Escape rooms have become a thrilling way for friends and families to test their puzzle-solving skills and teamwork. But what if you could bring that excitement right into your own home? We have, with one of the games we have played being the Great Wizard Escape Print at Home Escape Room. With Halloween not too far over the horizon we are trying other one from Paper Adventures, Great Halloween Escape, the print-at-home escape room that promises a spooktacular adventure without leaving your living room.
Paper Adventures have a range of adventurous story-driven print at home escape room games for kids and families on their website. They are suitable for children aged 4-12 years old as well as families. Once you purchase your favourite game through their website, the games are instantly downloadable and ready to print and play. Each download contains a full colour print version of the game as well as a low ink version of the game.
Having enjoyed the Great Wizard Escape, we have just finished playing the Great Halloween Escape, aimed at children aged 8-12 years old.
The Great Halloween Escape is an immersive adventure puzzle game for 2 or more players, aged 8-12 years old. After purchasing the game in digital format (you can purchase a version that is printed and posted to you as well), print out the files needed (colour or low ink version – we prefer the colour version). Armed with the printed pages, you can now transform rooms in your home into Spooky Manor, a giant escape room for the kids. Featuring varied puzzles combined with a fun story, it is lots of spooky Halloween fun. Players are then invited to the Manor House of the Spooks family and find themselves trapped in a room, they have just 60 minutes to find and solve clues to escape – before the full moon rises!
In the pack (digital download)
- Best Escape Game pdf file (for best experience, print in colour)
- Eco Escape Game pdf file (ink saving option)
- Game Master Book pdf file (tips on set-up and full solutions to run the game)
- QR code extras: set-up video, digital lock and immersive game timer video
- Download pack extras: invitations, posters and end of game messages, team certificates and fun props
Note: if you do purchase the printed version, the files are printed in colour and presented neatly in a folder.
The Great Halloween Escape has a playing time of up to 60 minutes (it depends how quickly the kids solve the clues and escape). It also requires approximately 30 minutes to set up the game before the kids can play. It’s an excellent Halloween puzzle-solving adventure game for the spookiest time of the year.
So, you’ve transformed your home into the eerie Manor of the Spooks family. Every corner potentially holds a clue and every room is a step closer to unravelling the mystery. The game is designed to be an immersive experience, perfect for those looking to add an original twist to their Halloween festivities. With a setup that’s a breeze and a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this game is a must-try for any escape room enthusiast.
Setting up the game takes approximately 30 minutes. After purchasing the game, within a few minutes you will receive a download link by email for the game files. You will need access to a printer to print them (in full glorious colour or if you want to save ink and money, a low-ink eco version is also included). You will also need a pair of scissors and glue (to cut out and put together some of the clues), pencils and access to a phone, tablet or a 60 minutes timer of some sort (to countdown the playing time remaining). An adult gamemaster is also required.
The pack contains invitations that you can print and send to your children’s friends and posters you can put up at home.
Your role is that of the Gamemaster. The Gamemaster is responsible for setting up the game (you can scan a handy QR code that takes you to YouTube so that you watch a video of easy setup). Your role also includes giving tips to players if and when they are stuck, providing clues, reading out the story when indicated, making sure everybody is having fun and getting into the SPIRIT of the game.
With the game setup completed, you can eagerly await your invitees to arrive for an hour of spooky Halloween-themed party fun. When everybody has gathered (hopefully in a Halloween costume, but not necessary), you can start by reading out the game introduction (ideally in your best imitation of the young and spooky host, Catherine). The 60 minute timer is then started – scan the QR code that takes you to a YouTube video of a timer countdown, or you can use any other timer of your choice (phone, smart speaker, egg timer etc.).
This spooky Halloween adventure game and story is set over 6 chapters:
- Frightful Foyer – players need to find 4 hidden strips and weave them together into a mummy doll to reveal the message.
- Portrait Gallery – players must decipher the message using spooky portraits.
- Haunted Library – player must reorder pages to work out a code.
- Creepy Ballroom – players must cut out strips and reorder the puzzle to create a 3 digit code.
- Secret Lab – players must find bolts, cut them out and place in the correct places to reveal the code.
- Spooky Garden – players must find a lantern, complete the map, decipher the message and find the 3 digit escape code.
As the young players set off on their adventure of escape (and fun escapism), aided along the way, when required, by the Gamemaster, players must solve the hidden clues using puzzle skills, paper activities, decoding skills and more and they only have 60 minutes to do so before certain doom befalls them!!! Wah, ha ha! You could even have that smart speaker playing some spooky music in the background , or something fun such as Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt Kickers.
Overall, we think that the Great Halloween Escape is an excellent at home escape room, perfect for any Halloween parties or lead up the scary spook-fest, or just for fun and birthday parties. It’s perfect puzzling entertainment for children and families. It features a fully immersive spooky story that children will adore getting involved with.
The clues are reasonably challenging, not too easy or too hard, and they need to be solved before the story can move on (the clues are not so hard that they will give up and lose interest and the Gamemaster is always on hand to give a gentle push in the right direction).
The puzzles have been very cleverly designed and are very creative, pitched at just the right level for 8-12 year olds. All the puzzles and clues are very well integrated into the story and involve observation, decoding, paper rearranging and even basic maths skills. The puzzles and clues are varied, making them interesting and engaging.
For the Gamemaster, the Gamemaster book is excellent. It is a short summary breakdown of the game that helps the Gamemaster easily navigate the story and puzzles to guide and assist the players. It makes managing the game easy, allowing the story and game to flow without boring interruptions or lulls in play.
And the spooky Halloween inspired artwork is very child friendly and engaging and helps to capture a child’s imagination, perfect for Halloween and the darker evenings. It looks great when printed in colour.
We love the attention to detail that comes with game. Paper Adventures have thought of everything. It comes with a full-colour game pack, an ink-saving option, and even a Gamemaster book filled with tips and solutions to ensure a smooth experience. And for those who love a bit of tech integration, there’s QR codes for setup and timer videos. And with invites, posters and game completion certificates it creates a memorable game atmosphere.
The Great Halloween Escape is a fun, immersive and unique experience, a perfect party game for Halloween to spend some quality family time with the kids. A well-designed game, that is printable and playable straightaway when purchased online.
An extremely enjoyable child and family-friendly escape room game for at home play with no complicated preparation.
If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate Halloween, or just want to test your wits against the clock on a random Wednesday, the Paper Adventures Great Halloween Escape is an excellent choice. It’s a game that brings families together, challenges the mind, and most importantly, is a whole lot of fun.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £14.99 (Digital Download)
For more information or to buy, visit paperadventures.co.uk.
