Video Game Review: ‘You Don’t Know Jack’ a Witty Rival to ‘Guitar Hero’ Party Games

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CHICAGO – Millions of players remember the worldwide phenomenon that is the witty and cheeky “You Don’t Know Jack” trivia game as a blast from their past. Becoming the gold standard since 1995 for computer-based trivia, though, presents a lofty challenge for Chicago-based game developer Jellyvision: winning the hearts of today’s demanding console players.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

“You Don’t Know Jack” on Feb. 8, 2011 spewed a “fresh new scent” in its debut release for all major console systems (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS) and the PC. “You Don’t Know Jack” was released for PlayStation only in 1999 and again in 2000.

“You Don’t Know” Jack was released on Feb. 8, 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PC.
Image credit: Jellyvision

While returning players will find cleaner graphics and modern trivia questions, so will they experience too much déjà vu. With a flurry of PC-based “You Don’t Know Jack” games released from 1995 to 2003 (ending with its sixth volume in 2003), the eight-year wait for a major console release should have resulted in bolder decisions and amped-up gameplay taken to the next level.

There’s too much conservative familiarity to the past and not enough aggressive new features that console-based players now demand. This “You Don’t Know Jack” feels like another computer-based game that has compatibility for console systems but is really again designed for the PC. It doesn’t take advantage of what console-based games can do that computer games cannot (such as hand and body motions with all of today’s console systems).

Still, this version affords the “party players” of today’s gaming generation (namely those who bring friends over for all the “Guitar Hero,” “Rock Band” and the new dance games) something else to do. Just as board gamers enjoy inviting their friends home to play Apples to Apples, now “You Don’t Know Jack” interactively allows a battle of wits when we’re not shredding on guitar or pretending we can moonwalk like Michael Jackson.

While this game has been conservative in the way it’s updated for console systems, there are a number of changes. No longer can you choose between seven and 21 questions. The game now defaults to 11 questions, but this feels too short. Defaulting to 15 would have been wiser.

The “Wrong Answer of the Game” is the funniest new special question in “You Don’t Know Jack”.
Image credit: Jellyvision

Some of the “special questions” have changed. The “DisOrDat” is back where the lowest-scoring player must go solo and choose between two or three answers. Now the remaining players can “steal” when answering correctly before the DisOrDat player answers incorrectly.

The most inventive new special question is the “Wrong Question of the Game”. The question, which is presented by a hilarious fictional game sponsor, awards $4,000 (in round one) or $8,000 (in round two) when you select the correct wrong answer.

There’s only one per game and it might not be immediately obvious how to get this wrong answer right. You need to remember the sponsor from the beginning of the game or you’re reminded in round two if it hasn’t happened yet. When this question becomes available, you must answer the current question incorrectly while selecting the correct wrong question for the game. Confusing? You’ll get the hang of it if you keep that in mind.

You can still “screw” your neighbor and force him or her to answer.
Image credit: Jellyvision

The “Impossible Question” – where you’d score big money for answering a truly nearly impossible question (such as a particular word in a particular section of the bible) – didn’t make it back in this game. It’s missed. “Who’s the Dummy?” is new, which features a comical voice with such an intense lisp that you’re charged with decoding what’s actually being said as much as you’re trying to figure out the answer. You can again “screw” your neighbor by forcing him or her to answer a question if you think your friend doesn’t speak the question’s language.

The “Jack Attack” (the final question) returns in the same format. Based on the 11-question game length and the dollar values associated with the first 10 questions, this Jack Attack is worth too much money. It’s a do-or-die scenario that entirely sways the fate of your game.

You can answer many questions correctly in the first 10 questions, bomb the Jack Attack like how George Bush ran our country and then come up negative. You can also watch plants grow all game while not being present for the first 10 questions, pop in just for the Jack Attack, clean house like Bob Saget on “Full House” and glory can be yours. Each Jack Attack question should simply be worth plus or minus $2,000 instead of $4,000.

As for the content of the questions, they’re modernized and smack dab in between “not too tough” and “not too easy”. The questions are intelligently written with intelligent humor always woven in. In addition to the challenge of answering the questions correctly, all questions always have a second challenge built in: interpreting what the question is actually asking. Sometimes you need to know two distinct pieces of trivia and connect the two.

Another new special question in the all-new “You Don’t Know Jack”.
Image credit: Jellyvision

Since this game breaks itself up into 73 “chapters” based on the sponsor for the Wrong Question of the Game, you won’t start seeing repeated questions for quite a while. In total, the game comes with 15 hours of new gameplay.

Having a twosome, threesome and foursome in this console version is like going from one bed (with the previous computer versions) to each player having his or her own. In the PC versions, multiple players would have to crowd around one keyboard and buzz in with their trigger letter of choice. Two, three or four console players can now sit comfortably in their favorite nooks and crannies throughout a room so long as they have their own controllers.

To play with four players, you’ll need four controllers. You might not have that many controllers now, so keep that in mind. Once you have the controller situation in the bag, gameplay controls are very natural and obvious.

That said, it feels like previous versions took more advantage of an artificial intelligence-like system where the game would recognize individualized aspects of your gameplay and the day or time you’re playing. This game did have fun with a comment about playing it on the real date of Valentine’s Day. The same host voice, Cookie Masterson, pleasantly returns. The exact same gameplay progression also returns from initial setup to animated sequences announcing the question number of the question all the way through the ending and game restart.

To answer this new special question, first you need to decipher the lisp.
Image credit: Jellyvision

This “You Don’t Know Jack” did capitalize on the opportunity to take things online and dish up one of hottest and most-demanded features today: multiplayer mode. While your game scores are posted online and can be compared against other global players, you can now play online against strangers if you’re lame and don’t have enough friends sitting with you at home.

While this takes all of the fun away from besting your real-life buddies, at least you have the choice not to feel so lonely. Offline local statistics are inspiring so you can see your total cash accumulated, average score and how the game classifies your skill level.

Despite a conservative release for the major console systems that freshens a successful past formula, “You Don’t Know Jack” is a solid addition to your play-with-friends video game library and compelling home entertainment for a couple hours instead of just drinking at the bars. Just snag this game, invite over your broke actor/artist friends and you’ll surely be a hit.

By ADAM FENDELMAN Editor-in-Chief/Publisher HollywoodChicago.com adam@hollywoodchicago.com