We've had 10 years of The Jackbox Party Pack, and the tenth entry does show signs of the series' rickety age. The Jackbox Party Pack 10 has some solid games in its arsenal, like the time-based trivia game Timejinx and Tee K.O. 2, but there are more misses than hits.

It hurts me to say, as I'm a huge fan of the developer. FixyText felt pointless within my group and brought back memories of Word Spud, and then they were confused by Hypnotorious.

The Jackbox Party Pack 10 (PC [reviewed], PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: Jackbox Games, Inc.
Publisher: Jackbox Games, Inc.
Released: October 19, 2023
MSRP: $34.99

Timejinx is by far the best game in The Jackbox Party Pack 10

I love trivia, and Jackbox Games are masters of making the fun-fact genre of party games weird. In Timejinx, you're tasked ?with identifying the exact tim?eframe of historical events. The further out you are, the more points you gain. That's usually a good thing, but in this instance, you actually want to get the least out of the group to win.

While Timejinx does last a little too long for my liking, the questions are creative, and the rounds change up the formula. For example, you'll have two differen?t copies of a famous historical figure. You'll need to guess which one is telling the truth (correct answer). One question asks how many novels Jane Austen has written; the first answer says four, and the other states 12. The former answer is correct.

The graphics behind Timejinx are awesome, too,?? as you dive deep into a time machine and see all the bits and bobs flying in the air. For example, there's a flying robot that looks like a Tamogatchi.

However, one issue came up with Timejinx when I had a small group of people playing. You see, later on in the game, the players with fewer points receive hints on what date they should pick for the matching event. They're way too obvious, and time after time, I pulled away the victory against my sister in Timejinx bec?ause of these massive hints. They helped gain me a 15-20 point advantage, frustratin??g my poor sibling. With a bigger group, however, this shouldn't be a problem.

Tee K.O. 2 brings back the fan-favorite game

This sequel is an evolution of the Tee K.O. format??. We now have shirts, jackets, and vests to utilize, in addition to multiple text fonts. We can get more creative with our designs, and if you make a mistak?e, you can actually undo your drawing step-by-step.

It's still hilarious. Each pla??yer makes three different drawings, and then every group member pi??cks their favorite design. The players also create funny catchphrases and words to attach to that image. The result is usually laughter as everyone votes on their favorite

It specifically makes me cackle as I love the absurd humor this lets you play with. Tee K.O. 2 still hits and is even better than the original, thanks?? to its new functionality. It also lets you choose the drawing you want to alter from a bigger selection for the second ro?und.

The Jackbox Party Pack 10 has more misses than hits

I'm a big fan of Jackbox's work. This studio gave me many memories of making jokes with my university friends. Unfortunately, The Jackbox Party Pack 10 may show signs of the format growing stale.

FixyTest is kind of a mess. The idea is that you're writing an email that can't be edited or backspaced. Then, four players on each team make up words on the fly. As my friend group played this, they were so confused and didn't know what the point of the game was. It feels as directionless as Word Spud from the original Party Pack 10 years ago. It does show?? some signs of promise, however.

Other players can actually edit what you've written and completely turn t??he conversation in? a different direction. The words you type can also be relatively amusing if you put them in wrong.

At the end of a round, the other team of four picks their favorite (funniest) words from the letter written. It is also read out loud by an AI voice. The o?ne-note gameplay mechanics and humor fell flat most of the time, and it was generally boring to play. My group moved on from the game quickly.

Hypnotorious is also confounding

Another odd game in The Jackbox Party Pack 10 is Hypnotorious. This one features a psychic confusing you to become another object like bacon and e?ggs. You then are asked several prompts that require you to answer in character. The scenarios the game presents, however, are frankly strange with inanimate objects, animals, and other beings mentioned. You need to have a creative group to make this work.

The aim of ??the game is to spot which player ?matches with you. For example, at the diner, you find a grill alongside bacon and eggs. They are matching.

At the end of the game, there's a twist. You'll need to point out who is the outlier. There is one player that isn't matched with anyone in terms of the topic. For example, in Stumpt's first time with Hypnotorious, there were three fast animals and one slow ??animal. The latter is the person you need to spot. If the ou?tlier doesn't get caught, they practically win the game with the amount of points they gain.

Generally, this game confused my group, due to the absurdity of the prompts, and we were left wanting to go back to Timejinx and Tee K.O. 2.

However, when I played with another group the next day, Hypnotorious got interesting. One of the players was trying to skew their answers to bet??ter match th??e others.

There's an element of strategy that makes the game far more interesting than I initially thought before. For example, someone got the Grinch ?and tried to make us believe the topic was about us being winter-themed rather than it being blue characters and green characters.

Dodo Re Mi is something new for Jackbox Games

Lastly, there's Dodo Re Mi. It's a new music-rhythm game fr??om Jackbox Games that has you fo?rming a band with friends. The quirky side of the Chicago-based studio comes in with the eccentric instruments you can play. You can have an oboe playing alongside gargling sounds and constant screaming. It's surprising what the end result could be.

If you get the timing settings correct at the beginning of the song, you'll have a decent music-rhythm experience. It plays a lot like Guitar Hero, but if you struggle with having five different threads on-screen at once, you ?can choose an easier difficulty instrumental with just one thread. For example, the Constant Screaming has only three threads to master.

Once the song is complete, you'll watch as the birds pe?rform your work in front of a carnivorous monster. If you succeed, you're spared. If you fail, your group will be eaten. A cool ??aspect of the game is that you can download an MP3 of the song after.

My main issue is getting the timing right. The beat is sometimes inaccurate if it's set wrong. It can be easy to do. The touch screen personally didn't feel as tactile as a Guitar Hero button, and the timing sometimes felt slightly off. I had fun, but Dodo Re Mi isn't something I envision playing with my friends all too much. It seems like a hassle playing the game over Discord, Twitch, or Skype, as a music game needs precise? inputs.

Closing thoughts

The Jackbox Party Pack 10 is a mixed bag. Two of the games are confusing, one is a welcomed return, and Time Jinx is the ?absolute star in this pack for being a creative trivia title. The format's starting to get stale, unfortunately, and the novelty of connecting to the game with your phone has worn off.

My friends and I also had regular disconnects from games, and it can be frustrating as these experiences can last 10-20 minutes at a time. My sister also had issues connecting to? Jackbox.TV at first due to having a VPN on, which could be a hassle for many. Additionally, question?s popped up multiple times, and I had to give the answer to my friends playing with me to keep it fair

Hopefully, the series continues with a new pep in its s??????????????????????????tep next year.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]

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Quest your way to the throne

Classic board game-meets-RPG mayhem title Dokapon Kingdom is coming to a new platform. Dokapon Kingdom: Connect is embarking on a new ques?t for the Ninte??ndo Switch this spring.

Originally released for the PlayStation 2 and then the Nintendo Wii, Dokapon Kingdom is a mixture of board game antics and RPG questing. It's like if Mario Party and Dragon Quest so?mehow blende??d together into a chaotic competition for the throne.

