Review | Jackbox Party Pack 10 - Familiar Laughs

Keeping annual franchises exciting is tough, with game development becoming a more expensive and time-consuming process across the industry. Usually seen with sports series and Call of Duty, most only provide fractional improvements as the fast turnaround limits how much can actually change, making Jackbox an outlier. Party Pack 10 introduces four new (and one returning) party games and though quality varies, it's a fun choice for your next game night.

Party Pack 10 retains the same format all previous entries use, where only one person needs a copy. Everyone joins through a web browser at Jackbox.tv with a room code and most games support up to eight people, putting anyone extra into the audience. Because each party game drastically differs, I'm assessing them individually, so let's start from the top:

Tee K.O. 2

Tee K.O. was a fan favourite in Party Pack 3, so Tee K.O 2 may prove a welcome return that remains suitably silly. Mixing strange drawings and slogans from other people creates some bizarre but often hilarious designs and those are placed into a knockout format voted on by players. Hoodies or vest shirts are now available for designs, a small but welcome change as some drawings better fit particular styles.

Watching ridiculous slogans match with even wilder drawings can be hilarious but Tee K.O 2's appeal is limited. I'm not particularly artistic and my drawing capabilities end with stick people, so it's not an option I'd regularly choose. While I like the premise, as someone less artistically inclined, I will be sticking to the audience next time.

Timejinx

Trivia games return to Jackbox rotation with Timejinx and I've enjoyed this year's option. Instead of the standard question-and-answer format, Tinejinx adds a clever twist by using your subject knowledge to determine which answer better fits a particular decade. Some are multiple choices, while others involve guessing a year between a set time frame. Better results score fewer points and whoever has the least points wins.

Timejinx can feel slightly gimmicky with this specific focus but it's an entertaining change of pace that I enjoyed. Hints will sometimes be offered to the losing players to even out the playing field, making rounds feel fair even if your history knowledge is lacking. The option to turn off America-specific questions is always welcome for those of us not living in one of the 50 states, and I had fun trying this with friends.

FixyText

FixyText is my favourite game in this year’s instalment and a journalist's nightmare at once. The premise is that someone's receiving too many texts and your group is jointly tasked with drafting a response. There's just one problem, you can't edit what's been written or backspace after putting it down, though others can add words into your existing message. Accidentally make a typo? Too bad, the first draft is now your finalised copy.

Split into two teams taking turns, one writes the message while the other votes on their favourite words. It's a complete mess that's immediately enjoyable. The fact others in your group can add words to what's already been written and change your intended meaning entirely can be very funny. Different categories like professional or flirtatious texts keep this varied, and I wanted to keep playing.

DodoRe Mi

DodoRe Mi is my least favourite party game and that's especially unfortunate when you realise it's the most ambitious mini-game in Jackbox Party Pack 10. The premise is that everyone plays as a bird mimicking instruments, providing humorous options like cowbells, alarm clocks and the classic 'constant screaming.' 

Unfortunately, it doesn't hit the mark and as a rhythm game fan, tapping your phone between one to five different inputs feels basic. I understand you can't push things too far when you're using a web page but it's not particularly fun in longer stints. The tolerance for failure also seems pretty low. After two attempts, my interest dropped and I moved on.

Hypnotorious

Hypnotorious is enjoyable but initially rather confusing. The premise sees your brain removed from your body and you've been hypnotized to believe you're someone or something else. 

Split into three groups, each group gives people something in common and across three questions, you answer based on what you think that person/item would do.

It's an interesting premise and figuring out who aligns with you can be challenging, though this isn't entirely straightforward as there's a lone runner among these categories. Still, pretending I was George Foreman responding to an alien invasion provided some good laughs and I appreciate the complexities this social deduction format introduces. 

Overall Thoughts

Jackbox Party Pack 10 doesn't reinvent the series and if you've played any previous entries, Jackbox Games sticking to its tried-and-true approach ensures familiarity. More ambitious options like Dodo Re Mi falling flat is disappointing and the complexity of games like Hypnotorious make it a difficult sell as a party game, yet the Jackbox formula still entertains nearly a decade later. For anyone seeking a new multiplayer game, standouts like FixyText and Timejinx make Party Pack 10 worth a look.