Kids need to learn a variety of different skills, but have you ever thought about teaching them how to pick a lock? Can you get them to channel their inner Houdini and test their escape artist skills? Now you can in the fun family puzzle game, Spy Code Break Free – it’s a lock-picking extravaganza that’s fun for all ages!
Break Free is a pick up and play puzzle game for 2-4 players aged 6+. You and your fellow spies (players) start the game handcuffed together, racing against time to ‘break free’. The idea of the game is to pick the lock on your cuff, which is actually a challenging maze, and escape or ‘break free’ from your handcuffs. Gameplay is approx. 15 minutes.
In the box:
- Handcuffs with Chains and Hinged Lever (x4)
- Handcuff Maze Covers (x4)
- Lock Picks (x4)
- Victory Tokens: 4x Green, 4x Red and 4x Yellow
- Lock Inserts: 4x Green, 4x Red and 4x Yellow
(3 different difficulty levels: easy, intermediate and difficult) - Instructions
Let’s set the scene: you’re a spy, as are your fellow players, you are all the best in the business, but somehow you’ve all been captured by the villainous Dr. Boredom. He’s locked you up together with his patented Boredom Cuffs, and the only way out is to pick the lock. But fear not, because Yulu has crafted a game that turns this dire scenario into a family-friendly challenge that’s as thrilling as it is hilarious.
Setting up the game: all the inserts and tokens should be placed logo side up on the table. Each captured spy is given a handcuff, a cover and a lock pick. A lock insert (there are different difficulty levels so make sure you start with the correct one) is placed into each cuff with the lock placed on top. All spies place a handcuff on their wrist, connect their cuff together with the other spies and pick up their lock pick. The game is now ready to play and the first to find their way through the handcuff maze and pick their lock, collecting the highest number of points over three rounds using the tokens is the winner. It’s a test of dexterity, patience, and the ability to keep a straight face while your friends fumble around with their cuffs. The game comes with different levels of difficulty, so whether you’re a novice or a seasoned lock-picker, there’s a challenge waiting for you.
The lock inserts are essentially a 3D maze. To break free and escape your bonds, spies have to negotiate their way around the hidden maze with the lock pick (key) just by feel as you are unable to see the route through. To win the game a player must successfully pick a lock of all difficulties and gain the highest total of points.
Overall, we all enjoyed playing this challenging game. A fun problem-solving game where nimble fingers and methodical thinking play a big part. There is no turn taking, everybody plays at the same time. It is a game of thinking, patience and measured speed (think the tortoise and the hare) rather than frantic playing and rushing about. Slow, steady, methodical thinking and patience are the way to win the race, or on in case, escape those bonds that tie you all together.
There are three difficulty levels that the captured spies must work through to pick their locks and win the points. There are actually twelve unique locks over the difficulty levels (4 different ones for each level). This increases the playability/re-playability and longevity of the game as it reduces the ability of the kids to just remember the path through the maze. You can even level the playing field if some spies find it much easier or more difficult than their playing companions (great for adults playing with younger kids or kids with big age differences) – placing the cuff on their dominant hand and unpicking with their less dominant one makes it more difficult and helps bring skill levels to a level playing field.
There are no keys to unlock the handcuffs, but if a spy cannot work their way through the maze to unlock their cuff, don’t worry they are not going to locked to the siblings (or the furniture) overnight. There is an emergency release on the back of each cuff so they can easily be removed at any time (very useful for when an emergency toilet break is needed). And you don’t even need to break into song and sing “I Want to Break Free” by Queen – although how cool would that be?
Break Free is a challenging fun family game that requires logical, methodical thinking, patience and will keep not just the kids entertained but the entire family entertained.
Ready, set, pick! Have fun breaking free!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.
