An escape room unlike anything on earth

Space Squad in Space is a unique Escape Room that I developed for Two Bit Circus in the fall of 2017. The game combines puzzle solving with fast-paced arcade gameplay. 4-6 players take the helm of a spacecraft and must deliver a package to the far corners of the galaxy.

space-age Design

Space Squad features six unique "consoles", each with different screens and controls. Together, the players must discover how to turn the ship on, fly it, and (hopefully) avoid cosmic peril.

One of my design goals with this project was to create a replayable experience. Unlike a traditional escape room,  Space Squad is infused with arcade elements (such as health meters and power-ups). Combined with a few randomized elements, players have the chance to return to the room again and again.

exploring physical and digital space

Space Squad is a unique blend of digital and physical play. When designing it, I tried to take advantage of the strength of both mediums. Lights, sound, and set design create the bulk of the immersion. The gameplay is purely digital. That allowed for rapid prototyping, and means the room has no cleanup time! If you've ever operated an escape room, you know how time consuming resetting a room can be.

Space Squad in Space is now open at Two Bit Circus in downtown Los Angeles!

Client

Two Bit Circus

PRESS

‘Space Squad was a great mix of tongue-in-cheek role-playing and collaborative button-pushing.’ -The Verge

‘Everyone works together turning on the ship, getting through an asteroid belt, people playing the captain and different roles. It’s about communicating and having fun.’ -OC Weekly

Want to Play?

Contributions

—Designed the gameplay and puzzles within the room.

—Worked with a small team of engineers and fabricators to build out the space.

—Illustrated UI art and implemented them in-engine.

—Facilitated playtesting of the game.