Photo above is property of Wacky Wheels
Company: Wacky Wheels
Game: The Mysterious Case of Dancing Mania
Country: Netherlands 🇳🇱
Language: English
Type of Game: Tabletop Games 📬
Genre: Detective, Crime
Date Played: December 29, 2022
Difficulty (based on 1 player): 7/10
Size of Team: 1-4 Players
Time: Unlimited (Suggested 2 Hrs.)
Price: 12€ (+/- 13,5 dollar)
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A mysterious time capsule from 500 years ago has been uncovered and inside contains a strange happenstance that afflicted the community years ago by the hundreds; people took to the streets dancing with an inability to stop! Many scholars have theorised what could be the cause but the discovery of scholar notes and reports left by the major could lead to a break in this unsolved phenomenon.
You have been hired by the museum to solve the mysteries contained within these ancient pages and figure out what caused this dancing mania…
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This game arrives in an envelope. Inside is a beautiful and vibrant linen paper booklet (14 pages) with an additional news clipping. The detail in the illustration and design are beautiful and help create more immersion for the layers. I will say there is some cursive writing so keep that in mind. I highly recommend examining the news clipping first as it helps set the scene with some mini puzzles while also introducing you further into the story. What is really fun is that this game is inspired by real events! You also get some teasers of games to come!
Overall I felt this booklet does an excellent job building interest and intrigue for the game with a beautiful finish and a teaser page to get players started. The booklet lays out like a set of notes left by scholars attempting to unravel the mystery which gave the theme a playfulness as you became the scholar of this puzzle journey.
Photos above are property of Wacky Wheels
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This game requires internet connection as you will need to log onto their website to submit answers in order to move forward. There is no specified order for the puzzles in each chapter so you are free to explore as you feel. Once you have answered all the questions of the chapter you can dive into the next one. Answers are submitted online but keep in mind hints and solutions are not for infinite guessing. You usually get one grace attempt for solutions before you lose points. This is because these games have a point system set up and you will lose points for every wrong answer and for using hints. So only answer when you are sure…unless you don’t care about points.
Proper spelling and punctuation also matters in this game so keep in mind your numbers and letters.
Photos above are property of Wacky Wheels
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I found the puzzles to be light and fun adventures - I would say newcomers will have a lot to sink their teeth into while more experienced players will find this a good puzzle to tackle in an evening. There is excellent diversity across the puzzles and each component of the game is there with intention and care. There is decoding, tracking, logic, word games, and observational puzzles that build up answers towards the end. Make sure to track your solutions as they may have importance later on! This is a game that really rewards you for curiosity and a keen eye so don’t be afraid to flip to a different page if a puzzle stumps you as, on the surface, the puzzles seem like a lot of words and chaos. Slowly but surely it unravels into something wonderful and I loved the ease of it unfolding.
This game is definitely more focused on the puzzling rather than the story but there are some reveals that provide perfect “ahas” and following the story does play a role in later solutions. You will leave the game more satisfied if you track your story journey as there are important clues to help you solve later puzzles.
Photos above are property of Wacky Wheels
🅲🅻🅾🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂
If you are looking for an easygoing puzzle experience with a tactile paper feel and a variety to the puzzles, this is definitely a game to check out. This is a game you can easily divide up amongst friends during a chapter but also encourages cooperation as certain puzzles require answers from previous ones. The setup of this game is easy to follow. My one critique is the point system - I wish it was an optional setting as it adds pressure to the game for players like me. At the same time, I felt good diving into these puzzles and the light story infused with history hooked me in. I currently have the next game on my docket and I’m excited to see what they do next! Now, are you ready to unravel the truth behind this legendary phenomenon?
Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
Check out our interview with the creators to understand more on the development side of these game:
Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers
(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 Wacky Wheels for providing us with samples of their games. Although a complimentary experience was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.
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