Unlock! Kids: review of the family-friendly escape room

Unlock! Kids

Unlock! , the well-known series of table escape rooms published by Asmodee, welcomes Unlock! Kids. The latest addition to this numerous title proposes three new scenarios all to be solved, this time however addressing a specific target, as it is easy to guess from the presence of Kids in the title of the game: that of children and families.

Unlock! Kids amused us and surprised us a lot, we found this new incarnation in the sauce family of the franchise very engaging and well thought out, showing off an adequate level of difficulty, able to thrill both the youngest players, but also us adults. >
Below you can read our more extensive considerations totally spoiler free. As this is a puzzle-solving game, we wanted to keep it fairly generic, so as not to reveal any elements that could “contaminate” your game experience.

Unlock! Kids: let's open the box

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The first novelty to hit the our attention is the presence of four punched cardboard sheets that will collect a total of 38 shaped cardboard objects, which accompany the usual decks of cards (150 cards in total) and the booklets of rules and solutions.

The shaped objects will in fact have a central role during our investigations (we will talk about it in more detail in the let's play part ... but without spoilers) and will partially replace some of the mechanics that in the other titles of the series are managed by the game application.

Unlock! Kids presents the following three scenarios with increasing difficulty: Featherballs and Mysteries, Mac Unlock's Castle and A stir in the park.

In addition to these three adventures, Unlock! Kids also contains a short tutorial scenario in which you can familiarize yourself with the game's mechanics in order to have a general idea of ​​the various puzzles to solve. Like any other table escape room, Unlock! Kids can no longer be replayed once the three proposed scenarios have been completed, however, as we will see better later, the possibility of playing each scenario in two different versions gives Unlock! Kids a level of longevity higher than the other games in the series.

Unlock! Kids: let's play ... but without spoilers

The incarnation of Unlock! expressly dedicated to children, it allows the main target audience (aged 6 and up) a perfect use of the game, both for the overall level of the difficulty coefficient of the puzzles, and for the active interaction between players and game mechanics and mechanisms, which in this edition will be totally analogue given the absence of the companion application, thus eliminating the game timer as well.




The cards can contain clues, such as hidden numbers or parts of mysterious code to be deciphered, while the cardboard components could represent objects linked directly to the illustrations of the cards, or they could also contain part of the code.

How to use these elements? Using creativity and carefully observing the scene that will appear in front of you.

Even if you are a profound connoisseur of the series, we strongly recommend that you start with the tutorial, because in addition to showing you how to use the different clues and pieces of shaped cardboard, the tutorial will be fundamental in providing the links to the different adventures. We can't reveal too much, but as previously mentioned each of the three scenarios will be the background of two different adventures, thus giving life to 6 new Unlock adventures! .

Playing "Feather Balls and Mysteries" you can choose between the adventures "The Disappearance of Mrs. Gallina" and "Bernard the Duck's Birthday". Playing "Mac Unlock's Castle" you can choose between the adventures "The Lost Treasure of Mac Unlock" and "The Bearded Ghost of Mac Unlock" Playing "Riot in the park" you can choose between the adventures "The Secret of Barbarossa" and "In pursuit of Calamity Jane" Obviously play both adventures of the same scenario will present some plot overlaps that could be thus facilitated in the resolution, however the authors have tried to keep each adventure of the same vein as independent as possible.

How to win in Unlock! Kids?

Also in this case, to collect the various stars you will have to be shrewd and creative, because the interaction of the objects with the cards or the identification of well hidden numbers will allow you to earn points. Obviously some choices could be wrong and result with an error card; in most cases these are minor errors, but in some cases a wrong choice could cause you to lose stars when counting the points.

Unlock! Kids: who is suitable for

Unlock! Kids caters primarily to the little ones, thanks to lively and colorful graphics, compelling stories and ingenious exploration and discovery mechanics full of surprises. Adults will find a version of Unlock instead! more relaxed and less difficult.

Unlike the “older brothers” Unlock! Kids does not contemplate a time limit, allowing a less frenetic game, in which the fun lies in the complete resolution of the puzzle, without the stressful element of the race against time. This particularity makes this title suitable as an entry point into the world of table escape rooms, for those who have never been confronted with this type of game.

The coefficient of difficulty is calibrated for children from 6 years of age of age and, on the whole, it is quite easy to get to the end of each scenario, however to reach the maximum score in each of these it will be necessary to have a great spirit of observation and lateral thinking. In this sense, the autonomous game of the little ones may not be a completely satisfying experience, both for the presence of some more difficult puzzles, and for the reading of the rules or some clues of the game (in case the young players do not know yet read smoothly), therefore we recommend the presence of at least one adult as a support.

In conclusion

Don't be fooled by the ending Kids, this title will also involve those who have several springs on their shoulders: while being designed with children in mind, Unlock! Kids can also be enjoyed by adults.

We can say that this new chapter of Unlock! is a really well done game full of surprising elements, which make this table escape room much more than a simple family gam and that can be appreciated not only by younger players, but also by all those looking for a less stressful version of the game. classic Unlock! .