Room Escape Artist

Baggage Bandits is one of the best games in Massachusetts. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Massachusetts.

A cozy train heist

Location:  Cape Cod, MA

Date Played: January 20, 2025

Team Size: 2-4; we recommend 2-3

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $30-36 per player, depending on team size

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  None that we could see

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

As baggage bandits sent to steal everything valuable in sight, armed with a trusty thief carrying case and our wits, we entered the The Owl Express Train Station. Our team loved the puzzles from the opening moments. The Owl Express Train Station may be the smallest space that Upside Down has, but definitely makes up for that with the on-theme puzzle implementation and adorable interactions. Considering Baggage Bandits started as a mobile game and was later retrofitted to this small space, the permanent installation is strong.

Compared to the other games at Upside Down, Baggage Bandits had a bit less personality than The Mole of the Mountain and bit less magic than Nocturnal Keep. It was still an adorably small game for 2 players with cute puzzles and fun interactions, even if it lacked the more impressive sets and unique sequences of the others. If you’re on Cape Cod, be sure to visit Upside Down Escape Games to play The Mole of the Mountain, and if you have extra time, check out Baggage Bandits too!

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Train enthusiasts
• Newbies
• Small teams

Why play?

• Adorable train station set
• Puzzles that felt at home in the game

Story

For us, an infamous gang of bandits, it was just another day on the job. Word on the street was that we could steal expensive items within the baggage at The Owl Express Train Station. The more we could steal, the better the profit.

Setting

Baggage Bandits was set in an adorably tiny train station, complete with old-timey luggage, a ticket counter, a bench for when the trains are inevitably late, and many cute surprises.

Gameplay

Upside Down Escape Games’ Baggage Bandits was a standard escape room with a low level of difficulty.

Core gameplay consisted of observing, making connections, logic, and communication.

Analysis

➕ Each set was full of character. The details in each space were spot-on, taking us through multiple parts of a train station. Considering how tiny the square footage of this game was, a lot was packed into it.

➖ The first solution of the game only opened a small bit, leading us to question whether we’d completed the puzzle. Having this compartment open more fully would better entice players to find the object inside, improving the flow at the beginning of the game.

➕ An object from the beginning of the game surprised us later on, becoming more intriguing at a pivotal moment. We loved its transformation.

➕/➖  While there were a ton of locks throughout the space, the puzzles felt unique. Even though the locks felt at home in the space, the mapping of the puzzles to their respective locks could have been stronger.

➕ We enjoyed some unusual non-lock inputs.

➖In one instance, we tried to solve a puzzle without realizing we only had partial information. This disrupted game flow, and is likely a common occurrence, as there was substantial wear on the associated prop.

➕ Upside Down Escape Games knew how to make a directional lock fit in with the setting. The hand-painted lock shocked us. I really thought it was a rusted old directional lock (RIP)!

➖ Towards the end of the game, what seemed like it would be a big reveal and ended up being a let down. We were hoping for something more grand.

➕ Extra care elevated this game, for example, the in-world hint system and a fun soundtrack.

Tips For Visiting

• There is plenty of street parking
• We enjoyed Estia Mashpee for some post-game soup and cocktails

Book your hour with Upside Down Escape Games’ Baggage Bandits, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Upside Down Escape Games comped our tickets for this game.