Review: Co-Decode Captain’s Treasure Portable Puzzle

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, keeping yourself and the rest of the household entertained at home was a problem families around the World constantly faced. But whilst endless Netflix series and outdoor exercise offers a momentary break from the real world, we found the Co-Decode Captain’s Treasure portable puzzle experience the ideal leisure activity, striking the perfect balance between mental stimulation and adventure.

When I first heard of the portable puzzle experience offered by Co-Decode, I was sceptical and questioned whether you could recreate the fun of an escape room inside your own home. But within minutes of setting sail on our hunt for Captain Bartholomew’s treasure, it was clear that this wouldn’t be a problem.

Consisting of 5 wooden crates that are each designed with a series of intricate challenges and mesmerising mechanisms, the Captain’s Treasure puzzle experience requires the whole family to get involved with each stage of the game requiring a different set of skills to progress.

Every crate has a series of obstacles for you to overcome, with it impossible to advance unless you are successful at every stage. But whilst you may think this would see you faced with repetitive puzzles that eventually get boring, Alex and his team at Co-Decode have once again demonstrated their puzzling genius by making every stage of the game different and unique in its own right, helping to keep your mind refreshed and the whole family engaged.

Costing £100 for a 24-hour hire period, Captain Bartholomew’s treasure hunt is affordable for the whole family, with the amazing intricacy of the game and efforts of Alex and his team reflective of the hire price.

The game is designed for 5 people and I would recommend a minimum age of 12 due to the level of intellect and understanding required to progress through the various stages. However, younger ones can still get involved with the turning of keys and interactive puzzles both eye-catching and inventive.

If after much head-scratching you find yourself staring into blankness and unable to work out one of the puzzles, there is no need to worry because the password-protected online tutorial is at hand to offer multiple informative hints that will eventually lead you to the correct answer.

The game itself states it will take approximately 3-5 hours to complete, and that isn’t an overstatement because it genuinely took my family four hours, along with lots of bickering between individuals, to complete and locate the treasure trove. So make sure you’re prepared to spend the majority of the day on this awesome pirate puzzle.

The unopened wooden crates are also quite large and heavy with the biggest weighing 16kg, so if you’re opting to pick the crates up from Co-Decode then make sure you have plenty of space in your car. Alternatively you can opt for the game to be delivered straight to your door which is definitely the easier option.

Overall the Co-Decode Captain’s Treasure portable puzzle experience can be defined in three words. Fun, challenging, amazing. Alex and his team have once again excelled where other escape rooms have not by taking the fun of a real-life escape room and placing into your own home.

So if you’re looking for a new way to get the whole family together then look no further because this is certainly one treasure hunt you don’t want to miss out on.

To book your portable puzzle experience, click HERE.