For this critical play, I have chosen to play Quiplash 2 from the Jackbox Party Pack 3. Quiplash 2 is a simple game where players write humorous answers to a given prompt, which will be judged against another player’s answers by other players (and audience if applicable). The game can be hosted on a variety of platforms, including most PC and console platforms and can be bought through Steam or any respective console store. As the game is easy to pick up and have fun with, Quiplash 2 appeals a wide variety of players, but the game’s target audience would be teenagers to young adults as using and creating new inside jokes would be most applicable. Overall, I argue that Quiplash 2 incorporates judging by using it as a motivation to add to a collective humor among players, ultimately strengthening bonds between players in a group.
The judging aspect of Quiplash 2 adds more complexity to the game over only crafting a funny response alone. Because the judging process is open and players can see who each other voted for, the key lies in understanding what the judges may seem comedic or funny. The game’s inclusive mechanics allow for a diverse range of humor, ensuring that all players feel involved and valued. This system motivates all players to go beyond what they deem as just “funny” to themselves, but to others as well. This could involve weaving in inside jokes, referencing shared experiences, or tapping into some particular brand of humor that resonates with the group. The interactive nature of the game encourages players to be engaged in the amusement, generating connections and friendships.
For example, when I was playing the game with my friends, one of the prompts was “The name of a bar with no bathrooms” and I said “The Sticky Floor”, which I thought more people would find hilarious. However, this was not the case as the vote was split 25/75, as most of the judges thought that bars already had sticky floors and only my girlfriend understood what I meant and finding the response quite funny. As such, Quiplash 2 strengthens social bonds by creating new funny memories off some common ground generated by the creative process of this game.
In addition, the judging system creates a fun rivalry where players try to outwit each other to create a new joke that others will remember as an inside joke in the future. This friendly competition causes all players to be invested in seeing their answer being the funniest in front of others. Ultimately, the heart of Quiplash 2 lies in creating a new shared experience of comedy and laughter. As players collectively judge the hilarious and sometimes hilariously bad responses, they create a sense of camaraderie, strengthening bonds and creating a memorable social experience.
In conclusion, Quiplash 2 is definitely successful in incorporating judging in order to build and strengthen social bonds through humorous shared experiences. Through its interactive gameplay, the game fosters humorous and memorable experiences while cultivating a positive atmosphere for players to get to know each other. As such, Quiplash 2 stands as a testament to the power of humor in bringing people together and enriching their lives with laughter and friendship.