Playing as one of several adventurers, each player's goal is to defeat beasts, gather money, and eventually win the throne. Of course, while this is your goal, it's everyone else's too, and there can only be one ruler in the Dokapon Kingdom.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfU6eDroSN4

Take down monsters or other players, gain control of towns, and learn new job classes all in pursuit of the ultimate victory. There are five different game modes to choose from: Normal, Story, Shopping Race, Kill Race, and Town Race. Plus, the board is fairly expansive, so there's good reason to replay it in diffe?rent modes and combinations.

One big addition is the Connect aspect of Dokapon Kingdom: Connect. Players will be able to hop online and battle with their friends across the different game modes too, so now you won't need to all be on the same couch to fight for the kingdom. If my experience with Mario Party is any indication, it might be? better that players are not in close proximity for these games.

My kingdom on the Switch

Dokapon Kingdom is one of those games I've heard whispered about time and again. It's often described as an alternative to Mario Party, one that maintains the s?crewing-over-your-friends fun but eschews some of the mini-games in favor of some light RPG activities.

Honestly, the style mash-up of classic RPGs and party games alone is enough to draw me in. With online play added too, it seems like Dokapon ??fans have something to look forwar??d to this spring.

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Get more party members in the mix

The next addition to the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass adds more party to the mix. Mechanical hero Ino leads the additions to Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in the Wave 2 DLC on October 13.

Alongside Ino, there are also? some challen??ge missions and a special cosmetic set of swimwear for the crew.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHicDEKC9K0

Here's the trailer info:

Expand your Aionios journey with wave 2 of the Xenoblade Chron??icles 3 DLC Expansion Pass! This new hero looks…mechanical? Complete her que?st & she’ll join your party. Plus, earn special rewards & new outfits in tough Challenge Battles!

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The bigger they are...

Something large is on the way for Fall Guys, it seems. Developer Mediatonic announced today that they're hosting a Fall Guys s??tream event on May 16, teasing it as "The Big Announcement."

The stream will take place on YouTube and Twitch, going live on May 16 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.

//twitter.com/FallGuysGame/sta??tus/1524758918890770433

Mediatonic isn't saying anything else about it at this time, other than it's a "big" announcement. The studio has been teasing a bit on social media, but as far as concrete details go, we'll have to wait to know f??or sure.

...the harder they Fall Guys

There's room to speculate, of course, on what this Fall Guys stream may contain. The platformer royale has been gradually adding content ever since its first launch, with new seasons bringing new minigames and phys??ics-based mayhem to the party.

Mediatonic did PC and PlayStation cross-platform lobbies working in Fall Guys fairly recently. Alongside that news, the team also addressed the potential Xbox and Switch versions that have been floating around for some time. They were in the works and on the way, just not arriving with that update. A decent guess at a "big" announcement for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout would be the party platf?ormer coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox consoles.

Or it could be yet another surprising, sometimes baffling crossover with a major property. If covering Fall Guys over the years has taught me anything, ?it's expect the unexpected.

With that in mind, I'm just interested in hearing what the team's working on. There was a good summer where I was infatuated with Fall Guys and though the daily call has dissipated, it's still a game where I won't say no to playi?ng a round or two. It's a novel concept that's worked really well with iteration, and I'm down for more excuses to get sent flying off platform??s by giant mallets and obstacles.

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New coat, same chaos

Mario Party is, in my opinion, a staple of Nintendo's chaotic multiplayer offerings. Smash Bros. has a good deal of fighting and frenetic chaos, sure, but there's something different about Mario Party. This party, and Mario Party Superstars, are about the potential for both fun competition and massive?? swi??ngs in equal measure.

It captures the moment someone rolls a die and lands on Boardwalk in Monopoly, and seethes in quiet frustration as they count out every last buck they have to fork over to another player, and turns it into a fully virtual board game. The earliest Mario Par??ty games are some of the best adaptations of this anything-can-happen concept. Spinning blocks with stars, arrows, and portraits could swing the outcome of the match in a single turn.

There were fewer stay-ahead mechanics, and more comebacks and massive swings. It's this side of the Mario Party that Mario Party Superstars goes back to?, and if you've been aching to steal someone's stars, it's got a lot of that going o?n.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jEq0F656aY

Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: NDcube
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: Oct. 29, 2021
MSRP: $59.99

Mario Party Superstars is essentially a best-of for the earlier era of Mario Party games. The boards themselves come from the first three Mario Party games on the Nintendo 64, while the minigames pull from the N64, GameCube, and more. Content-wise, it's presenting exactly what it says: a rehash of the best, from an era that's pretty beloved by Mario Party aficionados.

And honestly, Superstars makes a good first impression. After a short intro sequence, you're greeted with a menu screen that seems ripped right out of the Nintendo 64 years. There's something about this sort of hub village that transports me back to the era of not just Mario Party's first few games, but also Pokemon Stadium and other N64 go-to's.

Hopping into the boards, you can see right away the visual upgrades made to each one. These are, functionally, the same boards as before. The haunt?ed woods and space station are just as you remember them, except with a visual upgrade. But that visual upgrade really does make? a difference.

Highlighted by the side-by-side you're presented with at the start of each board, you can really see how much different these boards look now. It's remembering the games like your rose-tinted memories do, rather than what they actually looked like back then. Having a revitalized version of these classics might be enough by itself for some Mario Party ??fans to pick this collection up.

And the boards do hold up. They are every bit as hectic, infuriating, and ridi??culous as I remember. In one match, I advanced forward a few spaces and landed on an event tile, which caused a Thwomp in a car to chase me down the lane I had just advanced across and all the way to the other end of the board. "Okay," I thought. "It's bad, but I've got some Double Dice. I can roll doubles and make up the time lost next turn."

Then next turn, I locked in a special event I half-paid attention to as I passed by and landed on the exact same Thwomp event as before. Except now, because I had activated the other one, I was pushed back even further. I had to laugh, because really, that is Mario Party: a mixt??ure of cold, cruel die rolls and comedy found in the suffering those die dish out.

If board games aren't your style, there are actually a fair few things to do that aren't just classic Mario Party. They're all contained in the Mt. Minigames area, which has a pretty impressive number of ways to repackage and host the large collection of minigames in Mario Party Superstars.

Some of them are a little more team-oriented, while others provide a solo challenge. I like the idea of Daily Challenge modes, as it gives you a reason t?o keep coming back to the minigame mountain, and it threw a few neat playlists of games my way.

To be clear, it's all still playing the minigames you know from Mario Party proper, but they're packaged in a way to encourage a little bit more teamwork than you might have in the board game. The 1-against-3 mine-c?art gauntlet is an example of this, where you're challenged with win-streaking with a team against one foe in consecutive minigame bouts.

To be honest, I spent most of my time on Mt?. Minigames in the sports area, where games like volleyball and hockey were available as their own standalone experiences, with rankings to climb and everything. An hour went by in a blur when I ?was playing a bunch of volleyball matches, and it was honestly a blast.

While there are local options available for Mario Party play, in both the board game and minigame areas, another big draw is online play. Unlike its predecessor, Mario Party Superstars has online play right out of the gate, and in my experience, it's worked fairly wel?l. I've heard anecdotal cases of players dropping when they get too far behind, but like a game of Monopoly, sometimes you can't help but have a few walk-offs.

