Beat the Bomb Online is an online cooperative puzzle game created by Beat the Bomb in Brooklyn, NY.
Room Escape Artist reviewed the real-life version of Beat the Bomb in March of 2018. This is a review of the online adaptation of the same idea.
Format
Style of Play: browser-based cooperative puzzle game
Required Equipment: computer with internet connection
Two screens or devices would be recommended. Headphones are also strongly encouraged.
Recommended Team Size: 6
Play Time: 45 minutes
Price: $20 per person
Booking: book online for a specific time slot
Description
This is a series of three online cooperative mini games. The first two can earn you extra time in the third one, where you try to “beat the bomb.” To earn more time, your team must complete the same game segment multiple times, with the game getting faster and more complex each time you complete it. The game was played on both Zoom and a separate website.
Hivemind Review Scale
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Matthew Stein’s Reaction
Beat the Bomb has magically transformed a few of their fun in-person mini games into a super slick, high-energy online experience. Each game is a social communication puzzle of increasing difficulty as each level adds in new maddening twists and constraints. Your team has 10 minutes per minigame to complete as many levels as possible, a setup which nicely serves teams of all ages and experience levels: kids and casual players will still get a sense of accomplishment from besting the first few levels, and our experienced team of 6 managed to top the leaderboard while still feeling challenged by insidious later levels. The 3 mini games currently available were all very well designed, with clear tutorial intros and thoughtful difficulty ramps. We also got a sneak peek of a couple other mini games coming soon and they look to be equally fun, making this game even more replayable!
Theresa W’s Reaction
I really didn’t think that Beat the Bomb could be translated online so well, but was pleasantly surprised at how much fun the adaptation was! The game is played through three rounds where players have to work together to save up enough time to beat the bomb. The mini games are designed to test your teamwork and communication, and really force you to work together to develop a strategy on the fly. The games balanced just the right amount of chaos and collaboration.
I’d strongly recommend bringing 6 people to this one, as fewer would make the games more difficult (but definitely still doable!). This is the perfect game to play with your less puzzle-y or non-puzzle-y friends!
Brett Kuehner’s Reaction
- + Three different game segments, each with a clean interface and clear goal
- + Each game requires different skill sets and different team coordination techniques
- + Each segment starts off at a manageable pace and complexity level, then gradually speeds up and increases complexity, keeping the energy level high
- + Game design is very effective at pushing teams to develop efficient teamwork skills
- + After each mistake we made, we could quickly try again, preventing loss of momentum
- +/- Game is designed for an optimal team size of 6, but can be played with fewer players (but will be more difficult)
Cara Mandel’s Reaction
Beat the Bomb Online is a total blast! It’s not what you might classify as a typical escape room. This is more a series of video game-esque team challenges. Each game was clever and, well, challenging. The web interface the game employs has a delightfully retro 80’s 8-bit vibe as do some of the games. What makes these so fun is that they rely on communication and sharp reflexes. I would strongly encourage a team of 6 for this game, though you could certainly still play with fewer or more. In fact, I’m told you could arrange multiple groups to compete simultaneously. I would recommend this game to anyone who thinks they can beat our top score on the leaderboard… 🙂
Disclosure: Beat the Bomb Online provided the Hivemind reviewers with a complimentary play.