How to play an online escape room
Online escape rooms are a fun activity to play from home with friends and family. They can also be played remotely over a video call with people during lockdown or when it's not easy to take part in activities face-to-face!
Firstly, form a team with your friends. Secondly, choose the game that looks the most fun and obtain your game ticket. Finally, video call your team and access the game link in your receipt to receive your first clue and start the online escape room.
To give your team the best chance of success follow these 8 simple steps:
Assemble a team of 2-5 players
Choose your game
Obtain/purchase a game code
Have a pen and paper handy
Play on a laptop or computer
Video call your team and share your screen
Use hints and answers if necessary
Have fun!
1. Assemble your team
When choosing your team you want to think about individual strengths and team size. The optimal team size is normally 3 or 4 players. Teams with less players sometimes struggle as they might lack a broad skill set. Larger teams of 5 or more can sometimes suffer from too many opinions and conflicting answers, which can have a detrimental impact on the team dynamic and finishing score. The best teams usually have team members that have a broad range of strengths so think who might be good at solving the mathematical/logic based puzzles or who might be better suited to answering the verbal reasoning or the perceptual picture rounds. It's always good to have an all rounder in your team, a leader who can help urge your team to think outside the box and it's also good to have someone who can process information quickly to keep your team on their toes!
2. Choose your game
Whether you're looking for a virtual scavenger hunt game for adults or virtual scavenger hunt games for kids, there are lots of different types of online escape room games on the internet to choose from. Most games tend to have a story line running through them so choose a theme that interests your team that you'll enjoy participating in and learning about. Some have a fictional topic, others might have a more educational fact-based approach. Games will have different durations and varying difficulties so make sure you look out for this information when booking your game ticket and choose appropriately based on your team's ability.
3. Obtain/purchase game code
Once you have chosen the game you and your team will play, obtain your game instructions. Some games are started by clicking a link in an email receipt. Other games may require you to enter a code in the game portal to start the game. Whatever the method of initiating the game, make sure you understand all the information and game rules before you start to give you and your team the best chance of success! This information is usually shown in the game info, payment or FAQs section of a website.
4. Have a pen and paper handy
A top tip is to have a pen and paper ready when you start the game because some games require you to take notes throughout as you encounter various clues along the way. Also, some clues may require you to decipher codes in numbers or letters and being able to write your thoughts down can really help find the solution and progress through the game!
If you can't find a pen, don't forget to check in your...
...
That's right, don't forget to check in your backpack, there's always a pen and paper lying around in there somewhere!
5. Play on a laptop or computer
For the best team experience it is usually recommended to play on a laptop or PC (not on a mobile phone or tablet). The reason for this is a laptop or PC will allow you to access information more easily in parallel during the game. Also, you have more functionality available to you on a PC or laptop to help solve clues such as reverse sound clips, download images, check downloaded filenames and inspect website URLs. Some games can be played on mobile phones and tablets as well but may not be as easy to navigate. Always check the fine print before purchasing a game ticket to ensure the recommended game device to play on.
6. Video call your team and share your screen
If your team are playing remotely, most online scavenger hunt games can be played via a video call. This is done by video calling your team on Zoom or Microsoft Teams and electing one member of your team to share their screen with everyone. This person then acts as the team captain and enters the team's answers and controls how the team interacts with the game. Virtual scavenger hunts for remote employees or friends in different locations have become a great way to connect with people during COVID or just for fun!
7. Use hints and answers
Some games offer hints and answers during the game to help teams progress and not spend too long stuck on clues which helps the game to flow. Taking hints and answers can save your team time in some cases. However, be careful because taking hints and answers can result in time penalties and affect your team's finishing time. To see how our team scores are displayed, check out our game leaderboards HERE.
8. Have fun!
Most importantly, remember the main reason you have gone to the effort to form a team and play an online scavenger hunt game... is to have fun! Happy playing and remember to think outside of that box!
To check out and play our Online Escape Room games, click HERE!