What's been most notable to me is the contrast between Mario Party Superstars and Super Mario Party, the previous Mario Party go-to on the Nintendo Switch. The latter was a new game, and it tried a lot of new ideas. I think some of them were interesting, and I especially dug the mode that sent four players hurtling down a river in a raft together. There were some interesting stabs taken at what a co-op Mario Party experience might look like, though the main Mario Party formula wasn't so great. Character dice were cool but made it easy to stay ahead, in my experience, ??and the board offering was less than stellar. Games also took a pretty long time to close out.

Contrast this with Mario Party Superstars, which uses the benefit of its own legacy to launch right out with the classic Mario Party its fans fell for in the first place. It is absolutely a retread, with its innovations coming in the visual tune-ups and clever repackaging of content. And the retread also works really well. I've found myself revisiting this on a whim much more than I did with Super Mario Party, and most of my time has been single-player too, as there's a surprising amount of fun to find even if you don't have a party going. And it revives a lot of what I've liked about past Mario Party games, from higher-cost Stars to interesting b??oard me?chanics like the plants on Peach's birthday cake.

So while Mario Party Superstars doesn't necessarily break massively new ground, it's so good at replaying the classics that it will probably be my new go-to for Mario Party fun moving forward. It isn't just the Nintendo 64 nostalgia talking here; this is a good collection of minigames, a smart board selection, a nice-looking game, and it's got tons of settings, dials, and options to fiddle with for repeat play sessions. It might not be filled with new ideas, but Mario Party Superstars plays the hits, and pla?ys the?m as well as it did the first time around.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Deal with living playing cards, mirrors, and some tea

Ghost Town Games and Team17 are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Overcooked: series with a special free update. The Birthday Party update goes live for Overcooked: All You Can Eat today, adding some new content and of cou??rse, n??ew challenges to overcome in the name of good cooking.

The Birthday Party update features five new, birthday party-themed levels to take on. The general aesthetic is very regal and fancy, but there are obstacles to deal with as well. Living playing cards are walking around with magical mirrors, which transport players across the kitchen with a mechanic called "Switcheroo." Seems like there will be a lot of chaos coming to the world of Overcooked: All You Can Eat with this update.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5QfnwF0Cg0

There's also a new chef, the Tabby Cat, and a new recipe. In this birthday party fervor, you'll learn how to serve a good cup of tea, which also seems to include massive boiling tea pots. Seems lik?e some good fun.

Overcooked being five years old definitely made me do a double take, as it doesn't feel like it's been that long since I first booted up the co-op cooking game and ruined my friendships. Through the first two games, and the dual-package game All You Can Eat, Overcooked has bee??n one of my go-to co-op party games for a while.

With the Birthday Update, it seems like there's some reason to bust that back out again. Team17 and Ghost Town Games are also allowing folks who are curious about Overcooked to get a free sample, as the entire game of Overcooked: All You Can Eat will be free to play on ?Steam, from Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. BST (1 p.m. ET) to Aug. 11? at 6 p.m. BST (1 p.m. ET).

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Jackbox Party Pack 8 fully confirmed

Jackbox! Oh how I want things to eventually settle down so people can saf??ely play it in a giant room to?gether, laughing and pointing fingers all the way.

Alas, it'll be a while before that happens, but Jackbox Games is forging ahead with a new iteration anyway. It's called, expectedly, The Jackbox Party Pack 8, a??nd it's no longer just a tease; it's a fully fledged revealed entry.

J??ackbox Games confirms that it? will have five games, like "every Party Pack," and will bring the "phones as controllers" concept back with no major changes. The first game will be announced "before the end of May," and the rest of the pack will be drip-fed "periodically over the next few months." Word Spud 2 is not fully confirmed as one of the five, but it's hinted at in the blog post.

It's slated to arrive "on major digital platforms" this fall. You ready for the laundry list of platforms that we can expect, based on where Jackbox Party Pack 7 launched? PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Apple TV/iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Mac, and Android. Major and minor platforms!

Although "fall" is the target, Jackbox?? is aiming for September, which is the "usual" goal.

Jackbox Party Pack 8 [Jackbox Games]

The post There’s going to be another Jackbox, and it’s aiming for a late 2021 release appeared first on Destructoid.

Two chicks at the same time

In today's contest, you can win Who Wants to be a Millionaire? for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, or Steam!

It's that time of year where sales are going on for everything you want. Also for everything everyone else wants. Essentially, people want things and you've only got a limited amount of money. Wouldn't it b??e nice to be rich?

Well, you can be, with a brand new copy of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?! I mean, not really, ??but yo??u can pretend in video game form!

You know the classic game show! I remember this thing was at the arc of its zeitgeist back when I was in middle school. We'd come into class, and our?? teacher would start each week asking who watched it, and used it as a jumping point for the lesson. What a world. RIP Regis. Anyway, for those of you who don't know, it's the iconic television game show where knowledge of random shit could win you up to one million doll?ars! Use your lifelines if you get stuck, or do like that IRS agent did all the way back in 2000 or whatever and call your mom and brag about how you're about to win a cool $1m. You know, whatever.

My wife and I have been playing this, and we're awful at it. Haven't banked any more than $1,000 on run, so you kn?ow,?? maybe we shouldn't go on TV with this one.

Enter ??to win by entering in the widget below. Be sure to specify your platform of choice, and ch?eck back in daily to earn additional entries. Click around for bonus entries!

We have five ??copies for each Switch (NA), PS4 (NA), Xbox One, and Steam. We'll draw winners this coming F?riday.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is available now for consoles and PC.

Contest: Win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ?for consoles and PC

The post Contest: Win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for consoles and? PC appeared first on Destructoid.

Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam

In today's contest you can win The Jackbox Party Pack 7 for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, or Steam!

Do you know Jack? I haven't known a Jack since middle school, and I'd like to keep it that way. But Jackbox? Yeah, that'?s fun! Who doesn't like fun party games?

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 just rolled out las?t week, so why not win yours??elf a free copy?

No fluff here -- Jackbox has been making excellent games for years now aimed at bringing friends and family together? using outlandish party games. The most recent iteration brings in five games to make everyone pee with glee, including:

• Quiplash 3, a head-to-head battle of wits as you write hilarious responses to quirky prompts while everyone else votes for their favorite! (3-8 players)
• The Devils and the Details, the collaborative chaos game where you’re a family of devils working together to survive in suburbia. Can you handle the daily torture of human life? (3-8 players)
• Champ’d Up, the drawing/fighting game where you create absurd characters who battle each other over unusual titles. Can you take down the heavy favorite? (3-8 players)
• Talking Points, the make-it-up-as-you-go public-speaking game. Give a speech while responding to picture slides you’ve never seen before or be the Assistant and approve pictures as fast as you can. Just keep talking whether it makes sense or not! (3-8 players)
• Blather ‘Round, the pop culture guessing game. Describe your secret person, place, or thing with a very limited vocabulary and hope that someone can figure it out in time. (2-6 players)

If I ever get any frie?nds, I'm definitely going to play this with them!

To enter to win your copy, use the widget below to leave your name and email address. You can enter daily. Do the other stuff in that there widget to earn mo?re that there entries. That there. We have two keys each for Switch (NA), PS4 (NA), Xbox One and Steam. We'll draw winners next Friday.

The Jackbox Party Box 7 is available now for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.

Contest: Win The Jackbox Party Pack 7 for PC o??r consoles

The post Contest: Win The Jackbox Party Pack 7?? for PC or consoles appeared first on Destructoid.

