The Jackbox Survey Scramble gets bigger with two new modes | Hands-on impressions

Having been given early access to two brand new game modes for the recently released Jackbox Survey Scramble, I’m delighted to report that both are more than worthy additions to what is an already fun-packed title.

Dash is a track based title, with players moving forward space by space based on choosing the most popular answer within the chosen genre, be it popular baby names, celebrity crushes, or things that you’d rather not touch. For those feeling particularly cocky, you can double down on your choice for extra progress toward the finish line or, as I may or may not have done repeatedly, fail miserably and be taken back a couple of spaces, putting you firmly in your place as opponents race ahead, leaving you considering your life choices once again. All is not lost for those at the back of the pack as decoy answers can be invoked on the screens of other competitors to throw them off and allow you to catch up. It’s an interesting take on the top answer genre, allowing players to directly take control of their fate.

In contrast, Dares forces players to directly control their opponents answers, forcing them to choose a higher or lower result from the hundreds on offer. Tactical play is rewarded here based on previous answers. Choosing a top fifty answer might seem more than do-able but choosing a result in the lowest 30 from a list of 200 is just as daunting as it sounds. Get it right though and you’ll soon be racking up a high score to taunt your frenemies. Chosen a top score? Then why not force the next player to choose a top four disliked foodstuff, y’know, really put the squeeze on them! It’s based on the same game that you know and love but now adds just a smidgen of vindictive play for a little extra spice.

All in all, these are both enthralling takes on the base game and shortly be available as a free update for all. If you’ve not yet tried out the game, it’s a fantastic bit of family fun that I highly recommend, and for those that have previously sampled it’s pleasures, it’s an excuse to jump back in, laughing and arguing once more.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble is out now for PC and consoles.