"An Invitation from the Mystery Man" created by SCRAP

Updated: Apr 17

LOCATION:  Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Photo above is property of SCRAP

Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: "An Invitation from the Mystery Man"
📅 DATE PLAYED: May 9, 2023
🎬 GENRE: Mystery, Puzzle Game
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 2 ppl): 5/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1+ ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: Unlimited (Approx. 30-60 Mins.)
💰 PRICE: ¥1,2,00/ pp
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Public
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

When you visit Tokyo Mystery Circus, unexpectedly you receive a letter from a person who calls himself the “Mystery Man.” He is the one who rules every mystery in Tokyo Mystery Circus, and now he tests you through puzzles in this envelope. Can you solve all his puzzles and uncover the truth?

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

It was a fun puzzle game that took place in the building of Tokyo Mystery Circus. We searched for clues hidden in TMC, figured out some puzzles, and opened the designated mailbox on the second floor of TMC to get a new letter from Mystery Man to move on. It was straightforward and joyous to play.
I loved that the game was not too heavy. It was just the right amount to explore TMC with fun classic word puzzles that you can taste in games created by SCRAP, and it still had a wide variety of puzzles.
We could play anytime during TMC was open. I think it was very convenient to play this game in our spare time. You can play before or after you play other games in TMC.
SCRAP did a great job creating a nice flow to the game. As the last puzzle of any game by the company is the hardest one, the final challenge of this game also required some insight and inspiration. It gave us a nice aha moment when we solved it.
If you need a hint, you can access the website given when you receive the first letter. I like that the website shows clues step-by-step, and I appreciate that there is no need to download any apps.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

I recommend playing this game on weekdays to avoid the crowds. Tokyo Mystery Circus often gets super crowded on weekends, and there is not enough space to work on puzzles when it gets crowded.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

"An Invitation from the Mystery Man” was a joyful puzzle game exploring the building of Tokyo Mystery Circus. The amount of its content was just right. It was easy and convenient to play. This game is for everyone who loves solving puzzles. The puzzles represent SCRAP’s classic puzzle style, so you may try this game before you play their other games in TMC. Plus, it is a delightful feeling to open a mysterious mailbox with a correct answer! So, when you visit Tokyo, why don’t you receive a letter from Mystery Man and uncover the mysteries hidden in Tokyo Mystery Circus?

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

You can buy the game kit at the reception desk on the 1st floor of Tokyo Mystery Circus. Mailboxes are on the 2nd floor. You can play this game at your own pace within TMC's opening hours.

Do not bring any large items with you. There is no storage available in this game. You can store your luggage at the reception on the 1st floor of TMC. (It costs 500 yen.) Or, there are coin lockers at train stations nearby.

"An Invitation from Mystery Man" is also available in Simplified Chinese.

Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game:

Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

BOOK NOW

(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank SCRAP for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.