Something to distract you from 2020

Ah, here we are with another installment of The Jackbox Party Pack, the insanely popular virtual party game enterprise that takes every nerd’s house by storm each year - although perhaps it’s now more mainstream, as? my parents are starting to take part and there are now explicitly family-friendly settings and options!

So, withou?t further ado, I present this year’s games.

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 (Nintendo Switch [reviewed], PC,  Mac, PS4, Xbox One, iPad, Apple TV)
Developer: Jackbox Games Inc.
Publisher: Jackbox Games Inc.
Released: October 15, 2020
MSRP: $29.99

Quiplash 3

Quiplash is a tried-and-true Jackbox title, where players make up a response to a prompt and the audience votes on which response is funniest. It has always b??een, at least in my friends circle, the “cool down” game when people are still sobering up and don’t have the energy to do much else but rattle off a few funny words. Not much has really changed about this title, except a new final round where you name three things instead of one thing to laugh about.

Although Quiplash is not always my most favorite Jackbox game, I really enjoyed the jazzed up claymation background?s and 2020-relevant prompts which gave it a bit more personality this time around.

The Devils and the Details 

This was probably one of the more unique titles in the pack. The Devils and the Details has players assume various roles in a demonic family trying to assim??ilate into normal human culture. This is done through various human tasks which involve taking mini quizzes, random phone tapping games, and co-op missions like one player giving direc?tions while another “drives” the car.

Despite the catchy theme-song, this was a quirky property that could use some fine-tuning. The premise is not always clear in terms of what tasks need t??o be done, who is doing what, and who needs help -- all the while, your fellow family members can be off doing something selfish that hurts the team as a whole. Some of my friends found this one t??o be the most stressful as there are a million things going on, but for those who delight in multitasking and calling out others, it can be pretty fun.

Champ’d Up

The drawing games return with Champ’d Up, where players draw a champion based on a title they are given, and the champions go head-to-head with ?the audience participating and voting for who better matches the title.

Unfortunately, Champ’d Up was the only game I was not able to play, due to some server issues over launch weekend. I went a-Twitchin’ to watch a stream, but unfortunately even the host’s game ended up freezing in the middle of the game. It looked like an interesting concept and I’m glad that one of the Jackbox 7 games highlights drawing as the ?main element, but I hope they are able to fix the issues on thi??s one.

Talking Points

Talking Points is an improvisation game where each player c??hooses a subject from a list, and then has to deliver a live PowerPoint-style presentation on that prompt. The twist is that another player (the “Assista??nt”) is feeding the main player random slides, so making things up on the fly is not only hilarious, but necessary.

This one felt like they took what was wrong with a previous Jackbox improvisation game, Patently Stupid, and made it more accessible for those who struggle to make things up from scratch. I found Talking Points to be delightful in a group of friends who really love to improvise, however for those who are more shy? or who have a harder time doing things in-the-moment, it could be a little tougher. 

Blather 'Round 

Blather 'Round is a guessing game where the main player is given the name of a story, person, or thing?? and gives pre-set clues to other players for them to guess. The main player can pull from the other player’s guesses to give hints, but only in a certain, unorthodox fashion. For example, the word that I was trying to get others to guess was “Smokey Bear,” however I could only choose from a very strange list of words to send to the other players. I chose “Massive Creature” and eventually, “It prevents the situation” from a list of other similar words that other players had input and ones that were also fed from the game.

I found that Blather Round was probably my favorite of the bunch, as it was very accessible and took almost no time for us to start ?having fun. It was also challenging, compared to most guessing games, given the unique? structure around how clues are given.

Final thoughts

Overall, I thought this was a pretty solid Jackbox pack, if not one of my favorites. There were some issues with the Switch edition that I hope will be cleared up soon -- not just with Champ’d Up, but it also took quite a while for some of the other games to connect. Otherwise this was a really solid mix of games, with much more thought p?ut into the “personality” of each game (always love a good? theme song).

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game prov?ided by the publisher.]}

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Proteck ya long, hairy neck

In today's contest you can win wacky party game Alpaca Ball: Allstars for Switch!

The prophecy has been foretold! I covered Alpaca Ball: Allstars way back in the day because I'm a sucker for dumb games featuring animals. Since I'm a man of my word, I'm following up and giving away some Switch copies of this wacky little ditt??y. Who's in, and who's a turd who doesn't want a free game?

Alpaca Ball: Allstars is a goofy take on the rote sport of soccer, featuring alpacas! Use their long, weird necks to swing their heads ??into a ball, which will hopefully go int?o the goal. Or use their four legs and bodies to stop said ball from crossing your goal box! There's solo career play, co-op, and up to eight players via local multiplayer. Also, you can customize your animals with unlockable accessories.

I want an alpaca with one of those helicopte??r beanies. That'd be really cute, plus it'd be able to fly away!

To enter to win your copy, tell us which animals you'd use to battle the mighty alpaca on the pitch. Would you use a team of dusty armad??illos? Maybe some ornery alligators? Sexually aroused anteaters? What does that even mean?

We have five NA and three EU keys to give away -- make sure you specify your region in your comment. We'll draw winners next Wednesday. Please comment with a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. If you're new, sign up here to build a mighty team of animal footballers!

Alpaca Ball: Allstars is available now via the Switch eShop.

The post Contest: Win Alpaca Ball: Allstars for Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

The cooler version of Smash Bros.

I've been a fan of Super Smash Bros. since the original Nintendo 64 release way back in 1999. Ever since then I've wavered in and out of being obsessed with the game to dropping it completely at times (thank you tripping in Brawl). But as I've grown older and gotten more into indie games, I've always felt that there was an untapped market for taking the Smash Bros. concept and giving it an indie skin. It almost worked with Rivals of Aether, but the itch was still there. Enter Bounty Battle.

Bounty Battle looks to stay in the vein of party fighters with an eclectic cast of characters and unique fighting styles. The catch is that Bounty Battle will feature faces from popular indie games from the past decade. It's an exciting and extensi?ve list of games that ??the characters will be pulled from and there's sure to be something for everyone here.

The games include: Guacamelee!, Darkest Dungeon, Dead Cells, Awesomenauts, Nuclear Throne, Owlboy, Axiom Verge, SteamWorld Dig, Jotun, Battle Chasers Nightwar, Death’s Gambit, EITR, Super Comboman, Pankapu, Flinthook, Doko Roko, Tower of Samsara, Blubber Busters, Ruin of the Reckless, The Bug Butcher, Blasphemous, and Blocks That Matter.

I told you there was something for everyone! The real outlier and frankly stab in the gut for me in that lineup is EITR, which I'm still waiting on years after it was supposed? to be released. It's going to be interesting to see how the developers handle dealing with characters and playstyles that other developers created. It's a daunting task and one that I hope Dark Screen Games is up to.

Bounty Battle will release on September 10 for Switch, PlayStat??ion 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

The post The indie game party fighter Bounty Battle r?eleases next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Play as a banana with a boomerang

In today's contest you can win wacky multiplayer title Boomerang Fu!

I like bana??nas and avocados. I also like boomerangs and power-ups. Lastly, I like when all of these things are unceremoniously thrown together to make a strange, cute little video game. I'm extremely easy to please.

