The Exit Games FL: Pins and Needles Tattoo Parlor (Clearwater, FL)

One for the adults (but not strictly horror)

 No Crybabies Allowed

Holy S#*t… you just secured an apprenticeship under one of the most acclaimed tattoo artists in the world: Paul Tompskins AKA Skinz. Now the question is – do you have what it takes to last? It seems like Skinz throws away more apprentices than the New York City Sanitation Department.

It’s crucial that you and your team of rookies make a solid impression on your first day at the shop. Show up, do your job, and don’t find yourself snooping around for anything that’s none of your damn business. You got that?

If you can survive his apprenticeship longer than the first day, I’m sure it will make for one hell of a good story.

Our last visit to Florida was nearly ten years ago, long before we discovered escape rooms,  and even longer before that discovery became an obsession. With nearly a decade since our last trip to the Sunshine State, we were long overdue for a visit to some family in Cape Coral. But there was no way we were going to miss out on sneaking away from the family to fit in a few games while we were in the area. In fact, our international travel was actually planned specifically to ensure we would be able to visit Exit Games Florida without too much of a diversion. (That’s not sad at all, is it?)

We began our day at The Exit Games with Servants of Sleight, and while I was expecting a good, solid game, the reality of what was delivered far surpassed my already high expectations. On a high from finishing a simply superb game, we couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us in Pins and Needles Tattoo Parlor. But, with a little over an hour between games, we would have to wait at least a little while, so we took a stroll and found a bite to eat before returning to begin our tattoo apprenticeship.

Once again, we were warmly welcomed into the venue and we took a seat to await the arrival of our GM. It wasn’t long, however, before he was ready and we were sent through to the back room to see if we had what it takes to be a great tattooist. (Not sure what they were thinking, hiring me. I can’t even draw a stick figure!)

IMMERSION/ROOM DESIGN

It’s not often that we come across an escape room where the narrative is so thoroughly intertwined with the game play, but that’s exactly what we have here: A fully formed story that players get to follow through to its (rather dramatic) conclusion. If you’re thinking of visiting The Exit Games, you should take note that Pins and Needles Tattoo Parlor is restricted to players 16+ and definitely rated R (If you’re not okay with swearing like a sailor tattoo artist and some rather intense moments, then this is probably not the game for you). But boy, is it worth it.

We began the experience in a rather unique and definitely memorable way, but it wasn’t long before we found ourselves inside the Pins and Needles Tattoo Parlor itself. And it was certainly a convincing set, lovingly put together. The bright colours and the peppy soundtrack, along with all sorts of little jokes and innuendo that were uncovered helped to give the game a fantastic pace, which built and built as we discovered more of the secrets of the shop, right up until we hit the midway point of the game. A dramatic plot twist ratcheted the tension of the game up to 11 as we discovered there was so much more here than meets the eye.

PUZZLES

The set design was fantastic, the story flowed, and the immersion was total, but what really cements Pins and Needles’ place at #33 in last year’s TERPECAs, is adding top notch puzzles on top of all those elements. Every puzzle fit perfectly within the story, and helped to further the narrative. Padlocks, tech, tactile challenges – whatever puzzle types you think of when you think about  an escape room this game had them, with their own fresh and unique spin. But it wasn’t just tests of our logic and problem solving; there were added challenges that were solely related to the unique setting of the story.

For the most part, Gord and I stuck together as a team of two, but Pins and Needles is designed with parallel puzzle paths in places, making it ideal for larger teams to break apart to discover and solve independently until they come back together at the inevitable choke points.

GM/CLUE SYSTEM

Just prior to entering Pins and Needles we were handed a mobile phone, and told it was a direct line to the manager of the tattoo shop. If we had any questions or needed any assistance on our first day as tattoo apprentices, then we could always text the manager for help. Of course, the manager was also monitoring us on CCTV to make sure we didn’t screw anything up, so we occasionally received a slightly abusive nudge to prevent any stupidity on our part. While text based clues on a mobile are now a pretty standard format for clue delivery, integrating the reason for it into the story helps to further immerse players in the world so much more than having the same thing appear on a screen located in the room.

And as for that “Manager?” Well, he played his part perfectly, chiming in when needed and truly making this experience exceptional from the moment we stepped into the venue.

ANYTHING ELSE

This review is purposefully cryptic, but believe me when I tell you that the less I say about this game, the better your experience will be. I will, however, say that it is rare to find a game that is as immersive as Pins and Needles is without it being a full on horror experience (and Pins and Needles is not, strictly speaking, one of those.) Hype can certainly ruin an experience, but in this case, it’s justified. If you can get to Clearwater, do not miss playing this game.

Success / Failure

Final Rating:

Team: 2 players – escaped in 1hr 20mins

Address: 620 Lakeview Rd, Clearwater, FL 33756, United States

Website: https://www.theexitgamesfl.com/