the “improv game” of the collection which does require speaking in front of the class. You go to a shop and spend money on one of 3 items, these are all bizarre photos that make no sense. You pick one of them and pay up front or haggle. Then like in Patently Stupid, you must write the name, and two facts about the item. Then in a very rare front, everybody votes for everything on the phone but the results do not matter on screen, as items are displayed like a Renaissance Fair Antiques Roadshow. Then we do it again but one item is worth the lowest and it's A MYSTERY ITEM, and then finally one final attempt with both items you bought in a collection and it's name. I found this to be a secret winner of the collection, but like always, it depends on your group. If they aren't improv stars. It's probably an awkward sit through as people try and make a joke out of a Jack in the Box with a Skull inside. So it's also a 4 out of 5.

QUIXORT is a team based trivia game which two teams have to work together to put items in order, rather from earliest to just recent or smallest to largest. Or from beginning to end. As one moves the arm the others must communicate left or right. In round 2, decoy answers are thrown in to “trash” and in the third and final round, there's a second chance to get a streak, as correct answers the first time around are given and it's up to the team to put it correctly the second time around. It's one of the more clever games out there, and sometimes the panic does strike that it's very fun and nerve wracking, and one that doesn’t really require improv skills to succeed at. My favorite mechanic is the category and question being given or a “mystery” instead, leaving it to chance. You could be doing challenge videos from earliest to most recent, or find yourselves trying to recite the speech from taken in memory it's also a 4 out of 5.

I know, 4 of the 5 games got the 4 out of 5, and one got the perfect 5 out of 5. It's honestly one of the better packs out there, not really a stinker of a game.

My personal ranking of this party pack is…

Fibbage 4

Quixort

Roomerang

Junktopia

Nonsensory