If you like all of these things, too, then you should check out Boomerang Fu. Most websites would tell you to just go buy it, but we here at Dtoid believe in at ???least giving you the chance to get it free!

In this competitive multiplayer jaunt, you'll select one of 12 feisty foods in their quest to eliminate all ??foes! Romp around 30+ arenas tossing your boomerang at your enemies -- one hit does the job, so be accurate. Once all players are eliminated, players move onto a new stage with new hazards, themes, and power-ups. And speaking up power-ups, players can stack up to three at a time to become the mo??st ferocious fruit of all time. Use upgrades such as ice boomerang, multiple shots, dash, and even portals to hurl instant death at your cute, cuddly little friends in three different game modes.

And at the end of th??e day, who doesn't want to be a boomerang-wielding banana? I do not want to associate with this person.

Use the widget below to enter to win; you can enter daily, so be sure to check b??ack to increase your odds of winning. Click around for ways t??o earn bonus entries -- just don't get your banana sliced in half.

We have 15 Switch and 15 Steam keys to give away; winners will be drawn Monday, August 24. Our keys are split across EG network sites PC Invasion and Nintendo Enthusiast, so give them ?a look sometime to chec?k out their great specialized content.

Boomerang Fu is available now for Switch and Steam.

Contest: Win Boomerang Fu for Switch or Steam

The post Contest: Win Boomerang Fu for Switch or Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm more of a winter guy, myself

In today's contest you can win Fall Guys for Steam!

Fall Guys has been on my radar for quite some time now -- how could it not?! It's a that perfect mix of MXC, Ninja Warrior, and pure spite that really just ticks off all my wants in a game. Hell, it's going to br??ing me out of my online multiplayer retirement! That's quite a feat.

I'll see ya around the arena after you've won a brand new Steam key for Fall Guys!

This colorful game show-esque competitive platformer sees players in charge of blobby little cuties called Fall Guys, who for no reason must complete ridiculous challenges in order to be the last one standing. Flavors of American Gladiators, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, and good old-fashioned Nickelodeon's GUTS combine to ??make this tasty little oddity destined for nonstop playthroughs.

And really, I can't say anything else th??at you don't already know -- just win a copy, already!

To enter, comment below telling us why you want to win. ??That's it! It can be as simp??le as, "I want this game, stupid," but we always appreciate long-winded diatribes.

We have 15 Steam keys to give away; we're doing a quick turnaround on this one, so we're giving keys out this weekend! We don't want to keep you from playing any longer than we have to. As always, comment using a Dtoid Disqus account, and sign up here to join if you haven't already.

Fall Guys is available now via Steam. Hit up PC Invasion for more chances to win!

The post Contest:?? Win Fall Guys: Ultimate Kn??ockout for Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Get your head in the game

If like many of us, you are still stuck indoors, but you have a few pals to hand, then maybe you should take a look at over-the-top party title Headsnatchers, which la??unches on PS4 next week, following on from its release on PC and Nintendo Switch back in the fall of 2019.

Developed by indie studio IguanaBee, Headsnatchers is a colorful and chaotic game for up to four players, which sees competitors brawling in a bid to steal?? each other's heads, before using said noggins in a variety of fashions to score points. These include using the purloined head as a bowling ball, a football, a hockey puck, a cannonball, or all manner of other options based on the stage selected.

Headsnatchers features four game modes and 25 distinct stages, as well as a single-player "Zombie Mode." There are o??ver 100 heads pre-built in-game, and a custom create so you can make the noodle you've always dreamed of from a catalogue of silly props and features before stepping back into the ring to knock your opponent's block off... literally!

Headsnatchers launches on PS4 July 28 and is available now o?n PC and Nintend??o Switch.

Headsnatchers for PS4 launches July 28 [Gematsu]

The post Goofy party g?ame Headsnatchers lands on ?PS4 next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Save the drama for a llama

I'm back on my st??upid-games-involving-animals bullshit, y'all. As a note to game developers, if you put alpacas, llamas, or p??retty much any animal into a game with little rhyme or reason, there's at least a 60% chance I'm going to cover it.

Austrian developer Salt Castle Studio fi??gured that out. They put alpacas in a party game revolv??ed around soccer, and well, here we are.

With Alpaca Ball: Allstars, what you see if what you get. It's a soccer party game starring customizable alpacas. It looks like there are some variations for hockey, American football, and volleyball in there, too. But instead of people playing soccer, it's alpacas. It's genius.

Speaking o?f genius, the presser we were sent has some next-level puns Look?? at this:

"Peru-ve yourself on the Picchu and win?? those Machus!"

I litera?lly cannot top that. I'm going to ?try, but I'm going to fail. Here's one:

"You're either gonna be mountin' a come-baaaaa-ck or alpaca-ing your baaaaags if you d?on't hoof it!"

Wasn't that terrible? My mother doesn't speak to me or r??ead my stuff, but I'm just praying they don't have internet in hell in case she stumbles across this.

Alpaca Ball: Allstars will hit Switch and Steam later this year.

Alpaca Ball: Allstars [Salt Castle Studio]

The post Rocket League is for suckers; Alpaca Ball is where it’s at appeared first on Destructoid.

Switch, Steam, and Xbox One keys up for grabs

In today's contest you can win wacky multiplayer game Grab Your Nuts for Switch, Xbox One, and Steam!

Here at Dtoid, we have a long-running history of genital-based humor and innuendo. It's why any time there's a game that throws in some crass crotch humor into its gameplay or title, I automatically take notice. It's a side effect of years of being on th??e site, for sure.

Save Your Nuts fits right into our storied history of junk-based lols, so grab your bonch and win a copy f?or yourself?!

In this multiplayer party game (oddly reminiscent of Rocket League) you objective is clear: Save your nuts and prevent the other players from messing with them. It's easy! You'll pick one of several cute critters to scurry around in three game modes across ten levels in nut-based mayhem. Each animal comes with a special power, and its ow?n customizations, so you can have a personalized nut-scapade as?? you dash, dig, and ding your way across each arena. With power-ups and environmental hazards, you and up to eight friends or AI bots can have fun all day in both local and online multiplayer madness.

Also, tons of nut jokes. Who doesn't love that?

To ente?r to win, use the widget below to leave your name and email address, and tell us which platform you'd like. You can enter daily. For bonus entries, follow the instructions in there so you can increase your odds of winning.

We have a bunch of keys to give away for Switch NA & EU, Xbox O??ne, and Steam across our network, so just make sure? you tell us which you want. Winners will be drawn Friday, April 24.

Save Your Nuts is available now on Switch, Steam, and Xbox One.

Contest: Grab your nuts and don't let go in wacky?? party game Save Your Nuts

The post Contest: Grab your nuts and don’t let go in wacky party game Save Your Nuts appeared first on Destructoid.

With a little bit of Transformers for good measure

In today's contest, you can win a Steam copy of wacky car-party game Thunder Rally!

If you enjoy games like Destruction Derby, Carmageddon, or Mario Party, you're in luck! Thunder Rally is a little bit of those, plus an aren?a fighter, all thrown into one chaotic, violen??t little package.

Read all about it and comment below for your chance to win? a Steam Early Access copy of this u??nique little gem.

This is straight from the horse[power]'s mouth!

