You Don't Know Jack

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 7 out of 23
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  1. ArcticZombie
    Nov 18, 2011
    8
    Awesome party game. If you got 1-3 other friends who can join you, you'll be in for some laughs. It's a trivia game where the questions are either worded or presented in hilarious ways. There's enough questions here to keep you busy for weeks. And if you finish, there's 5 "Jack-Packs" available on the network (for a fee). It's a cheap game, and it shows in its menus and bare-bonesAwesome party game. If you got 1-3 other friends who can join you, you'll be in for some laughs. It's a trivia game where the questions are either worded or presented in hilarious ways. There's enough questions here to keep you busy for weeks. And if you finish, there's 5 "Jack-Packs" available on the network (for a fee). It's a cheap game, and it shows in its menus and bare-bones options. But if you're looking for an affordable, fun time with friends (or online) You Don't Know Jack should satisfy.… Expand
  2. solutions10
    Sep 10, 2011
    10
    I was very hesitant to get this game, and wouldn't have if I wasn't stuck at home for three weeks. Owning nearly all of the previous YDKJ games on the PC, I've always been a huge fan, and it was the game of choice in my dorm room with friends. Upon hearing of a console release with a four-player limit, episodic format (which I remember from The Ride), and some altered mechanics to makeI was very hesitant to get this game, and wouldn't have if I wasn't stuck at home for three weeks. Owning nearly all of the previous YDKJ games on the PC, I've always been a huge fan, and it was the game of choice in my dorm room with friends. Upon hearing of a console release with a four-player limit, episodic format (which I remember from The Ride), and some altered mechanics to make things more fair, I had a very good feeling for this version. However, I was turned off hardcore upon discovering that the Jack Attack was based on the flash version of the game (Huh?) and that there were no gibberish questions, one of my favorite things in the previous games. I can understand not having gibberish questions in a console game, since there's no keyboard, and typing in answers would take forever, and I'll let that slide. So let's run down the list of things that are important here. One, the episodic format, which you likely remember from The Ride more than anything else, is *not* based on themes. In The Ride, every "episode" had a certain theme, like alcohol, or the government, or celebrities, or something like that. It wasn't a perfect system because right off the bat you'd know who'd have the advantage in the episode. For instance, if the episode was about computers, and one of you is a computer technician while another is a political science major with little computer experience, you know right away who's going to win. So, while this is avoided since each episode has no specific theme, it's still misleading to call these things "episodes" when the questions have virtually no connection. Perhaps the biggest change, though, is the way questions are answered, which is vastly different from any other YDKJ game. First of all, all players can answer, rather than a single player buzzing in and earning the prize. It's conceivable that every single person can get the answer right, and there is no special bonus for being the first to answer. Instead, how much money you get from a question isn't based on the question itself; all questions are worth an equal amount of money (doubled in round two), and the amount you get decreases as the clock runs down. It's very simple: If you buzz in with 14 seconds left, you get $1400, or $2800 if it's round two. Buzz in with two seconds left, and you get $200. All multiple-choice questions have an identical value, sans special rounds. This system actually tends to work, especially for wireless controllers, because if only one person buzzed in and answered, that person might just have the advantage of being closer to the TV, or being wired. It's arguably a nice new mechanic that helps ease the game along. The Dis-Or-Dats have also been changed somewhat. In previous versions, there was nothing complicated about them: You had two or three choices for each word or phrase, and you picked the right one to earn money, or picked the wrong one to lose it. This version makes things a little more complicated. First, the amount of money you earn is largely based on how quickly you can answer all the items correctly, and the time left afterward is a bonus in addition to the regular value of the items. The second thing is that other players no longer totally sit out in this round, and now have a role to play. If the main player of the Dis-Or-Dat gets an item wrong, and other players buzz in the correct answer *before* the main player answers, they will all share the money earned, which is considered a "steal". It's great that there is now an opportunity for other players to join in the Dis-Or-Dats, rather than having all but one player sit out completely.

