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You need one purchased Jackbox Party Pack running on a host device, a TV or other large display, and a browser-enabled phone for each player. Launch a game on the host, have everyone visit jackbox.tv, enter the room code shown on the TV, choose a display name, and start when the lobby is full. The phones act as wireless web controllers; no dedicated gamepad is required for normal answers, drawings, votes, or selections.
What you need before starting
Jackbox separates the host screen from the player controls. The host device runs the purchased game and sends its picture to the TV. Each participant uses a phone, tablet, computer, or another internet-capable device in a web browser to send input.
- One host copy: Only one person in the group needs to own a Jackbox product. That person launches the Party Pack on a supported device.
- A visible host screen: Connect the host device to a TV, or use another arrangement that lets everyone see the lobby, prompts, answers, timers, and room code.
- A controller device per player: A phone is the usual choice, but a tablet or computer browser can work too.
- Internet access: The controller page needs a working connection. Nintendo describes compatible controllers as devices with a web browser supporting WebSockets and HTML5.
- A way to navigate the host: The players do not need gamepads for ordinary input, but the host may need a Switch controller, keyboard, mouse, or the input device required by the host platform to open the pack and select a game.
No Jackbox account is required for a normally purchased game, and the purchase does not carry a recurring Jackbox charge. Players enter a display name in the browser. Jackbox support says player history on the controller page is stored through cookies on that device.
Set up the host game on the TV
1. Choose the device that will run the pack
Install the Party Pack on the platform where it was purchased. A Nintendo Switch edition is explicitly listed with TV mode, so the Switch can run the pack while its picture appears on a television. A computer connected to the TV can fill the same role if the purchased edition runs on that computer. Other supported host devices work the same way: the requirement is that they run the game and provide a display everyone can see.
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2. Connect the host device to the display
For a Switch, place the console in its dock and select the TV input connected to that dock. For a computer, connect an HDMI or other supported video output, then choose the television as the mirror or extended display. Make the game window large enough that the room code and text can be read from the seating area. If the TV has multiple inputs, select the one carrying the host signal before launching the pack.
3. Open the Party Pack and select a game
Start the pack from the host device and use its normal navigation controls to choose a game. When the game opens, it creates a lobby. Leave that lobby visible: the code shown there is what every player uses to join.
4. Check the room code on the shared screen
The room code is the join credential for that session. Read it from the TV rather than trying to guess it from a previous game. Codes change when a new lobby is created, so players who joined an earlier session must enter the current code again.
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- Open a current web browser on the phone. The controller page does not require a Jackbox app download.
- Go to jackbox.tv.
- Enter the room code displayed on the TV.
- Enter a display name when prompted. Use a name the host can identify without revealing personal information you do not want shown in the game.
- Submit the join form and wait for your name to appear in the host lobby.
- Repeat the process on every player device. The host starts the game after the intended players are visible.
During play, keep the controller page open. The phone may show a text field for an answer, a drawing canvas, voting buttons, multiple-choice options, or another input specific to the game. The TV remains the shared source of prompts, timers, submitted material, and results, while each phone sends only that player’s response.
What phones can and cannot do
The phone is a browser controller, not a second copy of the game. It handles player actions such as typing answers, drawing, voting, choosing an option, and entering a name. The host screen still carries the communal game state, so players should look at the TV for instructions and countdowns.
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A dedicated console controller is therefore unnecessary for ordinary player inputs. The exception is host navigation: someone must still operate the platform that launches the pack, chooses a game, and starts the round. On a Switch this normally means using the console’s own controls; on a computer it may mean a keyboard and mouse.
Compatibility depends on the browser and connection. Nintendo’s description specifically calls out WebSockets and HTML5 support. If a phone’s browser cannot maintain the controller connection, try its current system browser, disable a restrictive content-blocking mode for the session, or move to another phone, tablet, or computer browser. Do not assume that installing a second game copy will fix a controller-browser problem.
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Host-platform choices
Choose the host based on the device that already owns the pack and the easiest way to put its picture on the TV.
| Host arrangement | What the TV shows | What each player uses | Host input still needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch edition | The Switch game in TV mode | A phone, tablet, or compatible computer browser at jackbox.tv | Switch controls to launch the pack, choose a game, and start |
| Computer connected to the TV | The computer’s game window, mirrored or sent to the television | A phone, tablet, or compatible computer browser at jackbox.tv | Keyboard and mouse, or the computer’s normal navigation input |
| Another supported host device | That device’s game output on a shared display | A phone, tablet, or compatible computer browser at jackbox.tv | The input method required by that host platform |
Storefront, platform edition, region, and current availability can differ. Confirm that the specific Party Pack edition you intend to buy runs on your chosen host and can be displayed on the TV before purchasing. The phrase “Jackbox Party Pack Nintendo Switch” identifies the Switch edition, but the listing and the edition available in your region are the authority for current purchase details.
Pick a game by its own player limit
Player capacity belongs to the individual game, not automatically to every title in a pack. Select a game whose published range covers the people you expect to play, including anyone who may join late.
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| Game | Published player range | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Drawful | 3–8 players | Range shown in Nintendo’s 2016 official listing for the listed Party Pack edition |
| Lie Swatter | 1–100 players | Range shown in Nintendo’s 2016 official listing for the listed Party Pack edition |
Those figures do not establish a complete, current player-count table for every Party Pack. Check the player range displayed for the exact game and pack you own. A large lobby can still be unsuitable for a game designed around a smaller number of active submissions, while a high-capacity title may be useful for a party with spectators or a very large remote group.