Thunder Rally is a chaotic demolition derby party game with crazy physics and nonstop explosions. Knock your enemies out of their cars and run them over, use outrageous power-ups, avoid hazardous environments, and d?odge the explosive barrels launched by your fallen foes.

With up to eight local players, the rounds are quick, violent, and usually comical?? with powerups and stage hazards taking cars and drivers out quickly. As soon as a driver dies, they return as a catapult loaded with explosive barrels. This keeps the gameplay quick, keeps all players involved, and continually ramps up t??he insanity each round.

Game Features

• Up to 8 players locally
• Add up to 7 ruthless CPUs for intense single player action
• 21 hazard packed levels
• 13 hilarious and deadly power-ups

Yep, there's a little bit of Bomberman in here, too. It looks like a great, fren?etic time??!

To enter to win your copy, comment below telling us your favorite party game. It can be a video game, like Rock Band (my go-to), a board game (Sorry! is my jam), or something more traditional like charades. Remember Pictionary? I love that one, too. I can't draw for shit, but it'?s fun to try!

We've got five Steam Early Access keys to give away; winners will be drawn Friday, April 17. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. If you're new, create an account here to join the party!

Thunder Rally is available now on Steam Early Access. Hit up PC Invasion for more chances to win a copy!

The post Contest: Destruction Derby ??meets Mario Party in frantic party game Thunder Rally appeared first on Destructoid.

One more for the road (to Hell)

Switch owners will soon have the opportunity to get blammo in the underworld, as Night School Studios' acerbic adventure game Afterparty comes staggering onto the Nintendo platform later this week??.

Released on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in October, Afterparty is the story of two friends, Lola and Milo, who find a fun night out interrupted ??by an unfortunate bout of death. Now awaiting registration in the bow?els of hell, our world-weary young heroes discover that they can actually escape their grim fate and get back above ground, but only provided they can out-drink the underworld's most notorious party animal: Satan.

Thus begins what is essentially one long night of bar-hopping, slurred conversation, cocktail-mixing, mini-game mastering and, surprisingly, a helluva lot of self-reflection. Afterparty is a very dialogue-heavy title, with almost?????????????????????????? persistent conversation as Milo and Lola meet the inhabitants of Hell, while introspectively wondering what led them to be consigned to the room downstairs in the first place.

I personally found Afterparty a mostly positive experience, featuring excellent performances, varying humour, and some smart and stylish ideas. The PS4 port initially suffered some gnarly technical issues, which hopefully won't be at play here in the Switch port. You can check out my full review right here.

Afterparty is avail?able now on PS4,? PC and Xbox One and launches on Nintendo Switch March 6.

The post Afterparty brings its devil drinkin’ cynicism to Switch March 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

'To major digital platforms'

It's still crazy to think that those irreverent quiz games I played as a kid, You Don't Know Jack, are back and bigger than ever.

Flipping through Jackbox Party Packs when company is over (whether they dig video games or not) is now a staple in several households I ?fr??equent, including my own. Now we'll have a seventh version to add to that lineup.

Announced by way of their official site, Jackbox Games is creating Jackbox Party Pack 7, which is due out later this year. It'll host five games, and will launch on "the same platforms" as Jackbox 6, which includes PC (Steam, Humble, Fanatical, Epic Games), PS4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast XFinity and Android TV. Odds are you have one of those devices!

The developer says this is all t??he info they're sharing, but will ?dole out more "in the coming months," which likely translates to which games are returning and being iterated upon, and which games are brand new.

We're making the Jackbox Party Pack 7 [Jackbox Games]

The post The good times with Jackbox will keep rolling: Jackbox Party? Pack 7 is comin??g later this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Twice the magic. And free games.

We've got a double-dipper in today's contest: Win either Marooners or Crash Drive 2 for Switch!

What??'s better than a contest featuring a free game? A contest featuring two free games! Duh.

We've outdone ourselves on this one -- we're giving away Switch copies of party games Marooners and Crash Drive 2 so you can have fun with your friends, family, neighbors, garbage men, and possibly eve??n your local elected representatives. Look, I don't really care who you play with, just come win some free games, ok?

First up is Marooners! This party game sees you and up to five friends, offline or online, battling it out in wacky island-based mini?games. Duke it out with customizable characters with over 75 wea??pons as you hop back and forth between maps and game types in a chaotic battle for island supremacy. Just don't blame us if you wind up relaxing too hard.

Next is Crash Drive 2! This multiplayer car racing game features not only traditional point-A-to-point-B races, but also battle modes, territory control, and more. Unlock over 30 cars and cus??tomization options and upgrade your car to take out your friends. Fire trucks, battle buggies, ambulances, and more await in this cartoony racing game.

Two is always better than one. Except i??f it's a yeast infection. You probably only want one o??f those.

So, we're giving away two games tod?ay! Use the widget to leave your name and email address, and specify which game you'd like to win, and for which region. You can enter daily. Click around in the widget for ways to rack up bonus entries.

We have three NA and two EU keys for each game to give away; keys are split between Dtoid and our sister site, Nintendo Enthusiast. Winners will be drawn Tuesday, February 25.

Marooners and Crash Drive 2 are available now on the Switch eShop.

Contest: Win either Marooners or Crash ??2 ??Drive for Switch in this contest double threat

The post Contest: Win eit??her Marooners or Crash Drive 2 for Switch in this contest double threat appeared first on Destructoid.

I nominate this as The Official Sport of Destructoid

In today's contest, we're giving away copies of wacky and weird multiplayer game Toasterball!

You guys know h?ow much I love weird stuff. I don't have to keep telling you -- but you can bet your sweet ass I won't stop. Today's prey is a nice lit??tle treat that falls perfectly in line with that mantra!

Toasterball is a party game where you hit a ball back and forth. Using toasters. And also the toast. This is great, and I'm not even going to say any more about it. We've got some Steam Early Access keys to give away, so just shut up and win ??one!

I've already said all I'm going to on the matter -- you?? bounce a ball back and forth using toasters. You ??can score against the other team if their toaster isn't up to snuff. You can either play for the Burners or the Defrosters, and can select different toasters with their own personalities. There will be mini-games once it fully releases, too! Yay!

Honestly, if you're reading this article and don't?? think this sounds like the perfect game to become Destructoid's Official Sport, then maybe you should rethink some things.

So, that's how you enter to win -- either agree with me in declaring Toasterball the official site esport, or come up with a suitable alternative. Nay, a better a?lternative. Ya gotta make this one a doozy, folks. It's up against some ??real stiff competition.

We've got 10 Steam Early Access keys to give away; winners will be drawn Tuesday, January 21. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. Don't have a Dtoid account? Create one here to prove how right I am at this kind of thing.

Toasterball is available in Steam Early Access with a full release expected this summer. Head over to our sister site, PC Invasion, for more chances to score a copy!

The post Contest: P?ong and a KitchenAid made l??ove, birthed TOASTERBALL appeared first on Destructoid.

To Hell and Back

(Update: Afterparty?? received a new trailer during PlayStation's State of P??lay presentation yesterday. You can check out the newest video below.)

Night School Studio's bender from hell Afterparty will crack? open the beers exactly one m??onth from the now. The upcoming indie adventure will launch October 23 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via Epic Games Store.