    However, not everything here is perfect. Let's just get this out of the way: the flash version of the Jack Attack just isn't as good as the ones that came before it. In fact, it seemed like the Jack Attacks got progressively worse as time went on, and were made less and less intense. And here, we have, in my opinion, the least likable Jack Attack created. It's very busy, not particularly tension-building, and just noisy, but not in a good way. I would have vastly preferred an earlier version of the Jack Attack, maybe even the original, or The Ride. There's also one other really, really huge problem with the Jack Attack: Whereas most games before this one had answers worth $2k each, this one does them at an unreal $4k each, which is simply not right. Keep in mind that questions are all fixed in value, and all things considered, $4k is an obscene amount of money. You can understand, then, that you can absolutely suck at the main game, but come back and win in the Jack Attack. At some point, you just have to draw the line on how much of a game-breaker a Jack Attack can be. One unlucky category and all your hard work goes down the drain. So, some things are lacking, and some things work. Is it worth it? Sure.    … Expand
  3. magcakpro
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    While still as fun as the old cram around a keyboard action of the originals, it lacks re-playability. It is far too easy to memorize episodes, and the DLC is too expensive. $10.00 for only 5 more episodes?
  4. Marcopodomus
    Mar 2, 2011
    9
    Simple questions asked in a way that will make you really think about your answer. In fact every episode has a wrong answer that is worth more then any correct answer in the game.
    If you enjoy trivia and/or loved the original game as I did... for an MSRP of $29.99 there is no reason not to get this remastered 1995 classic...
  5. diminisk
    Feb 16, 2011
    10
    Basically, if you loved the original YDKJ, you'll love this new one. It doesn't quite replicate the original, as Impossible Questions are missing, games are only ten questions (+ Jack Attack) long, and answering is tweaked so that everyone's in on every question (this is a change that's probably for the better).

    But Cookie's there, the sense of humor that's at least charming even when    Basically, if you loved the original YDKJ, you'll love this new one. It doesn't quite replicate the original, as Impossible Questions are missing, games are only ten questions (+ Jack Attack) long, and answering is tweaked so that everyone's in on every question (this is a change that's probably for the better).

    But Cookie's there, the sense of humor that's at least charming even when you're rolling your eyes is there, and best of all, the well-written questions that require a combination of critical thinking and trivia knowledge are there. There's a set number of games, but there's enough that you won't run out any time soon (I've had at least 4 trivia party nights with it so far and I'm less than halfway through them all), plus there'll be DLC games down the road to keep the game going.

    I was worried I wouldn't like it as much as I remember loving the original as a kid-- I'm very glad my fears were unfounded.    … Expand
  6. stewiegrffin007
    Feb 9, 2011
    10
    YDKJ returns with flying colors. If you haven't ever heard of You Don't Know Jack, you're in for a real treat. The game combines witty humor combining general and pop-culture knowledge into something challenging yet hilarious. The writing really shines here and the host/cast really work the content. I often found myself laughing so hard I couldn't read the question. Great for lonely gamersYDKJ returns with flying colors. If you haven't ever heard of You Don't Know Jack, you're in for a real treat. The game combines witty humor combining general and pop-culture knowledge into something challenging yet hilarious. The writing really shines here and the host/cast really work the content. I often found myself laughing so hard I couldn't read the question. Great for lonely gamers and party-ers alike. And best of all, it's only 30 smackers. You won't be disappointed.… Expand
  7. EMelo01
    Feb 9, 2011
    8
    This game is great for a group of friends. YDKJ has always been one of the best trivia games of all time, so its not a surprise how funny and challenging the remake is! It definitely lives up to its original and for the price, you cant go wrong.
  8. Marcopodomus
    Mar 2, 2011
    9
    Simple questions asked in a way that will make you really think about your answer. In fact every episode has a wrong answer that is worth more then any correct answer in the game.
    If you enjoy trivia and/or loved the original game as I did... for an MSRP of $29.99 there is no reason not to get this remastered 1995 classic...

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Best PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Gaming Age
    Mar 14, 2011
    67
    Even with 73 episodes and online play, the $30 price tag still seems a little steep especially with how the game is structured and the relative lack of customization or options. Fans may want to check it out though.
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  2. Cheat Code Central
    Feb 16, 2011
    84
    The essence of You Don't Know Jack is playing with friends, having fun, and getting a good laugh. The little changes of gameplay in comparison to other entries, especially the ability to allow everyone to answer a question, make for a better experience.
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  3. Video Game Talk
    Feb 14, 2011
    80
    In any case, You Don't Know Jack is an excellent choice for parties or simply those looking for a great trivia challenge with a liberal dose of silly humor.
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