Note, supplies are limited and they need to be shipped in advance, so if this is something you’re interested in, act now.
Lisa and I are a couple with few annual traditions; we like trying new things and visiting new places.
However, for the past 4 years we’ve made an annual trip to Massachusetts for Club Drosselmeyer. We adore this reimagining of the Nutcracker as a World War II era techno-conspiracy. (Past reviews)
This event blends so many of our favorite things into one giant spectacle… puzzles, immersive theatre, music, swing dancing. When we went to the first one I said, “It felt like someone made this specifically for us.”
Yours truly tearing it up on the dance floor.
Well, we can’t travel to Boston this year. There is no real-life Club Drosselmeyer, and the last time we went out dancing was at last year’s Club Drosselmeyer.
The Good News
There is a digital Club Drosselmeyer, the Drosselbox.
I really have no idea what to expect from this. I know that it will be a profoundly different experience, simply because it can’t be a giant puzzle and dance party. I am just happy that any amount of Club Drosselmeyer will be bottled up and sent to warm our home and keep up our annual tradition.
This is a ticketed event, not just a boxed game. There will be one show on December 12 and two shows on December 13.
Welcome to our 5th Annual Holiday Buyer’s Guide. The fact that we’ve been doing this for 5 years blows my mind. As always, we’re here to help you solve the puzzle of what to get family and friends.
Each year we assemble a list of puzzles, games, tools, and some truly random stuff that we think would make fantastic gifts for the escape room or puzzle-curious people in your life.
We do not (intentionally) repeat items, so feel free to check out our past Holiday Buyer’s Guides for additional inspiration. They have all been crafted with love and we still stand behind them:
David: “Jinkies, this game was adorable. It was about as Scooby Doo as it could have gotten, and it’s the perfect family-friendly tabletop escape room.” (Review)
Lisa: “It’s a dollhouse. You turn the game box into a dollhouse, and then you play it like it’s a real-life escape room. Sure, it had a couple of bumps, but it’s so much fun. And did I mention that it’s a dollhouse?” (Review)
David: “This one really surprised us. It was teed up as a single player experience (but we played it as a couple). We didn’t know what to expect or what we were getting into… and in the initial moments it seemed like it might disappoint, but wow. Must play. Few tabletop puzzle games have pushed the idea as far as Box One did.” (Review)
David: “We had Sarah Willson review this one because Lisa volunteered to play a part as one of the witches. In both my opinion and Sarah’s… this game is great. Also, I think that one of the witches in this game is really hot.” (Review)
David: “This is a beautiful and unique take on the subscription game. It has an entirely different feel and style from anything else we’ve seen and puts a heavy focus on challenges and fiction that feel more real than purely puzzley.” (Review)
Lisa: “We loved the Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks and said as much in our review… but we loved its prequel/ harder followup Curious Stairsof Mr. Hincks even more. That review is coming soon. These are quality, approachable puzzle games.” (Review)
Lisa: “Root of All Evil built a grim fictional world and truly sold it through an attention to detail that rivals anything else we’ve seen in the tabletop mystery market. I’ve never enjoyed reading a journal more than in this experience.” (Review)
David: “As an jigsaw puzzler, I always thought that buying dedicated sorting trays was a decadence that I didn’t need. Turns out, it’s a decadence that I love.” (Review)
H. H. Holmes Murder Castle 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
David: “The book The Devil in the White Cityis fantastic on so many levels. It also introduced me to the real and insane story of H.H. Holmes and his murder castle. This illustrated puzzle brings the stories to life. It’s an interesting jigsaw puzzle because it has so much detail and the act of assembling it really makes sure that you take in every little bit.”
Lisa: “You think you’re a good jigsaw puzzler until a 29-piece puzzle kicks your butt. This thing is loaded with intrigue and smart design. Have fun figuring out what the deal is with that 5th corner piece.”
Brett: “A series of challenges with one simple rule: place the starting pieces in specified locations, then figure out where the remaining pieces fit. It escalates from easier puzzles to quite difficult ones, but always producing an attractive color block pattern. Challenge cards and pieces are packaged in a clever case, making it good for portable puzzling.”
David: “I’m a big fan of puzzles and locks… so blending them together is a no-brainer for me. In the annals of puzzle locks, the Dan Lock is a puzzle that really established a lot in this niche genre. I’ve never owned one, but I did solve a friend’s.”
