Room Escape Artist

Wand-er the kingdom

Location: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

Date Played: May 5, 2025

Team Size: 4-8; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $33.63 CAD per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Sometimes I cringe at the thought of playing yet another wizard-themed escape room, but then a game like The Sorcerer’s Secret comes along, and I’m reminded that some games are so good they transcend genre. Crypto Escape Rooms has a strong track record of developing experiences with complete worlds, excellent builds, and well-immersed puzzling, and The Sorcerer’s Secret was no exception. The design felt intentional from the start, from directed lighting to feedback on solves to scalable difficulty on puzzles.

The game brought us on a narrative journey, delivered through a variety of fun characters and creative storytelling. We were entertained as we learned the backstory of the kingdom and the secret kept for so long. Character development and multiple acts gave the experience a show-like quality, leading to a finale that brought out all the feels.

The set was polished and contained large props that were intriguing and fun to interact with. There was not a lot of clutter to distract from game play.

The crux of the experience was the puzzling, which was solid and creative, yet straightforward enough to appeal to a broader audience. In fact, a couple of layered puzzles started with basic tutorials to make them more approachable. Even these were well done, as the ramp-up blended with the narrative. Tech and special effects added to the immersion, but at times we found ourselves working the tech more than being immersed in the action. Though we encountered a few glitches, these were minor and didn’t affect the overall experience.     

Players of all levels will find a lot to appreciate in The Sorcerer’s Secret from on-point game design and flow, to a compelling narrative and a kingdom you want to linger in. The finale was of a grand scale, which was fitting for a tale of a majestic kingdom, and we were sad to see it end. Having played several great games at Crypto in the past, we found this game to be a bit less complex, but just as memorable. The Sorcerer’s Secret joins Extraction, Below Zero, and The Lost Shipwreck on your list of must-play games if you are in the Toronto area. 

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Sorcerers & Wizards
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t have to be part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Compelling narrative
• Engaging, high-quality set
• Not your typical wizard room

Story

Waldwrick the Sorcerer had gone missing in the Kingdom of Merinthia after receiving a mysterious delivery to his doorstep. We had been sent to find Waldwrick, uncover the sorcerer’s secret, and save Merinthia.

Setting

We began outside the castle walls of Waldwrick the Sorcerer. Colorful banners hung high above the stone walls of the entryway. Peeking through an iron gate covered with hanging vines, we could just see an ornate door leading to inside the castle and the mysteries beyond.

Gameplay

Crypto Escape Rooms’ The Sorcerer’s Secret was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty. 

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ The story developed intrinsically as the game progressed, and was relayed through different creative mediums; we were mesmerized as we learned what had happened in this fairytale-like kingdom.

➕ As we progressed from the front gate to the inner chambers of Waldrick’s castle, we were impressed by the solidly-built set and immersive, wizard-y touches. Tech enhanced many of the puzzles, infusing them with a bit of magic.

➖ That said, we did encounter a couple of instances where the tech skipped a beat and didn’t respond immediately to our actions. Though minor, it had us focusing more on making the tech work than the immersion of the activity. 

➕ Some puzzles adapted the level of difficulty depending on the experience and progression of the team. This scalability was invisible to the players, but allowed teams to complete the experience without ending too early or running over time.

➖One early communication puzzle was implemented in a way that didn’t really work, as we were able to easily bypass the biggest part of the challenge. It was underdeveloped in terms of scenery, and didn’t really fit the overall theme. 

➕ The finale was impressive, and an exciting ending to the unusual tale. After solving our final objective, the team let out a sympathetic “aw…” even in our moment of victory.

Tips For Visiting

• Crypto Escape Rooms is located in Newmarket, north of Toronto. Allow for travel time and traffic. 
• There is a parking lot.
• We stayed in Vaughan while playing games in the Toronto area, and enjoyed dining at Evviva, Moxie’s, and Clementina.
• Our favorite meal was Italian at Mezzo Notte Trattoria in North York.

Book your hour with Crypto Escape Rooms’ The Sorcerer’s Secret, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Crypto Escape Rooms comped our tickets for this game.