The Earth is predicted to contain 7.5 sextillion grains of sand. One of those grains of sand is minuscule compared to the overall amount of sand. The Jackbox Survey Scramble developed and published by Jackbox Games Inc. has taken on the mammoth task of getting your opinion. With only 8.1 billion humans the task could be considered doable compared to counting grains of sand. Thankfully, The Jackbox Survey Scramble only asks some questions compared to the infinite number of questions that could be asked, alongside the endless number of answers that could be given. Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a party game and does not have a plot. It instead has a robust gameplay system that is simple in its elegance, and let’s be honest, if you’re asking questions that can get any one-word answer from anyone, it shouldn’t be complicated.

When first signing into The Jackbox Survey Scramble you will arrive on the menu screen where you can hit play, view the credits, and adjust settings. The settings will allow you to adjust Audio and Video, Content Control, Accessibility, and Gameplay.

Nothing unusual in the Audio and Video. Content Control allows you to adjust language, country vernacular, provocative content, and profanity, so Jackbox Games Inc. have taken all ages and demographics into account allowing a safe environment to play in. Accessibility lets you switch on subtitles, extend timers, or turn them off completely. Gameplay allows you to fine-tune things like the ability to drop in and out between rounds, allowing audience members, number of players, and more.

Once set up, hitting play will take you into the lobby. Within the lobby, you can look at different game modes and see the room code for logging into Jackbox.tv, and a QR code allowing you to access Jackbox.tv from your mobile device. I spent four hours waiting in the lobby for other players and unfortunately, no one ever joined.

While waiting though I was able to answer survey questions which just like in the game adds to the database of answers. My partner and I had fun answering the survey questions together laughing at each other’s responses. Hopefully, when The Jackbox Survey Scramble is released there will be more people to play with allowing easier access to playing the game modes.

With the lack of online people, I had to access the game modes by playing locally with my partner and the frivolities were next level. Let’s talk about those game modes before I expose you to the madness of our relationship. The first option is the Tour mode, this mode takes you through all the modes one at a time and once finished takes you back to the lobby. There is also a randomiser called Pick for Me, which as you guessed will randomly select a game mode to play. Currently, there are four game modes available, and Jackbox

Games Inc. have said they will be adding more in the future. The two game modes in this preview are Hilo, and Squares. Hilo is a take on Family Feud that has you guessing from the most popular answer to the least popular answer, each player takes turns guessing with the closest answer being the winner and awarded the most points.

Squares is a take on noughts and crosses and the answers within a given range on their popularity claim a square, players take turns giving an answer and the top answer locks the square, but a less than-popular answer allows the opportunity to steal the square.

Now circling back to those frivolities, The Jackbox Survey Scramble is highly enjoyable as seeing the answers both legitimate and ludicrous bring big smiles and laughs all around. It didn’t take long before my partner and I were baiting each other with answers and purposefully making the other giggle by just dropping random words in like penis. It is evident early on that The Jackbox Survey Scramble will be a hit with more people and the addition of your favourite libation.

The graphics are basic and colourful and honestly, that is all they need to be because the core of the game is answering questions. The audio is also basic, consisting of a clear and entertaining announcer, pleasant music-themed as though you are attending a gameshow and crisp sound effects.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a brilliant start to what will undoubtedly be a go-to party game for many. I am looking forward to the public release and having more people to play with, which will skyrocket its entertainment value. But that’s just my opinion. /Farts.

Written by: Ashley Barnett-Cosgrove