The Jackbox Party Pack 12's MegaPals rewards thinking alike
MegaPals, one of the games in The Jackbox Party Pack 12, turns Mind Meld into a hunt for the two players who think most alike — and crowns two winners for the first time in the series.
The next Jackbox Party Pack will lean on a game about thinking alike. In a post on Xbox Wire dated 2 October 2026, developers at Jackbox Games walked through MegaPals, one of the games in The Jackbox Party Pack 12, and explained where the idea came from.
Mind Meld, with a twist
The concept, pitched by Liz Anderson and Chase McClure, borrows from the classic parlor game Mind Meld: you are given a word and try to land on the same answer as another player. Matching awards points, but MegaPals adds a second beat — the unmatched words are put to a vote, and the hot takes that come out of them feed your next starter. The team described it as a riff on the Jackbox origin story, blending improv comedy with technical artistry.
Two winners, by design
The game asks a blunt question of any group: who actually thinks alike? The two players who make the most unique matches with each other across a round become the MegaPals, or the duo who steals the crown. It is the first time a Jackbox game has crowned two winners, a decision the studio said felt right for a party game. Because the leaders change as the game goes on, the advice is simply to write what you find funny and hope the room laughs with you. Players who would rather not share a victory can also chase individual bonus awards at the end.
Your phone is the tell
Much of the design runs through the phone screen. Controller engineer Ryan McGill built real-time feedback showing what other players are submitting while you write, so you can stay in a stream of consciousness while picking up on the wavelengths that score points. Engineering lead Ariana Miles and art lead Owen Watson worked on a dynamic "likes" system that surfaces highlights of what is on everyone's mind as a round plays out.
Our opinion
MegaPals is a small idea handled with more care than it needs, and that is the point. Jackbox's best games are the ones that create a story about the people in the room rather than the screen, and a mode whose whole premise is "who here thinks like you?" manufactures exactly that — including the awkward realisation that your closest friend is not your closest match. Crowning two winners is the canniest decision in the write-up, because it turns a competitive score into a bit of social theatre. The risk is that reading other players' answers as you type smooths out the mismatches that make the game funny in the first place.