Game Night Chaos
Last week, the Fergus Falls Public Library hosted its fourth annual escape room program. For those new to escape rooms, participants are “locked” in a room and team members must work together to solve puzzles, decipher codes, and find clues to “escape” in the allotted time. Please do not worry. Players are not actually locked in the room – they can leave at any time. It is purely for the sake of the storyline that they are told they are locked in and must escape. Staff members Emily Millard and Krista Kugler transformed the library’s community room into a themed game room, with tables set up featuring various familiar games, including Scrabble, Guess Who?, Uno, and chess. The walls were decorated with game boards from the giant games the library used during the summer for its Fun Friday programming. Teams were told the backstory for the room and then given their mission. Below is the script staff members read to each team before they began their escape quest.
“Game Night at the library is a BIG deal. Every year, players gather to battle through boards, shuffle decks, claim bragging rights as champions, and to take home the shining Game Night Trophy. But tonight…the trophy has vanished. In its place, you found a cabinet sealed with a timer and a note that says: ‘To this year’s competitors, I am the true Game Night Champion — undefeated, unmatched, and forgotten far too soon. If you want the trophy, you’ll have to earn it. I’ve designed a gauntlet of challenges worthy of a champion. Pass every test before the clock runs out, and you may claim the trophy. Fail, and it will remain in my possession for another year. — The Reigning Champion.’ The room is laced with puzzles and clues inspired by legendary games of the past. You’ll need sharp eyes, quick thinking, and flawless teamwork to succeed. Your mission: prove you’re worthy, outsmart the Champion, and reclaim the trophy before time runs out. You have 45 minutes. Let the games begin!”
With that, the timer started counting down and teams were off to solve the room! For teams to successfully finish, they had to open the locked cabinet door, push the red button to stop the time, and claim the golden Game Night Trophy. We had time slots available over four days, with over 120 participants registering to take on the challenge. Ten staff members from Viking Library System Headquarters tested the room beforehand and provided feedback that helped us fine-tune the puzzles for a smoother experience. Thank you to the VLS staff for being our favorite test group and providing constructive feedback!
We had six teams successfully complete the room before the forty-five-minute timer went off. Many other teams were close to finishing with only one or two locks left unopened. Our surveys showed 75% of the participants had done an escape room before but, apart from one ‘maybe’, everyone said they would like to do one again! What did teams like about the escape room? Answers included, “Puzzles were challenging,” “The theme,” “Working together as a team,” “It was fun!” “Laughing together,” “Family friendly,” and “Using my brain in new ways.” How could FFPL improve this escape room experience? The most common answers were, “More time,” “Having music in the background,” and “Give more clues.” The best answer? “Cookies at the end!” We recognized a couple of our locks were difficult to open and plan on changing those for any future escape room programs offered at the library. Our final question asked participants to write down their ideas for our next escape room theme. We love seeing the variety of answers provided with this question. Ideas included, princess trapped in a dragon’s tower, Halloween, Minnesota themed, historical/local history, trapped in the Kirkbride, dinner party, stuck in time, Clue, space, sports, escape from school, Night at the Museum, Wild West, pirate themed with buried treasure, and yard sale. I am always inspired by this question and the answers it elicits from everyone!
If you missed out on attending FFPL’s escape room this year, there are local options in Fergus Falls and Wendell, as well as Alexandria and Fargo. For a less suspenseful experience, consider purchasing an “Escape Room in a Box” game or simply play an online escape room for free, made available through “Online Escape Rooms”.
Was the library’s escape room a hit? Even those who didn’t make it out in time enjoyed the challenge, and with nearly everyone eager to return, “Game Night Chaos” proved to be fun and memorable. Beyond the puzzles, the real win was in the laughter, teamwork, and shared excitement the program inspired – making it a library event worth repeating.
Krista Kugler is the Children’s Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library