David: “ClueBox is a really clever puzzle. It blends mechanical puzzling with escape room-style clue structure. The result is approachable fun for newbies and experts alike.” (Review)
Lisa: “We took a bit of a break from puzzle books in 2020, but Master Theorem was the exception. It has a unique voice and an assortment of quality puzzles that we kept returning to.” (Review)
Home & Office
AfterShokz Titanium Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
David: “About 15 years ago I read a science fiction novel called Daemon (which is fantastic and could make a great gift as well). The book passively mentioned bone conduction headphones. It wasn’t essential to the plot, but it captured my imagination. In 2020, I’ve spent a lot of time in headphones and I don’t like over-ear or earbuds, so I tried a pair of these bone conduction headphones and they are really cool. They leave your ears completely open. There is also a more expensive waterproof/ exercise model.”
Lisa: “It has been a long time since we’ve gone out to a bar, so we’ve been mixing our own potions. Gin & tonic is an easy choice, but most people buy inferior tonic. Splurge for the good stuff; it will completely change the way you think of the classic gin & tonic.”
It also looks amazing under blacklight. (To be fair, so does inferior tonic.)
David: “A non-trivial portion of the joy that I’ve experienced in 2020 has been from exploring spices and hot sauces. The gift set from Flatiron Pepper Co is by far the most versatile product that I’ve found. These pepper blends are so fresh, flavorful, and vibrant. There’s a pepper blend for every meal in this box. Give the gift of 🔥.”
OXO Good Grips Multi Grater (The Strange Bird Grater)
Lisa: “It turns out traditional soy sauces are amazing. I wouldn’t cook it into something, but in the right places, this stuff is an outrageous finishing touch.”
David: “I’ve been playing Magic The Gathering on and off since I was about 10 years old. I love brewing up decks, and I truly enjoy the complexity of the game… but I don’t really like to keep up with buying tons of cards. The Challenger Decks are amazing because most of them are legitimately good out of the box, and with a few upgrades, it’s easy to turn these things into powerhouses. All 4 are interesting, but I think that Cavalcade Charge and Flash of Ferocity are the strongest out of the box.”
David: “If you’re brand new to Magic, the Arena Starter Decks are really good – Magic has a dodgy history when it comes to starter deck quality. These also come with the added bonus of working in Magic’s digital format, Arena, as well (which is also where I do most of my playing these days).”
Lisa: “Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a collaborative fantasy, adventure, and strategy game. It is the little sibling of Gloomhaven (2018 Buyers Guide), an epic tabletop game designed to be played over dozens of sessions… and we have been playing it throughout 2020. The smaller version is far less of a commitment in terms of playtime, price, and complexity… but it’s still really fun.”
Lisa: “Truthfully, we haven’t played this yet, but it’s sitting next to our table waiting for us to play it in December. We recommended Season 1 & 2 in past guides and they were a marvel of game design. I can’t wait to see what catharsis Season 0 has in store for us.”
David: “The Wera screwdriver that I recommended last year is my go-to fix-most-things tool… but this cheap, silly little tool has worked miracles for me in tight spaces. I don’t always need it, but when I do, I am so happy that I have it.”
David: “This is a small safe designed to teach you how to crack safes. If you’re into mechanical puzzles, lock picking, or you’re the kind of person who likes to know how to do things, this product is incredibly cool. The only reason that I do not own one right now is that I know that I don’t have the time to get really good at this… yet.”
Lisa: “If it’s wrong to love a pencil, I don’t want to be right. This mechanical pencil slowly rotates as you write with it so that the graphite wears evenly. It’s magnificent. David and I both use them when puzzling. Buy extra graphite; the pencil doesn’t ship with much in it.”
Lisa: “I’ve always loved origami. Any scrap paper or candy wrapper turns into a bird in my idle hands. I also really enjoy folding my way through these squares while we watch TV.”
David: “Now is the time that I entertain and educate you. This silly little key goes to the most commonly-used lock on office furniture, cabinets, and RV compartments… and it shows up in a lot of escape rooms. It’s a dirt cheap lock that manufacturers keep using out of laziness and stupidity. So buy yourself a “skeleton key” to keep on your key-chain… and seriously make sure that you are never locking up something important behind a lock keyed to CH751.”
Lisa: “If you’re looking to open the world of puzzling up to your primary-school age child, The Mad Hacker is an adorable and beautifully illustrated entry point.” (Review)
Playmobil Scooby-DOO! Adventure in The Mystery Mansion
Lisa: “If you asked tiny me what I wanted for the holidays, the answer was always Playmobil. My obsession was intense. What I love about this particular playset is that it’s a great way to introduce kids to mystery, adventure, and trap doors. Teaching your kids to love trap doors is just good parenting.”
