The ninja – Roundabout

Played on May 19th 2024 by:

The Ninja was the last room we played that day at Roundabout in Toronto. In this scenario, after years of training with Master Fuma Kotaro, our final test has arrived. To succeed, we must solve Master Kurato’s puzzles hidden throughout the dojo and find the ninja headbands within 60 minutes to become full-fledged Shinobis. We really liked the scenario and how unique the theme is — it’s not something you come across often. However, the story on the website feels like it’s missing a few details and comes across a bit generic.

The décor was well done and the theme of the room is instantly clear. We thought that the decors were very creative but some objects were damaged and the realism could be improved. We also loved that they asked us to remove our shoes — a small detail, but one that makes perfect sense in the story and adds to the immersion. We were hoping for more physical spaces to explore, but in the end the room consisted of one regular-sized area and a tiny secondary space. Still, the attention to detail was nice, and we liked that instead of placing big “Do not touch” signs, they phrased the warnings in a way that fit the narrative. Before entering, we watched a short video that explained the rules and introduced the story, which helped set the atmosphere.

The puzzles were fun to solve, although we did feel there weren’t quite enough of them. Since it’s a linear room, we could only tackle one puzzle at a time, which made the experience feel a bit short for a group that enjoys lots of simultaneous tasks. The gameplay was a mix of traditional locks, automatic mechanisms, and one long manipulation challenge. All the puzzles were well aligned with the theme and story, and they were just challenging enough to be satisfying without being frustrating. Hints were delivered through a walkie-talkie by the game master.

Overall, we enjoyed the room because the theme is original and the puzzles, though fewer, were fun to solve. We just wished for more rooms and more puzzles! It’s a family-friendly room that works best for small groups of 2–3 players. We’re happy with our performance because we escaped with a good time and only used one hint. We liked it and we escaped!

: Yes

Andrea