Roundup: The best “escape room” games for a breakout party

Enlarge / Some typical escape room components—plus a "Chrono Decoder"—from Escape Room: The Game. (credit: Spinmaster)

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I don't know CPR. I can't tie a tourniquet. But I can work my way out of a locked, puzzle-stuffed room in 60 minutes or less.

I've been honing this vital skill over the last year as the current mania for physical "escape rooms" has made its way to the tabletop. In an escape room, a team of players works together to solve codes and puzzles that will eventually provide a means of escape. Usually this requires organizing a group, traveling to a physical location, and paying a significant per-person fee.