Room Escape Artist

It’s anyone’s game

Location: Portland, OR

Date Played: October 3, 2025

Team Size: 4-8; we recommend 3-8

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $200 for the first 4 players, $100 for each additional pair, up to 8 players

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: There are stairs to get to the room.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I knew the escape games at In Search of an Exit had to be on the must-play list for my trip to Portland, but booking their live game show was almost an afterthought. This type of experience didn’t naturally appeal to our team of mostly introverts. I’m so glad we went for it, because Super Sanitary Double Dog Dare Ya! was an absolute blast from start to finish, and a highlight of our trip.

While this wasn’t an escape room, it did link to the mob family central to the other escape games at In Search of an Exit. The setup: Larry Lombino was a game show host in the 1980s and early 1990s who was cryogenically frozen for the last 30 years. Recently defrosted, he created a new game show to be played in person – in his house. And since his OCD still wasn’t cured, he made it super sanitary! 

Larry and his digital companion (a Max Headroom-esque version of Larry) emceed the game together. They were hilarious. The game had a multi-round structure with questions followed by challenges, usually some type of simple physical task. Points were awarded based on speed or quality of the action. Larry was quick with quips and adjusted seamlessly to our team, making it feel personal and unique. Though we experienced minor glitches with our buzzers, our host rolled with it so well that we actually thought it was part of the show. We laughed our way through obvious – and not so obvious – questions, and had fun trying to one-up each other for the challenges. 

The set looked like most classic TV game shows, with a main stand for the emcee and a separate podium for each contestant. It had a homemade feel, like Larry didn’t have anything better to do with himself after thawing except start a game show in his attic. There were many props used in the game (I imagine reset would be lengthy), but everything was within reach and ready to go. It was a simple setup, but thoughtfully prepped.

Time flew by, and before we knew it, we were faced with a final meta-challenge that wrapped up the show. I can’t recommend this experience enough. So, come on down to In Search of an Exit and be their next contestant, I double dog dare ya!

Who is this for?

• Light trivia buffs
• Game show aficionados
• Any experience level
• Players who love to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Your TV is locked on the Game Show Channel
• To test your skills with silly tasks and approachable trivia
• It’s just plain fun

Story

Everyone remembers Larry Lombino, right? He was the star of those classic game shows from the 1980s and 1990s – Double Dog Dare Ya!, Super Sloppy Double Dog Dare Ya! and Super Duper Sloppy Double Dog Dare Ya 2000! He’s been on ice for the last 30 years, but now he’s back, and you’re about to compete on his latest game show. But just remember, Larry has OCD, so keep it super sanitary, will ya?

Setting

The game show set was located up a flight of stairs. Just like on TV, there was a stand front and center for our famous host, and four podiums across the room. Colorful buttons let players buzz in with their answers, while props were neatly stowed until needed. Studio lights and TV monitors completed the look. It had a realistic, yet homemade, do-it-yourself appearance that just worked; a more polished or over-the-top set would not have matched the charm of the experience.

Gameplay

In Search of an Exit’s Super Sanitary Double Dog Dare Ya! was a live game show with a low level of difficulty. 

Core gameplay revolved around answering trivia questions, completing silly challenges, competing with your friends, and a touch of puzzling.

Analysis

➕ Larry Lombino was funny with smart, timely remarks that were witty without being acerbic. His non-stop banter made the show.

➕ Challenges were fun, sometimes silly, and easy enough for anyone to win. My favorite one involved having players strategize on the best way to achieve a time-constrained victory, and all of us chose the most difficult path, making for some fun, memorable, and cringe-worthy moments.

➕ Most of the trivia questions were approachable, yet challenging enough to let people shine when they knew an obscure reference.

➖ One player had an opportunity to earn extra points to pull ahead, and while the task was set up to be a nail-biting choice, it could have been a bit more splashy.

➕ The host was ultra-prepared for our game; you could tell a lot of attention was given to prop placement, game flow, and player experience.

➕ All contestants were actively engaged in the experience the entire time; there was never a time with players on the sidelines with nothing to do. We felt just as much part of the show as our emcee.

🔢 With four podiums available, each player gets their own station; we played with three and it worked well. With teams of six and eight, players double up and play as pairs. Playing with five or seven players is still possible, but teams will be uneven, leaving someone at a disadvantage.

Tips For Visiting

• Street parking is available. 
• For public transit, only a 4-minute walk to the Hollywood Transit Center, off the red/blue/green MAX line, and about a 30 second walk from the 75 and 77 bus lines.
• We enjoyed Chin’s Kitchen next door.

Book your hour with In Search of an Exit’s Super Sanitary Double Dog Dare Ya!, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: In Search of an Exit provided a complimentary game.