How did Jumanji become such a cultural phenomenon?

How did Jumanji become such a cultural phenomenon?

 

The Jumanji franchise has been around since 1991 and has grossed over $2 billion at the global box office. It all comes from a picture book of the same name published in 1981. At the time, illustrator Chris Van Allsburg would have found it hard to imagine that his fantastical offerings would have such a lasting impact on popular culture.

 

Recent reboots of Joe Johnston's film have brought Jumanji back to the forefront of the entertainment industry, and there's now a slew of associated media associated with the magical board game. The timeless narrative means the Jumanji series has endless potential: from reboots to spin-offs, prequels and sequels, it's perhaps no surprise that Jumanji has become a cultural phenomenon.

 

Contents

 

Jumanji's impact on the gaming industry has been impressive

The enchanted board game seemed like a realistic concept

Augmented reality could make a real Jumanji game possible

Jumanji's impact on the gaming industry has been impressive

 

Jumanji was never based on a real game but has spawned a variety of titles since its release. There are now countless games on different platforms for fans of the series to enjoy. Many of them were recently dropped after the series rebooted in 2017. For example, console gamers can play Jumanji: The Video Game, which lets them explore the world from the new movies. For mobile, there's Jumanji: The Mobile Game, which was released alongside the blockbuster Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

 

One of the biggest indicators of a franchise's popularity in 2022 is whether it has succeeded in the online slots market that is massively saturated with titles inspired by Hollywood movies and TV shows. Significantly, one of the most notable online casino games is NetEnt's Jumanji, which is often featured in the most prominent places on casino sites.

 

Industry developers often look to these sources for inspiration, knowing how powerful familiarity can be for new players. Fans of certain franchises will be happy to try something if it ties into something they enjoy in another medium, like film.

 

The enchanted board game seemed like a realistic concept

 

Although the subject matter is very fantastic, the appearance of the board game in the original Jumanji was incredibly realistic. It was for anyone who had picked up a board game in their lifetime, with the track, dice and pieces familiar to avid fans of games like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. The only aspect that wasn't so plausible was the fact that the pieces moved on their own. Oh, and the way the in-game movements caused the wild animals to scurry across the scene…

 

Recent reboots have also found a way to relate to modern audiences. In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level in 2017 and 2019, respectively, the characters were sucked into a Jumanji video game. It was a retro offering, played on a 1990s-style console, meaning it was understandable for both younger and older viewers.

 

Augmented reality could make a real Jumanji game possible

 

The Milton Bradley Company released Jumanji: The Board Game in 1995, an offering based on the 1991 picture. Filled with puzzles and hazard maps, it proved hugely popular. So much so that in 2017 the game received a contemporary update which changed some of the messages. Although it was entertaining, the creators could hardly include any of the magical elements in the image.

 

However, this is something that could potentially be achieved with augmented reality. Some AR games have already shown the applications of this technology, in which digital elements are superimposed on the everyday environment. Some of the major offerings that have included it are Pokémon Go, The Walking Dead: Our World, and Jurassic World Alive. Players can view monsters, zombies, and dinosaurs through their mobile screens as if they were in the room with them.

 

If AR takes off in the next few years, glasses incorporating the technology could become ubiquitous. At this point, one would assume that some board games with AR elements will be made. Maybe gamers can grab AR glasses and play a game of Jumanji, complete with scrambles, monsoons, and all the aspects that made the original movie so memorable.

 

It's amazing that a movie that was never based on an actual game managed to inspire so many games and related media. Jumanji is a cultural phenomenon and will remain at the forefront of mainstream culture for many years to come. When AR takes off, players can enjoy the most realistic Jumanji offering yet.