Afterparty is the tale of two friends, Milo and Lola, whose good time goes a little awry after they find themselves dead and staring into the mouth of H??ell. Sounds like a rough weekend. Once there, however, the duo decides that the night is still young, and embark on an all-new jaunt through the town of Nowhere, where they continue to meet new people, play games, engage in slurred conversation and, of course, drink.

In Afterparty, players will journey through a stylised, comic-book iteration of oblivion, whilst dialogue and cutscenes drip-feed the back story of our heroes' fate. Choices of drink, dialogue and activiti??es will?? alter Milo and Lola's abilities, also affecting their relationships with the various denizens of the underworld. Can you drink the big guy under the table and return to the land of the living? Or are you damned to eternity in a dive bar? Either way, it'll make for one helluva Halloween.

Afterparty launches on Octo??ber 23 for PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

The post (Update) Afterparty will have you drinkin’ with the devil on October 29 appeared first on Destructoid.

Ashes Cricket, yes!

Xbox Game Pass is set to receive quite the collection of games next month. Coming from practically every genre imaginable, subscribers to Microsoft's service will have a chance to play Ashes Cricket for free, among oth?ers. That's worth the price of 10 years of subs.

In all honesty, though, I'm a bit confused at what is on offer. The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is excellent and Downwell is an indie classic, but everything else seems so random. I know the point of Game Pass is to introduce gamers to titles they'd likely never experience, but this almost com?es off as Microsoft throwing darts blindly at a chart.

However they were chosen, you certainly won't be hurting fo?r new games to play next month. You can find the full list and dates for each new title below.

August 1

• Ashes Cricket (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Game Pass Ultimate)
• Pandemic (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Game Pass Ultimate)
• Downwell (Game Pass for PC, Game Pass Ultimate)

August 8

• The Jackbox Party Pack 2 (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Game Pass Ultimate)
• Space Hulk: Tactics (Game Pass for PC, Game Pass Ultimate)

August 14

• Slay the Spire (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Game Pass for PC, Game Pass Ultimate)

Coming Soon To Xbox Game Pass: Downwell, Slay The Spire, Pandemic, And More [Major Nelson]

The post Game Pass is getting some ve??ry eclectic additions in August appeared first on Destructoid.

If baseball mascots are furries does that mean Ballhead is Raptor's fursona?

Like a deconstruction of a shonen protagonist, I admire the spirit of competition, but I'm much more of a casual than a hardcore player. I get a thrill from trying to climb up leaderboards and learning new things about the online versus games I enjoy. But I’m always too intimidated to, for example, attempt to reach a silver rank in Street Fighter V. I never thought to invest that much time and energy?? into traditional competitive games when I had it.

I generally prefer competing in party games even though they don't have t??he same edge to them because my losses aren't so discouraging. There’s something about most competitive games that makes me feel like it’s not worth playing them unless I'm as dedicated as the players who keep curb-stompin??g me. It'd be fun to develop those skills, but my interests and passions are already spread across so many games, I doubt that trade-off is worth it for someone like me.

These conflicting interests are a big reason why I want fighting games to?? ha??ve better single-player modes alongside robust online competitive scenes. But I've never found a game that satisfies both with just its online play... until Lethal League Blaze’s Switch launch two weeks ago. It ain’t a perfect port (I will keep beating the Switch Online dead horse even though I just bought three months of Switch Online for this game) yet it's a thrilling game with a high? skill ceiling that always leaves me excited for another go. Technical flaws aside, i??t’s the closest thing I’ve ever played to my dream online experience as a competitive casual.

It’d be hard for any game to cater to both casual and competitive play without an easy-to-?learn, hard-to-master learning curve. Even though you are fighting other players, your attacks only interact with the ball. Once you hit the ball, it deals damage to anyone else it touches unless they hit it back. Thus you remain focused on the ball throughout t?he entire match, which is much less demanding than, say, memorizing frame data and planning out fighting moves like real-time chess.

The bare essentials of Lethal League are almost as simple as Pong. You hit the ball, aim it to surprise your opponents, and avoid taking a 200+ MPH gravity drive to the face. Blaze&??rsquo;s advanced techniques are similarly straightforward, adding different ways to manipulate the ball’s movement or punish hasty? opponents.

As the ball reaches higher speeds, timing your hits becomes less a dexterity game and more of a rhythm game but with more explosions. If you don’t hit that supersonic ball back quickly enough, it could ricochet in a half-dozen different directions, and it becomes much more difficult to time your counterattack. If you try to hit that supersonic ball back too quickly,?? its holder can easily parry y??our hit and smash your face.

The longer a volley continues, the more precise timing and positioning the ball demands, and the more damage it inflicts. Once the ball reaches maximum speed, each subsequent hit becomes an impressive feat in itself, punctuated by deafening rumbles and violent tremors. Those explosions are only interrupted by bunts, throws, and special a?ttacks that ca??n toss your rhythm into the dumpster if you don’t keep your wits sharp. Snatching victory from these intense moments is exciting, but I won't win a Nobel Peace Prize for telling you that consistently winning feels great.

And yet my losse??s somehow leave me just as delighte??d. Even losing at other party games usually leaves me feeling indifferent rather than consistently enthusiastic for another shot at victory. At the end of a high-speed volley, even if I got ended, I feel bewilderment and awe. How did they hit the ball back while it was bouncing everywhere at blinding speeds? How did they pull off that bunt-smash combo? I applaud after my biggest losses, which would be a much more meaningful gesture if I didn't always play alone in my living room without a mic.

What frustrates me most about losing in traditional fighting games is feeling like I can't play at all. Not just being stuck in a long combo, but the notion that I cannot advance, be still, or even retreat and recollect my thoughts without my every decision bei??ng severely punished and immobilized by my opponent. To be fair, this looming threat of punishment makes high-level fighting gameplay especially intense. But from a casual's perspective, unless I can play with friends at a simila??r skill level, that extremely harsh online environment bars casual prospects from playing the same game.

In Blaze, nothing immobilizes you except for losing a stock and waiting for the round to end so you can respawn. Not only is Blaze simple enough that I can easily? understand what my mistake was when I get KO’d, waiting for my?? respawn gives me the time to reflect instead of panicking, button-mashing to escape, and getting frustrated at myself as a result.

Blaze’s fights get me so pumped regardless of their outcomes that I’m hungrier than I’ve ever been to rise in the rankings. Unfortunately, I’m still hungry because Blaze doesn’t have ranked matches; only quick matches and lobbies. Like many online versus games, players gain arbitrary EXP and level up for playing and winning matches. I'm still uncertain whether this affects matchmaking, but my opponents consistently demonstrated similarly advanced techniques as ?what I was using and learning. At the very least, whatever matchmaking algorithms are in place push me against gradually harder opponents.

Despite how I can tell m?y skills have improved over time, I’d be arrogant to claim that my victories were 100% my own. Random power-ups spawn during every match, and while most of them can be stolen and turned back on whoever first gets them, many can easily give the round to whoever calls dibs first. Even so, they sp??awn infrequently enough that they’ve only impacted about 10 % to 20% of my online matches. I’m down with the variety they add, but I do wish I had the option to turn them off for random matchmaking.

