Escape games coming to Prince Albert

Traps, puzzles and riddles. Finding your way out of rooms like this can be a unique challenge, one District 8 Escape is hoping to bring to Prince Albert. -- Submitted photo.

Chris Fuss still remembers the first time he tried an escape room game.

He was in Calgary with his family, who were all big fans of board games, card games, crosswords, Sudoku, or just about any type of puzzle or problem solving challenge.

Despite their expertise, the escape room games completely blew them away.

“I just remember it being this amazing experience, and feeling a sense of accomplishment,” Fuss said during an interview on Tuesday. “You kind of feel hopeless at the start, a little unsure of what to do, and you start unraveling clues that lead to opening locked doors and magnets that open drawers and you kind of work your way through and complete the room, and it’s a pretty cool experience.”

Originally designed and created in Japan, escape room games first started appearing in North America and Europe roughly seven years ago. As part of the game, a group of people are given one hour to solve a series of puzzles, riddles and physical challenges which, if completed, will allow them to escape the room.

Fuss was so impressed with the game he, along with his sister Renae Smith, decided to open one in Prince Albert. District 8 Escape is set to open by the end of September, bringing the escape room experience to northern Saskatchewan.

“You start to learn things about different people, whether it’s co-workers or some family members who you didn’t realize had these amazing leadership skills and take charge to solve different puzzles and riddles,” he said.

For the rest of this story, please see the June 5 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

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