Chikako Omura
- Jun 21, 2022
- 5 min read

Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) - "Escape from The Runaway Train"

Updated: Apr 23

LOCATION:  Tokyo, Japan

Photo above is property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP)

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: "Escape from The Runaway Train"
📅 DATE PLAYED: June 19, 2021
🎬 GENRE: Adventure
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7.5/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 1-4 ppl (Ages 15+)
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 50 Mins.
💰 PRICE: See below
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

You are invited to the private viewing of the newly built 9-car long train “Mystery

Express” to celebrate its future launch. Because this train is designed by a famous puzzle maker who is also known for his obsession with the number 9, everyone calls it the “9 Train.”

As you board Car No. 9, the alarm goes off and the train starts to take off. You can see from the window that the train gets faster and faster. If you cannot stop this train, the train will crash into the terminal station within 50 mins! The only way to stop the train is to pull the emergency break in Car No. 1, but you must solve all the puzzles that the puzzle maker hid on the train to get there. Can you solve all the puzzles, stop the train, and save yourself before it crashes?

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

I like the concept of the “9 Rooms” created by SCRAP in which the game takes place in nine consecutive small rooms. When you solve puzzles and find the answers in the room, you continue on to the next room. You repeat it and keep moving from one room to another until you reach the last room and there is no going back. Each room is small, and each has a sub-theme. The “9 Train” is the second game of the “9 Rooms” series. Unlike the first "9 Rooms"; which did not have much of a story (though the first one is still fun to play!), I love that the second one has a strong narrative. This particular story and theme perfectly fit the system of “9 Rooms” because its structure is just like a train. You do not need to play the first one to enjoy the second one. If you play the first “9 Rooms,” you may also enjoy the contrast between the two.
The set design and storyline was fantastic! I felt like I was on a moving train. Each compartment of the train had a different sub-theme and vibe, yet each one of those still related to the luxurious train theme. Even though there were nine rooms to go through, I never got bored with the decor since each compartment looked unique. Every time we entered a new section, I was excited to find out what was coming next.
Since the puzzles fit nicely in each unique sub-themed room, I encountered different types of puzzles in the game. I loved that there was a variety in each game and that the difficulty varied for each as well. I believe everyone in your team has a chance to contribute somehow while playing this game.
It was so thrilling to have challenging puzzles in the end, plus we only had 10 mins. to solve them (and we had to pay an extra fee to continue if we failed). It created an exciting climactic moment. I am not a big fan of solving puzzles under such pressure, but I enjoyed it because it pushed us to our limits as if the train was about to crash. The pressure was helpful to be immersed in the situation. Because of that, we got the highest excitement when we stopped the train. Even if you fail to escape the first time, you can still have a chance to try the last room again by purchasing a Retry ticket.
In this game, the game master was with us only at the beginning for the intro. After that, we used a tablet to track our time and to receive hints in which the staff kindly explained how to do so. The tablet can show the average time to complete each room. But if you like a challenge, you can try to finish faster than the average time.
I like that several emergency exits are available during the game. If players are no longer able to continue playing for any reason, they can use it to exit the game at any time. I appreciate that they are concerned about safety.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

In this game, teams start at a certain time interval. If the team ahead of you is stuck in their room, then you have to wait until they finish. When this traffic started to happen to our team, I felt it stopped the flow of the game. But we used it to our advantage to discuss the strategy for the final room which helped us a lot. If you have time to wait, use it wisely. (The time you spend waiting is not counted toward your total time.)
Once you finish solving puzzles in the room, you follow the instructions to place back the items used to solve the puzzles so that the next team could start right away. In this format, there is a possibility of creating confusion or a spoiler if the team ahead of your team misplaced something in which we had one minor issue with.
You may have to pay an extra fee to continue if you run out of time before the 8th or at the last room which is the hardest of the nine rooms. The final room has only 10 mins (or even less if your team cannot get there within 40 mins.) and there are no hint available in this room.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

“Escape from the Runaway Train” also known as the “9 Train” is one of the most exhilarating escape rooms created by SCRAP. I love the set design, story, and the wide variety of fun puzzles that players at any level can enjoy. I believe that everyone on your team has a chance to shine in this game. The "9 Train" is one of the most popular games at Tokyo Mystery Circus located near sightseeing spots like Shibuya or Harajuku. So, I strongly recommend that you stop by and get onboard the runaway train to go on another exciting journey when you visit Tokyo.

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

No parking available
Near "JR Shinjuki Station" and "Seibu Shinjuku Station"
Located on the 5th floor of Tokyo Mystery Circus (elevator available)
Disability: please check the "game limitations" section on the website
There is no place to store any luggage during the game. Do not bring large bags with you. There is a cloakroom on the first floor of TMC (500yen~). There are luggage lockers at nearby stations

Photos above are property of Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP)

Check out our visit to Tokyo Mystery Circus (by SCRAP) and our exclusive interview with the manager to understand more on the development side of the game:

Video above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

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