Local play in one room
Arrange the screen and seats first
Put the TV where every player can read prompts and submitted answers. Keep phones charged and connected to a reliable network. Because the phone contains private response controls while the TV shows shared results, players should angle their screens away from neighboring players when a game asks for independent answers.
Open one lobby, not one lobby per player
The host launches one game and leaves its room code visible. Every player joins that same code from the browser. Opening the pack separately on several devices creates separate sessions rather than adding people to the host’s lobby.
Start only after names are visible
Have players confirm that their chosen names appear on the host screen. If someone is missing, solve that connection before starting; a player who has not joined may not receive the round’s input page once the game begins. The host then starts from the game screen, not from the phone controller page.
Manage names and privacy
Display names are visible to the group and can appear alongside answers or drawings. Avoid using a phone number, email address, or other identifying detail as a name. If a name is mistyped, the player can usually leave the session and rejoin with a new name before the host starts, although the exact behavior can vary by game.
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Play remotely with screen sharing
Remote play uses the same controller workflow, but the host sends the game screen through a video-chat or streaming service. Jackbox identifies Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime, and Discord as workable options. The host shares the window or screen containing the game; every remote player watches that feed and independently opens jackbox.tv on a phone, computer, or other internet-capable device.
- The host launches the pack and joins the video call or stream.
- The host shares the game window or display, making sure the room code and small text are legible to remote viewers.
- Each remote player opens jackbox.tv separately, enters the code shown in the shared game feed, and chooses a display name.
- The host waits for the names to appear in the lobby, then starts the game.
- Players keep the shared video feed visible for prompts and results while using their own browser tab or phone for responses.
Video calls add a second audio and video path, so mute duplicate microphones when necessary. The host should share the game audio through the call or stream, and remote players should use headphones if hearing both the call and a nearby television. A player can remain in the call on a computer while using a phone as the controller, or use one computer for both viewing and input if its browser can keep the controller connection open.
Remote play is sensitive to delay. If the shared screen freezes while a controller remains connected, first determine whether the problem affects everyone (the host stream or host connection) or one person (that player’s browser or network). The host should not generate a new lobby code unless the game itself has been restarted; otherwise remote players may still be entering a code that is no longer active.
QR-code sign-in in Party Pack 9
Party Pack 9 documents an additional sign-in method: a phone camera can scan the QR code shown on the game screen and open Jackbox.tv with the room code entered. This can reduce typing on a phone. QR availability varies by game and pack, so treat the displayed room code as the general method. If no QR code appears, enter the code manually at jackbox.tv.
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Players do not need separate purchases
The host’s purchased copy is enough for the group. Players do not buy the pack merely to join from their phones, and they do not install a second copy of the game as a controller.
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No Jackbox account is required
The browser asks for a room code and display name rather than a Jackbox login. Cookies on the controller device can retain player history according to Jackbox support. Clearing cookies, using private browsing, or changing devices can therefore remove that local history without changing ownership of the host game.
Normal purchases do not add a recurring Jackbox fee
A standard purchased Party Pack is not dependent on a recurring Jackbox subscription. Separate cloud-gaming or streaming services may have their own access terms, but those terms are distinct from the browser-controller method described here.
Troubleshooting the most common failures
The room code is rejected
- Check that every character matches the code currently visible on the TV.
- Confirm that the host is still in the lobby and has not returned to the pack menu or started a new session.
- Reload jackbox.tv and enter the current code again.
- If the host restarted the game, discard the old code and use the new one.
A player’s name does not appear
- Verify that the player submitted the join form after entering both the code and a display name.
- Try the device’s current browser or another internet-capable device.
- Check whether a captive portal, VPN, content filter, or unstable Wi-Fi connection is blocking the browser session.
- Ask the host to wait in the lobby while the player rejoins instead of starting immediately.
The controller page loads but input will not submit
WebSockets carry the live controller connection. A browser that loads the page but cannot maintain that connection may leave buttons or text submission unresponsive. Refresh the page, switch to another supported browser, and reconnect to the same active code. If the phone is on a weak cellular or Wi-Fi signal, move it closer to the access point or use another network.
The TV is blank or shows the wrong source
Check the television’s selected input, the host device’s video cable or dock, and whether the game is running on the host rather than only in a storefront menu. On a computer, verify that the game window is on the display being mirrored or shared. The phones cannot show the communal game state if the host output is not visible.
The host cannot start or navigate
Joining players do not replace the host platform’s controls. Use the Switch controls, keyboard, mouse, or other input device associated with the host to select the game and start the lobby. If the host controller is disconnected, reconnect it before asking players to rejoin.
Remote players see a frozen or unreadable feed
Inspect the host’s upload connection and the video-call screen-share state. Share the game window rather than an unrelated desktop, increase the shared window size, and keep the room code in view while players join. If only one viewer has trouble, that viewer should refresh the call or switch viewing devices while leaving the controller page open.
A reliable pre-game checklist
- One person owns and has installed the chosen Party Pack on a supported host.
- The host output is visible on the TV or in the remote screen share.
- The correct game is selected for the expected number of players.
- The current room code is readable.
- Every player has a browser-enabled device and internet access.
- Every player has joined at jackbox.tv and appears in the lobby.
- The host has the platform input needed to launch and start the game.
- Remote players can hear and see the shared feed without duplicate audio.
Once those checks pass, the host starts the game and the phones become the response surfaces. The TV remains the shared game board, while each browser supplies only its owner’s answers, drawings, votes, and choices.
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