Ravensburger – Space Observatory is included in our recommendation guide for Tabletop Escape Games – Jigsaw Puzzles. For more of the best escape room style jigsaw puzzles, check out the recommendation guide.
The Death Star
Location: at home
Team size: We recommend 1-4
Duration: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Price: $25
Publisher: Ravensburger
REA Reaction
Space Observatory offered a slightly more challenging jigsaw than the other Ravensburger Escape Puzzles, but concluded with a softer series of “escape room” puzzles.
If you’re more of a jigsaw puzzler, Space Observatory is the smart place to start. It worked well from beginning to end. Its meta-puzzle was a little easier to grasp than those in the other Escape Puzzles.
Whether you’re new with the series, already a fan of these, Space Observatory put on a strong show for the Ravensburger’s Escape Puzzle series.
Series Overview
This review only covers details specific to this individual Ravensburger Escape Puzzle.
For a detailed explanation of the concept and mechanics, and a general analysis of the entire product line, check out our Ravensburger Escape Puzzle Overview.
Story
While exploring an observatory, we’d happened upon a letter from a professor warning us of an impending cataclysm. The professor had build a device capable of saving the world, but couldn’t activate it. It was up to us to save the world.
Analysis
➕ When it all came together, the jigsaw puzzle’s art was delightful.
❓ While we were assembling the jigsaw puzzle, a whole lot of it felt really similar… especially the many shelved books. Whether this is wonderful or annoying really comes down to personal preference.
➕ One of the “escape room” puzzles featured a really clever twist that was a bit confounding for more experienced puzzlers.
❓ The concluding meta-puzzle was considerably easier than those in the other 3 Escape Puzzles. This would be great if Space Observatory was your first Escape Puzzle… and may be less interesting if it was your fourth.
Buy Now
Buy your copy of Ravensburger’s Space Observatory Escape Puzzle, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Ravensburger provided a sample for review.
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Complete waste of time and money.
Care to share a few thoughts on what you disliked?
I like this puzzle but it is extremly hard to put together. I can’t wait until I can do the escape part.
Waste of time. Completed the “Submarine” Escape puzzle.
I would like to “hear” the explanation of the “escape” from the designers of this puzzle.
Worst lack of photo image of puzzle and resolving solution.
I have completed many jigsaws of this Company, and the representation of the actual puzzle is bad.
I’m not happy with this “Escape” style, and am discouraged to continue.
There were a couple of puzzles in the Submarine that we felt were broken, reviewed here: https://roomescapeartist.com/2019/04/11/submarine-escape-puzzle-review/
Overall, our biggest issue with the Escape Puzzles have been that the hint system feels insufficient. When people get derailed or lost, the hints that they have are clearly not strong enough to help out a substantial amount of solvers.
I was confused by the solution to the mysteries. I even looked at the hints by scanning the QR code and got the answers. Still couldn’t figure out how they can up with these solutions even with the walk through. It was my first attempt and I did it solo. Can you offer any guidance so I can enjoy the riddle solving more? Loved the challenge of putting the puzzle together.
Hi Andi, unfortunately we don’t have this puzzle in our possession anymore, so we don’t have any of the individual puzzles in front of us.
We had a chance to speak to a representative of Ravensburger a few weeks ago and they asked for feedback. We requested that they really beef up their hint website to help people better find their footing in these puzzles.
I’m sorry that I don’t have anything more tangible for you. Once we review a product, we tend to give it away.
I just started this puzzle and I am very confused. The bottom right corner piece is the wrong direction from the box image. It makes zero sense. I understand the edges are challenging, but when a printed piece does not align at all with the printed image I’m not sure if I should even continue assembly….
I’m not sure what you’re seeing, but I strongly recommend not focusing on the edge until the end with these puzzles.
Also do note that the image on the box and the image of the puzzle are notably different.
Good luck.