David: “Whether you play in real life at your friendly neighborhood escape room business or try one of the countless digital escape room variants, these companies absolutely need the business. It has been a hard year, and supporting them is as important as it is fun.”
Lisa “For the first time, we finally have REA logo swag available and we’re super excited. If you’re debating between the items, let me tell you that the hoodie is so soft and comfortable. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a hoodie. The mug is also really great.” (About REA Merch)
Brett: “If you are looking for something high-end, this puzzle box has hours of play value. With more than 100 different configurations, taking from 6 to 115 moves to open, you won’t soon run out of challenges. Made by Kagen Sound, one of the best puzzle craftspeople out there, it is also a beautifully precise piece of woodworking.”
David: “Every year I explore the internet in search of something completely bonkers for the person who has everything. I keep imagining how funny it would have been running RECON from something this ridiculously super villainous.”
Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission
There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.
The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.
I love this talk so much. It was as hilarious as it was informative! And I can tell you with confidence, no one worked as hard on crafting their talk at RECON as Manda did. She put her heart, soul, and knowledge into this thing, and I am so thankful to her (and Errol).
Most escape room creators could learn a lot from this session.
Featured Talk Information
Characters in Escape Rooms
Details: Originally presented on Monday, August 24 at 14:15 (New York)
Speakers: Manda Whitney
Company: Room Escape Divas
Abstract: Manda always puts character at the center of her creations – in escape rooms, large-scale narrative-driven puzzle productions, and her own writing. In this talk, Manda provides you with key components of creating and representing a compelling character. Whether you’re starting from scratch or seeking to retrofit characters into existing games, Manda’s tips provide an effective and inexpensive way to lift the quality of any immersive experience.
About RECON ’20
RECON ’20 was Room Escape Artist’s digital escape room convention featuring 15 pre-recorded talks, live Q&As, and over 30 exhibitors. We had over 900 attendees from 62 countries watching and participating live.
We’re releasing each of the 15 talks for free on our YouTube channel this fall. More than half the featured talk videos are already available there!
Amazon is currently running an up to 40% discount off of a surprising number of some of our favorite tabletop escape games, as well as our favorite tabletop collaborative games.
Here are a few deals you should consider:
Tabletop Escape Games
PlayMonster’s Break in Alcatraz – This is a new game and I am literally finishing the review of it today. It has some bumps, but it is truly unique and does some crazy cool things. For $12, you should absolutely buy this thing now.
The Exit Series – We’re big fans and have reviewed most of them. There are tons of Exit games on sale for about $10 each:
Gloomhaven – we’re in the middle of this beast and it’s a commitment, but incredible, and $85 is remarkably inexpensive for this game
Forbidden Island, Forbidden Desert, & Forbidden Sky – I love this series of easy-to-learn, quick-to-play, challenging-to-master games. They require escape-room-esque teamwork, and the components are gorgeous.
Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission
There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.
The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.
Price: $19.50
per month, or save on individual boxes with a quarterly or annual subscription
REA Reaction
I am a huge proponent of game designers packing a little less into their games, but really getting what’s in there right. It felt like Society of Curiosities was coming from a similar school of thought.
Madok’s Lost Treasure didn’t have a ton of components, but everything that we received in the mail looked and felt right. When we interacted with digital components, they looked and felt natural. This is rare. Usually there’s some junky afterthought prop or a website that can’t even pass as a parody of a website.
When it came to gameplay, Madok’s Lost Treasure was different. We initially approached it like a tabletop escape room, looking for puzzles to solve, but as we worked through the game’s materials, it slowly became clear to us that we needed to think about things not as puzzlers, but more like researchers. The gameplay was largely in exploring the nuances of the world and applying the game world’s logic to itself. Once we shifted our mindset, we had a great time.
Our biggest knock against Madok’s Lost Treasure was that we felt like it needed to do more to guide us into its style of play.
Society of Curiosities is what I’m hoping to find from a subscription series: fewer high quality, detailed components, deliberately crafted worlds, and smart gameplay.
Who is this for?
Story seekers
ARG fans
Prop collectors
Why play?
Beautiful props
Strong world building
Detail-focused problem solving
Story
We received a collection of documents – both old and new – in the mail, along with a single goal. Solve an ancient mystery and figure out where to send our field team to recover the lost treasure of famed pirate Captain Edus Madok.
