Room Escape Artist

Taco Twosday is included in our recommendation guide for 2-Player Online Escape Games. For more of the best online escape games in this style, check out the recommendation guide.

Taco Twosday is a tabletop escape game created by Trapped Puzzle Rooms in St. Paul, MN.

Format

Style of Play: asymmetrical tabletop escape game

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, pen and paper

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 2-3 hours (or faster for very experienced groups)

It would be easy to play over multiple sessions because the game is divided into 3 sections and tells you when a good stopping point is and how to come back to the game.

Price: $17.95 for each half, or both halves for $35.90, plus $4-16 for shipping

Booking: purchase online and wait for the game to arrive in the mail

Description

The game comes as two packets of information – one for the Flour Bureau of Investigation, and one for the Corn Intelligence Agency. Each group only has access to one of the two packets. You read information in your packet when instructed to do so, and then you discuss what you learn with the other group. Each packet contains complementary information, so you must collaborate to discover how your information fits together.

The game materials are mailed to you, but a website is used for answer verification and further instructions.

You can be either remote or in the same room as the other group, but if in the same room, you need to have something between the groups so they don’t see each other’s information.

Hivemind Review Scale

Cindi S’ Reaction

On Tuesday we had two plates of tacos and played Taco Twosday, a 2-player game with a sense of humor. We received 2 envelopes, 1 labeled FBI (Flour Bureau of Investigation) and 1 labeled CIA (Corn Intelligence Agency) because, well, tacos. Our goal was to stop the Guaca-mole! Solving the puzzles involved communication and cooperation, since each player only had part of the information. It reminded me of some in-person games that have players working from separate rooms. In fact, you can purchase the FBI and CIA envelopes separately for distance play via Zoom. The first puzzle had us stumped right out of the gate, but once we figured out what we needed to do, the game flowed easily. We really enjoyed the back and forth aspect of the game, and the aha moment when we figured out how each puzzle worked.

Matthew Stein’s Reaction

Taco Twosday provided a mouthwatering meal of asymmetrical information-sharing puzzles, sprinkled with a generous pinch of punnery and just the right level of spice. Tammy and I are competitive eaters and finished in around an hour, though I suspect the 2-3 hour time range will be accurate for most diners, making this a solid value meal. Puzzle flow was smooth and puzzle quality was high, with a gentle on-ramp, consistent signposting, and some satisfying ahas and mini-metas throughout. The final puzzle of the game, in particular, stood out to me for making very clever use of a simple tactile mechanic.

I’ve enjoyed every remote game Trapped Puzzle Rooms has put out so far, and this was no exception. I can’t wait to see what cryptic culinary creations they concoct next!

Tammy McLeod’s Reaction

Collaboration is definitely the main goal of this game. The puzzles were reasonably challenging, but are manageable if you have good communication with your partner. There was a very nice variety of puzzle styles, and the game was thoughtfully designed with places that are good for taking a break. Taco puns abound and the theming was strong, albeit cute. I got a mental workout, and had fun playing with my remote partner. Looking forward to seeing more of this style of game!

Sarah Mendez’s Reaction

This is my favorite asymmetric puzzling game to date, which is saying something for me because I love that style of game so much. This one is very well executed, from the pun-filled, taco-centric storyline to the unique puzzles, to the effective use of the print medium. With one finicky exception, the puzzles were all delightful, and one in particular stands out to me among all the print and asymmetric games I’ve played. The aha moments were abundant, layered, and satisfying, and the process pieces were fun to execute. Be warned, though, that parts of this game rely heavily on common pop culture knowledge, and in one case you might not even have the right keywords to Google. Also, the price is a bit on the high end for an experience like this (especially when you add on the necessary shipping). For me, though, the experience justified the cost, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who loves asymmetric, communication-intensive games.

Disclosure: Trapped Puzzle Rooms provided the Hivemind reviewers with a complimentary play.