Conceptual illustration of a shared host screen and phone controllers. This is not a game screenshot. Illustration: MacDigest.
The Jackbox Party Pack 12 is now available for Mac through Steam at US$29.99. Before buying for a quiet night with one friend, check the lineup: only two of its five games support two players.
Two players get two games
Idol Factions, a team trivia game, and Debate and Switch, a game of improvised arguments, each support two to eight players. We Forgot a Card, MegaPals and Hyperface require three to eight. Adding one more person therefore opens the full pack; eight remains the maximum number of active players in each game.
The five games cover trivia, debating, greeting-card jokes, word associations and photo editing. Hyperface lets players use stock images instead of taking selfies, a useful option for anyone who would rather keep their own face out of a round.
One Mac hosts the room
Only the host needs to own and install the pack. Everyone joins jackbox.tv in a phone or other device’s browser, enters the room code, and uses that device as a controller. All players also need to see the host’s screen; remote groups can use screen sharing.
The advertised audience capacity of up to 10,000 is separate from the active-player limits. It does not turn any of these games into a 10,000-player match.
Check the Mac and language requirements
Steam’s Mac listing specifies macOS 13 or later, 4 GB of RAM, 3 GB of available storage and a broadband internet connection. English is the only listed language. The pack has an optional family-friendly setting; player-written responses still need judgment.
A group of at least three can choose from all five games. Two-person households should decide whether the trivia and debate games alone justify the purchase. MacDigest has not independently tested this release.
