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Since we were all forced to stay indoors a few years ago, Jackbox Party Games became huge and still hold a lot of significance. Many players, myself included, tend to organize game nights with many of the mini-games that these packs include. However, I always thought some of them, while fun, lacked that sprinkle of adult humor and innuendos we usually hear at parties. Well, our unhinged prayers were answered because The Jackbox Naughty Pack is finally here, and after playing it, I can tell you it is what I expected. Even if there are raunchy versions of existing games, like previous packs, they’ll provide hours of fun.
The Jackbox Naughty Pack brings a fresh take to the long-standing mini-game collection by taking an M rating and catering to us players who have no filter. Oh, and the game doesn’t have a filter either, let me tell you that. With three mini-games, some of which are an adult take on existing ones, I can tell you I was mostly surprised. There was a clear winner out of all three, and the other two got old after a while, but it was a blast experiencing all of them nonetheless.
Dirty Drawful – Channeling Your Unhinged Artistry Skills
Many, even those who can’t draw, enjoy a good game of Gartic Phone, where the theme depends a lot on the players themselves. Well, Dirty Drawful takes this same scoop and gives it its own spice twist, so make sure the little ones can’t see your screen. Even if you’re sitting in the corner of the couch at the far end of the room, prying eyes might see the inappropriate themes of each prompt, or worse, see your depraved drawings. You’ve been warned, so don’t blame us for the gossiping eyes around you.
The gameplay is quite simple. You have to write a phrase or draw the prompt that appears to you with the limited color palette and art tools. Only those who receive the most votes for the best phrase and discover the prompt with each drawing will win. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
This one got old quite fast, but not because the mini-game is bad or anything. While I liked the prompts, I felt some were extremely elaborate and wouldn’t even make sense to draw. Yes, I’m aware the essence of the game is drawing something unholy and giving everyone a good laugh. However, after the many challenging prompts, Dirty Drawful became repetitive, and I decided to swap to another mini-game of The Jackbox Naughty Pack. Still, those who enjoy drawing things that would get you kicked out of a family Christmas dinner will enjoy this one.
Fakin’ It! All Night Long – Coming…to a Conclusion
Fakin’ It! All Night Long was, without a doubt, my favorite of the bunch. We’re all familiar with the original game, but this one just takes it to a whole new level and makes room for some strange and hilarious interactions. If you don’t know the drill, everyone will get a prompt, and depending on the category, the Faker and everyone else have to act differently.
For instance, there might be a category where you have to mention the best place to do the act (you all know what I mean). However, the Faker might get a prompt asking them to mention the best place to buy an appliance. That way, you’ll have players replying with things like the forest, a hot tub, a fancy hotel, and then the Faker will just reply with a Bed, Bad & Beyond. It’s up to all of you to figure out who the Faker is in this scenario. Maybe there are a few who don’t mind going crazy inside a store, but I’m no one to judge.
Furthermore, there are different categories, such as Fingerblast, where you must raise your fingers depending on the prompt. In Thumbshot, you choose thumbs up or thumbs down, depending on whether you agree or disagree with the prompt. Emotional Damage requires players to use emojis to describe a situation or express an emotion. Hands of truth is a yes or no question, similar to Truth or Dare. All of them were extremely fun, and I bet this will be the most popular mini-game in the pack.
Let Me Finish – At the Edge…of Your Debate Seat
This game reminded me a lot of PowerPoint Parties or a simple debate in which the game asks you questions, and you must select an answer by circling your selection on an image. Then, you must defend your answer with arguments in front of all your friends. Usually, the presenters are the first two players to submit their answers. The others should not lose their chance to interrupt the debates and give another point of view to win more points.
You don’t need to think about it too much. Every prompt will have an image and a question like, “What radio looks like it will have a red room?” That’s right—a radio. When justifying your answer to win the debate, it all depends on your creativity. So you must squeeze your brain to beat all your friends.
Initially, I wasn’t sold on this game. However, when deciding where a dilapidated building would have its pubes and standing my ground with my answer, it got fun in a weird way. You’ll never know how creative a friend is until you hear them defend a mailbox and the spot this object uses to “finish.” The prompts are extremely over-the-top, but they make way for some of the most interesting debates I’ve witnessed lately.
A Night of Digital Debauchery
This pack of games is fun, and the main feature of Jackbox is that you can play it with anyone anywhere without many complications, such as getting more controls. Of course, in many of them, you will need at least three participants; the more, the better. With fewer players, the games can be short and somewhat limited. Also, if this is your first time as a host, getting the gist of all the games and how to set everything up might be a bit hard. This only happened to me initially, but it was smooth sailing after a couple of tries.
In general, these mini-games are great for entertainment and for having a good amount of people have fun for a couple of hours. However, they are party games, so they are for special days or to play sporadically; they fulfill their purpose greatly. Although explicitly speaking of the Jackbox Naughty Pack, what makes it unique is this more adult twist in the sense of mischief and double meanings. It doesn’t feel like a game that everyone can enjoy, as it focuses on absurdist, adult-centric humor.
The Jackbox Naughty Pack (PC Reviewed)
The Jackbox Naughty Pack is another great addition to the series of game packs that, while not the best, it offers one terrific mini-game and other two that are good enough to evoke some unhinged moments.
Pros
- Simple gameplay that entertains for hours
- A twist that renews games from previous packs
- Adult-centric humor
Cons
- Some prompts are too far-fetched
- Two out of the three games were a bit lackluster
