Honestly, movie tie-in games have a pretty bad reputation. For years, we’ve been burned by rushed projects that felt more like a cynical cash grab than an actual gaming experience. But Jumanji The Video Game, developed by Funsolve and published by Outright Games, occupies a weirdly charming space in that history. It’s not trying to be God of War. It’s not trying to reinvent the third-person shooter. It basically just wants you and three of your friends to sit on a couch, yell at the TV, and survive a jungle that’s actively trying to kill you.
When it dropped back in 2019, critics were... well, they were lukewarm. But if you look at how people actually play it today, especially families or groups looking for something "drop-in, drop-out," it hits a specific itch. You’ve got the likenesses of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan. You’ve got the drums. You’ve got the frantic energy of the modern films.
It’s simple. It’s colorful. And surprisingly, it’s still one of the best ways to kill a Saturday afternoon if you’re tired of the high-stress environment of competitive online shooters.
What Jumanji The Video Game Actually Is (And What It Isn’t)
Don't go into this expecting a 40-hour open-world epic. You’ll be disappointed. Jumanji The Video Game is a linear, level-based action game. You pick one of the four main avatars—Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Ruby Roundhouse, Franklin "Mouse" Finbar, or Professor Shelly Oberon—and you set out to find the Jewels of Jumanji.
The gameplay loop is straightforward: you enter a zone, fight off waves of marauders and aggressive wildlife, solve a light environmental puzzle to find a jewel, and then book it to the next area. Each character has unique abilities. Bravestone is your tank, Ruby is the high-mobility fighter, Mouse is the weapons expert (and the one who can actually talk to animals), and Shelly is the team’s healer and map specialist.
One thing people often miss is how much the game relies on the "lives" system from the movies. You see those three bars on your wrist? They matter. If you lose them all, you're out, unless a teammate shares one of theirs. It creates this frantic, slightly chaotic cooperative vibe where someone is always screaming for a heal or a life-share while a rhino is charging at them. It's goofy. It's loud. It’s exactly what a Jumanji game should feel like.
🔗 Read more: Amy Rose Sex Doll: What Most People Get Wrong
The Mechanics of the Jungle
The combat isn't Dark Souls. It’s more of a brawler-shooter hybrid. You have your standard melee attacks and a ranged weapon that varies by character. Dr. Bravestone uses his fists and a boomerang, while Mouse Finbar has a literal scout rifle. The AI for the enemies is relatively basic—they’ll rush you or shoot from cover—but the real challenge comes from the sheer volume of them.
You’re constantly juggling your cooldowns. Every character has a "Special" that builds up over time. Ruby, for instance, has a "dance-fighting" move that clears out everyone around her. It’s a direct nod to the Welcome to the Jungle film, and while it feels a bit repetitive after the tenth time, the animations are snappy enough to keep it satisfying.
Why the Graphics Get a Pass
Let’s be real. The graphics aren't pushing the PlayStation 5 or the latest RTX cards to their limits. The art style is stylized, almost cartoonish. Think Fortnite meets a Saturday morning cartoon. But here’s the thing: it works for the demographic. By choosing a less realistic art style, Funsolve ensured the game runs smoothly on the Nintendo Switch—which, let’s be honest, is where a huge chunk of the audience is playing this.
There’s a certain vibrancy to the jungle. The greens are lush, the temples look sufficiently ancient, and the character models, while not uncanny-valley realistic, are instantly recognizable. You know it’s Jack Black. You know it’s The Rock. That’s usually enough for the kid who just finished watching the movie for the fifth time.
Breaking Down the Multiplayer Experience
If you play Jumanji The Video Game solo, you might get bored in an hour. The AI teammates are... okay. They follow you, they shoot things, they occasionally help with puzzles. But the game was fundamentally built for co-op.
💡 You might also like: A Little to the Left Calendar: Why the Daily Tidy is Actually Genius
Whether it’s local split-screen or online play, the experience shifts when humans are involved. Suddenly, the "Mouse Finbar carries the ammo" mechanic becomes a point of contention. "Mouse, I need a refill!" "I’m busy not being eaten by a leopard, Karen!" That’s the magic of it.
The game supports up to four players. In an era where local couch co-op is dying out, seeing a title lean into it so heavily is refreshing. It’s one of the few games you can play with a younger sibling or a non-gamer parent without them feeling completely overwhelmed by complex button combos.
Is It Worth the Price Tag?
This is where the conversation gets a bit nuanced. At its original launch price, people felt it was a bit thin on content. There are only a handful of distinct environments—the Jungle, the Mountain, the Night-time level—and you’ll see most of what the game has to offer in a few hours.
However, in 2026, you can usually find this game in the "Great Deals" section or bundled with other family titles. At a discounted price, the value proposition changes entirely. It’s a perfect "weekend game." You download it Friday night, beat it with the kids by Sunday, and everyone has a blast.
Common Misconceptions
One big thing: people often confuse this with Jumanji: Wild Adventures, which came out later. Wild Adventures is more of a 2.5D side-scrolling brawler. Jumanji The Video Game (the 2019 version) is the full 3D experience. If you’re looking for that sense of scale and third-person action, make sure you’re picking up the right one.
📖 Related: Why This Link to the Past GBA Walkthrough Still Hits Different Decades Later
Another misconception is that it follows the plot of the movies exactly. It doesn't. It’s essentially a "lost adventure." You aren't playing through the events of the films; you’re playing a new round of the game that feels like it could have been a deleted scene from the franchise. This was a smart move by the writers. It avoids the awkwardness of trying to recreate specific movie scenes that never quite translate well to interactive media.
Technical Performance and Platforms
The game is available on basically everything: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
- PC/PS5/Xbox Series: You get the smoothest framerates and the crispest textures. The loading times are almost non-existent on the newer SSD-based consoles.
- Nintendo Switch: This is the most popular platform for it, but be prepared for some lower resolution. The framerate can dip during heavy combat, but it’s rarely game-breaking.
- Steam Deck: It actually runs quite well here. It’s a great "pick up and play" title for a flight or a long car ride.
The Verdict on Jumanji's Digital Jungle
Jumanji The Video Game isn't trying to win Game of the Year. It knows exactly what it is: a fun, loud, cooperative romp through a familiar world. It captures the spirit of the 2017 and 2019 films—the bickering, the unique strengths, and the sense of adventure.
If you're a hardcore gamer looking for deep lore and complex skill trees, you’ll find it lacking. But if you’re looking for a game that doesn't take itself too seriously and lets you punch a marauder as a miniature version of The Rock, it’s a total win.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
- Check for Sales First: Before buying at full price on the Nintendo eShop or PlayStation Store, check physical retailers or digital trackers like DekuDeals. This game frequently goes on sale for under $20.
- Prioritize Local Co-op: If you have the controllers, play this on the couch. The "Jewel-carrying" mechanic is much more entertaining when you can physically see the person you're ignoring.
- Balance Your Team: If playing with fewer than four people, ensure someone picks Mouse Finbar. His ability to find extra loot and ammo makes the harder difficulty settings significantly more manageable.
- Explore the Environment: While the game is linear, there are hidden collectibles in most levels that unlock concept art and different outfits. It adds a layer of replayability for the completionists out there.
- Watch the Difficulty Spike: The game starts very easy but ramps up quickly in the later mountain levels. Don't be afraid to drop the difficulty if you're playing with younger children; the goal is fun, not frustration.