The Jackbox Survey Scramble review

The Jackbox Survey Scramble review

As a long-time enthusiast of board games and family gatherings, I can wholeheartedly vouch for the Jackbox Games team’s latest creation, The Jackbox Survey Scramble. This game has become an instant hit at our house, bringing laughter, friendly competition, and heated debates to our table, much like a well-stirred pot of family dynamics!


In our home, the crew at Jackbox Games is highly respected. They always manage to get us chuckling, arguing, and just plain having a blast throughout their entire game collection, and this new release, Jackbox Survey Scramble, is no exception. This game’s concept is straightforward: guess the most commonly chosen answers for a specific topic using single words, similar to the classic 90s UK Saturday night gameshow, Family Fortunes. Sure, it sounds easy, but it’s not always a piece of cake!

The topics can vary widely, such as “Things starting with ‘T’,” “Blue items,” “Preferred sandwich ingredients,” or “Catchy one-word movie titles.” The responses come from real individuals, offering a broad range, from the clearly understandable to the downright puzzling. I find it hard to fathom why someone would pick lettuce over tuna for a sandwich filling, and I’m not sure we could ever bond over such differences!

The Jackbox Survey Scramble review

At launch, there are four games available, with additional modes set to be added for free later. One of these is “Hilo”, a game that requires strategic thinking as players take turns guessing the top or bottom answers against each other in rounds. The twist is that points are split if everyone chooses the same answer, so you’ll need to think outside the box to secure all the points for yourself by not always going with the obvious choice. It may be the simplest game on offer, but it’s also the most straightforward and pure, making it a favorite in the collection. I believe this game will be enjoyed at gatherings for many years to come.

The game “Speed” involves rapid and hurried mental processing to produce numerous top-tier answers within a tight timeframe. You’re competing against not only a time constraint but also potential ‘friends’, who could snatch your answers first. It’s an exhilarating spin on the basic concept, demanding sharp thinking and lightning-fast typing fingers.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble review

Among all the games, “Bounce” is the one I find least appealing, a peculiar blend of Arkanoid and Family Feud. In this team-based game, you control an on-screen paddle by providing either popular or less common answers. Use these responses to block a ball from reaching the bottom of the screen, thus preventing your opponents from scoring. If you fail, they score instead, with the first team to reach five points declared the winner. This mode puts significant pressure on players due to the advancing ball and the need for quick word guesses. It’s more tense than the other games in this collection and somewhat contradicts the overall pace and atmosphere of the pack.

Ultimately, we have “Squares”, an innovative twist on the classic game of tic-tac-toe. It’s a team game where you strive to create a line of three squares on a 9×9 grid. The answers begin with the most popular option in the top row and move downwards. If you correctly guess the most common answer within a square, it gets locked, hindering your opponent from proceeding. This game has become a cherished family pastime, as rivalry intensifies when the last square is at play, and honor is on the line over “Popular song subjects”.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble review

You have the freedom to play games whenever you want, or dive into an entire Grand Prix tournament if you’re up for the challenge. The Tour mode offers a comprehensive experience, testing your guessing skills to prove you are the best of your generation. I personally enjoy the clean and concise design in The Jackbox Survey Scramble. Although it still features a voice-acted host like other games in the series, this time it’s more efficient and gets you straight into each game mode quickly, leaving more time to appreciate the chaos of the general public. There are numerous options to customize your experience, such as less US-centric content, selecting from various English speaking regions for player data (including Australia), or a setting for a family-friendly presentation with a profanity filter, making it suitable for most events, even those where you can’t exclaim “oh bother!” or “blimey!”.

This game, hailing from the Jackbox team, promises an evening filled with laughter and lively discussions among players. It’s straightforward and simple to play, making it accessible to anyone who has a phone. The online lobbies are quick and easy to connect to, all you need is to scan the on-screen QR code, and you’re good to go! As new answers are consistently added with each game played, there’s always a reason to return and see the fresh madness other players come up with. This holiday season, consider trading in Monopoly with Granny and asking Uncle Dave to bring out his iPhone. The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a fresh addition to your gaming collection that could become a timeless classic!

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2024-10-24 18:16