Let it be said that the Defenders of the Triforce escape room live event was all sorts of fun – rife with puzzles and riddles in need of problem solving. Some were fun to discover throughout the process while others were mildly frustrating. For my team however, the final puzzle was the most difficult one of all. Mostly because it was a little cheesy and unexpected, albeit some might say it was a predictable move on Real Escape Game and Nintendo’s part. There wasn’t much in part of actually escaping any rooms or traps, but there was quite a lot of moving to various areas of the room. I must disclaim that this was a closed event and phones were asked to be turned off once it began. Admittedly, once the event began, it was hard to not get caught up in the pace of it all!

One would think 60 minutes is enough time to solve all these puzzles, but not all of the challenges had straightforward solutions. Some required folding, decipher and interpret symbols, traveling back and forth to the correct time, bribing Gorons, and other methods! During the Seattle tour, just under 50% of the participating teams completed the challenge of bringing Ganandorf down. Continue on for the premise surrounding the event’s festivities and, just in case you wish you participate in Defenders of the Triforce and desire to experience it to your hearts’ content – answers will not be posted.

First Impression

Upon arrival, there was lengthy line toward the entrance where event staff were scanning tickets to verify the purchase. Near the entrance were two long folding tables where staff was handing players a clear name-tag holder with a tan map with their table number in the bottom right corner, and a green hand-sewn hat (seen in pictures above). Walking into the room, the decor and set-up seemed underwhelming at first. I wasn’t expecting Hollywood, Triple-A quality work, but I was under the impression that there would be slightly more…pizzazz and higher quality props. It looked like a hybrid set-up for students in middle and high school. For a 40 dollar entrance fee, it sort of makes sense, but I also never intend to shell out the Benjamins just for better quality props.

Each table was set up with each item placed very specifically, with the green folder that reads “Adventure Book” hiding symbols that would prove vital in the middle and later stages of the game. There was a rule sheet placed on the table that specifically asked players not to flip over the tables or take anything holding the items apart, which was a tempting rule to break. There were 5 “stations” around the room, each representing a village or region in the game (i.e. Zora’s domain, Kokiri Village, Temple of Time, Goron Village, and the”Pot Smashing” arena). In this case, a few of the 7 Sages were present including Princess Ruto and Saria. Most of the puzzles were worksheet riddles and problems that eventually led players to receive physical items like small chests with locks on them, red hats, and other props. However, being a time sensitive game, the lines for each “region” could get quite long and deducted from problem solving time with the team.

The event MC was extremely charismatic, pun-ey, humorous, and well-versed in his scripts. All of the event staff playing as characters or assistants were friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. For the safety of everyone around you, he specified that there was no need to run, shove, or sabotage other people’s progress. As competitive as some people can get, I think it was an extremely important message to declare before the festivities began. Walking around the room were a bunch of people wearing all-black, representing the helpful Navi. In fact, most if not all, were wearing 3D symbols of the fairy which were attached to the front of their shirt. Unfortunately for some, the Navi were trained very well not to give away answers too easily, but sometimes a wink, nudge, and rhetorical question was all that was needed for the momentum to start up again.

My favorite part of the whole Real Escape Game event though? Everyone seemed to be having fun. It was easy to get lost in the challenge presented right in front of you and the small role-playing aspects alongside your team. Everyone at my table arrived in pairs, so all of us were pretty much strangers to one another, but it was so easy to get along for the sake of achieving the Master Sword! It was a little tricky to ensure everyone was included in the game at first, but once a team mind-set was established – it was really all fun and games. Defenders of the Triforce brought out the person and time in you that enjoyed Ocarina of Time. It set about an air of nostalgia that most participants came to the event for. It was simply fun.

Story

Every single person who entered the room became the Hero of Time! In order to defeat the evil Ganondorf and his reign of tyranny and evil, all must don green hats and take on the role of Link. At some point in the live event, each team will be given a red hat to “travel back in time” as Young Link and find out more information to solve the puzzles and riddles that bewilder them. Here’s an excerpt from the official website below:

Golden triangles that grant the wish of whomever touches them: this sacred relic is known as the “Triforce.” The Triforce was left behind by the Golden Goddesses after they created the realm now known as Hyrule, then sealed away so that non would be tempted to use it.

That is, until the Great King of Evil, Ganondorf, used his dark powers to steal the Triforce for himself. Responding to his unending ambition, darkness has begun to cover the land. If left unchecked, Hyrule will soon be completely controlled by evil.

There is only one way to escape from this terrible fate: find the legendary Master Sword. It is up to you and your team to become “Defenders of the Triforce,” ally with Princess Zelda and the inhabitants of Hyrule, and obtain the Master Sword. The survival of Hyrule Kingdom rests on your shoulders.”

At the beginning and end of the event, there were video and sound clips from Ocarina of Time to tie the story together. It brought the perfect closure and damn, was I hit with the feels! No one was cutting onions in that room, that’s for damn sure. It was just me being a big baby and almost crying as the event came to a close. It was mostly the music and animation that brought all those memories back.

Bottomline

Do it. If you have some expendable income, it’s worth going to in order to nerd out and have fun solving puzzles and riddles. Hell, you didn’t have to think of the tricky puzzles yourself, and that’s what makes it so exciting! It’s brand new, refreshing, and a distraction from the other game called life – the graphics might be great, but the story is a real hit or miss for some players.

For more current information on location, dates, and times you can check out Real Escape Game’s website for Defenders of the Triforce here and just scroll to the bottom of the page. Don’t forget to check out the initial Don’t Feed the Gamers coverage on the event’s announcement here, too! Are you thinking of taking part at one of these events as well? Have you been to other escape room events? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below or begin your own conversation on Don’t Feed the Gamers Disqus channel! To stay up to date on the latest news in the gaming world, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!