You Can Host A Virtual Jackbox Party Using Just Your Laptop & Phone
Jackbox Games is making it so easy to take your virtual game night to the next level with just a couple extra steps. While the digital entertainment company normally offers party games for participants who are all in the same location, a few tweaks can let you have just as much fun remotely — and all you need is a laptop and a smartphone. Here's how to host a Jackbox party online and get in on the same fun offerings you know and love like Fibbage, Drawful, Quiplash, and Trivia Murder Party.
To get started, you'll first want to make sure the "host" of the party has purchased at least one of the Jackbox games on the company's website. With so many entertaining options to choose from like trivia, drawing games, and fill-in-the-blank prompts, you might want to consider purchasing one of the platform's party packs so you have a couple different choices for your virtual game night. Prices range from $12.49 to $24.99 for Party Pack 1, depending on which device you use to play. The pricing can go up to $29.99, depending which of the six party packs you choose.
When you're playing remotely, you'll want to make sure to pick a game you can play on your Mac or PC laptop so that it's easy to share with the other participants, who'll also need laptops and smartphones to get in on the fun. Once you're ready to start playing, you as the host can pull up the game on your laptop then queue up your go-to videoconferencing service. Zoom and Google Hangouts are two options that let you share your screen with others, making either choice ideal for this game night. You'll need to make sure all players have a secure internet connection to get in on the fun without interruption. Keep in mind that while some games let you have up to nine players, fewer players are better for a connection that's not as strong.
Once the host has shared the screen with the other players, you'll want to locate the specific code for your "room" and have everyone head to Jackbox.TV on their smartphones to input it and officially become part of the game. Once you've done this, you'll be able to see the instructions for whatever game you've decided to play, and you'll be able jump in by entering your answers in the web browser of your smartphone.
All of Jackbox's party packs and games are currently available for purchase (and a few are retailing at a discounted price for the time being), so don't waste any time checking them out and hosting a virtual game night in the coming days.