Multiplayer free-for-alls are considered another common culprit of Party Game Shenanigans™, but even though most of my online matches were 3-to-4 player matches, I felt they were just as fair as duels. Because you primarily interact with the ball or whoever’s touching it, playing with additional p?layers doesn’t make everyone gang up on the biggest threat. That ball doesn’t discriminate. Once it activates The World, it can take down three opponents about? as easily as one.

The most confusing that free-for-alls get is when players dogpile on a slow-moving ball, which deals chip damage at its worst. By the time its speed becomes dangerous, hits have so much wind-up that I never have to ask what's happening. Rather, these pauses enable me to think about what is going to happen and what I will do in response. Blaze’s most critical moments eliminate the frustration of not knowing why I’m losing, always inviting me to do better next time. And then I do better next time, and trade NICEs and BRING ITs w??ith my opponents befo?re I smash their faces in again.

Lethal League Blaze might be much simpler than the likes of the high-level competitive play I’ve long admired. But its low barrier to entry, boisterous gameplay mechanics, and high-stakes showdowns make both my wins and my losses feel as rewarding as I’ve always wanted out of such games. If you’re in the same very weirdly specific niche as I where you love to compete, but only in the friendly way like current generation Pokémon rival characters, I strongly recommend Lethal League Blaze.

Oh, and ??if you're reading this, Inquisitive Ravenclaw? I'm waiting for our match. Bring it.

The post Lethal League Blaze excites the competitive ?casual in me appeared first on Destructoid.

New chefs: Vampire, Ghost, Werewolf, and the Boxhead (from the first game)

Overcooked 2 has gotten a lot of DLC so far. since its August 2018 launch. Some of it has been free (seasonal levels), some is paid (Surf 'n' Turf, Campfire? Cook Off, a chef?? pack), and now there's another one on the way: the cleverly titled "Night of the Hangry Horde."

While most of the info on the pack has been under lock and key, Ghost Town Games made an appearance at E3 this year during Nintendo's Treehouse segment to give us a look at what's to come. As you might imagine the DLC is horror-themed, and a new mechanic has been introduced: the guillotine. It basically serves the same function as a cutting board, but it's done automatically, req?uiring a bit more coordination and speed.

There's also a brand new gametype: horde mode. It involves the return of the Unbread from the core story line, and instead of casually making food for hungry customers, you'll be fending off angry zombies to keep them at bay. It'll also sport? new chef characters: a Vampire, Ghost, Werewolf, and the Boxhead chef. As a developer noted in the stream, he was one of the most-requested characters that folks wanted to see? return from the original game.

It's amazing how Ghost Town Games keeps coming up with new ideas after all this time (and with a sequel no less), but they're doing it! Night of the Hangry Horde is actually out today.

The post New Overcooked 2 DLC ‘Night of the Hangry Horde’ detailed at E3, horde mode unveiled appeared first on Destructoid.

I still don't know what a Havocado is

Get in on the zany action in today's contest for a Steam copy of Havocado!

I'll stop giving away weird games when I stop ?being interested in weird games. I have a problem, after all. So what better way to fix that problem than to exacerbate it?

You'll remember this one from my very first Getting Weird with Wes feature. Now you can get your hands on strange party game Havocado and give it a spin for yourself!

There is scant little information on Havocado -- I think that's because it speaks for itself. We're looking at a four-player arena party game where the physics are weird, and the weapons are weirder. You'll flop your amorphous blob of a character all over the arena, picking up guns and sticks to shoot and whack your opponents. But, what's this?! Sharks eating you, and cars ru??nning you over, and giant squid slapping you around while you ??do it?! Yes. Oh, yes.

Also, there are vehicles, but why shoot your opponents point-blank with a tank when you can all writhe in confusing ecstacy in front of a couple of giant aquatic creatures? I'm both confused and ecstatic, so that's how you know it works. Thanks, Havocado!

Also I'm using this photo again. Not?????????????????????????? that it turns me on or anything. Just because I like it. T??hat's all.

To enter to win, tell us what the hell a havocado is. I? really have no clue, so it's up to you to solve the infernal mystery which has plagued humanity for centuries. Or a couple of weeks since it was announced. E?ither way.

We have five Steam Early Access keys to give away. Winners will be drawn on May 17. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New users can sign up here to define this strange, perplexing concept!

Havocado is an Early Access title you can play now. Check out PC Invasion for more chances to win a key!

The post Contest: Win a Steam Early Access copy of Havoca?do appeared first on Destructoid.

The quack attack is back, Jack

Flock to today's contest for your chance to win a Switch copy of Duck Game!

Are you ready to win more games starring ducks?! Lord knows I'm ready to give 'em out! Keen-eyed readers will recognize this pattern I have of giving these away, so why go against my nature? I love ducks. I'm going to make you love ducks, t??o??o.

The offal onslaught continues with Duck Game, competitive ?multiplayer duck-'em-up from Adult Swim? Games! Come win a Switch copy!

The year is 1984. I am -3 years old. You are alive. And you are a duck. And you must compete against other ducks in arenas for fame and glory. And for survival. Welcome to Duck Game, where you'll use a ridiculous amount of weapons to burn a ridiculous amount of feathers. One hit kills: A bullet from a gun, a blade of a saw, or a very hard whack from a saxophone c?ould send you to ducky heaven, so keep your head above water!

Here are some game features:

• Battles with up to 4 DUCKS in Online Play, Local Couch Combat or Local Wireless
• Learn to DESTROY in Single Player Challenge Mode
• Countless weapons and levels - including new levels FIRST on Nintendo Switch!
• Create and share YOUR levels with the Map editor
• The ONLY competitive game on Nintendo Switch with QUACKING

Join the duck revolution with me.

To enter to win, quack.

We have ten NA Switch keys to give out. Winners will be drawn Monday, May 13. Make sure to quack using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New users can sign up here to quack!

Duck Game is available now for Nintendo Switch. Head over to Nintendo Enthusiast for more chances to win.

The post Contest: Whack out ??with your quack out in Duck Game for Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

(Don't) Let the beat drop

Indie outfit Bezerk Studios has announced that their beat-heavy rhythm action game, Just Shapes & Beats,?? is coming t??o PS4 later this week in an all-new "Hardcore Edition".

Launching on PC and Nintendo Switch a little under a year ago, Just Shapes & Beats is a simple, but delightfully addictive title which challenges players to "survive" a series of complex chiptu??ne tracks, with instruments, bass lines and other sonic elements represented on-screen by shapes, lines and waves, which attack the play??er's on-screen craft in repetitive patterns.

Just Shapes & Beats is primed? to be played as a party game, with drop-in drop-out multiplayer modes and hypnotic and colourful visuals to light up any lounge-based bash?. There's also online play and a strange and abstract story mode if, like me, you don't get invited to parties or have many friends.

The "Hardcore Edition" will include a new, tougher difficulty option. In fact, according to Bezerk's Mike Ducarme "Every stage has been redesigned... to give you a whole new experience that will make even seasoned Souls-like players weep, longing for their mother&r??squo;s warm embrace". Them's fightin' words, Ducarme.

Just Shapes & Beats: Hardcore Edition launches on PS4 May 10. The original release is available ?now on PC and Ni??ntendo Switch.

The post Just Shapes & Beats: Hardcore Edition brings the bass to PS4 this week appeared first on Destructoid.