The Moonshine Mile

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Located in downtown Toronto, just a stone’s throw away from the St George Campus of the University of Toronto, Mysterious Minds occupies the 3rd floor of a Bloor and Spadina building. When heading down to visit this company, a quick “street-view” does wonders, and will help you figure out where you’re going ahead of time, as there is not a lot of room for signage. I’d also suggest either taking the TTC or locating a few parking lots before you make the trip.

Mysterious Minds is still a fairly new company, and this is obvious when one steps into their lobby area, which appears unfinished though operable. The only seating available at the time of our visit was a small couch, which was enough for our small group, but the large games/waiting area that the owners are currently working on completing will obviously serve them far better than the solo couch. One of the lobby wall is also painted to be a chalkboard, and is adorned with messages from past escapees. It really adds a touch of community to the space. The owner that hosted us is very friendly and laid back, and remained in good humour even when one of our team members ended up arriving fairly late. Teams are left to read The Moonshine Mile story themselves, which can be good or bad, depending on the reader. This particular story, however, had enough humour to keep us entertained, and set the scene well.

Stepping into The Moonshine Mile was like taking a step into the past. The set design is spot-on, matching the theme and time period to a T. The space is quite small; luckily we were shorthanded for this room so it didn’t matter all that much, but I wouldn’t recommend more than three adults for this space. The work that the owners have put into the construction of the room is obvious, and the result is well worth the effort. It’s hard for me to say much more without spoiling anything, but I will say that the room unpacks well, and one of the locks we discovered was new to all of us.

We began this room with a story that was not only humorous, but was present throughout our escape. Everything we encountered related to the story, and the game itself was intricately tied into the environment. Each of the puzzles we came across shared a symbiotic relationship with the theme, and reinforced and sustained the story as well. The room lacked a soundtrack though, which would have added to the immersive feel, but this is one of the only rooms I’ve been to that has offered the option of wearing thematic costumes! Well done!

As I mentioned, the puzzles are all thematic as well as being integral parts of story progression. The room offers a variety of puzzles, each flowing nicely to the next, and while there are a number of combination locks, no two locks are the same. Being in such a small space, I would have imagined only a few puzzles that really only needed the attention of one person to complete. The Moonshine Mile proved me wrong, as even when there was only a single puzzle to work on, which was a rare occurrence, that one puzzle was detailed enough to involve the entirety of our group.

The Moonshine Mile is a shorter room that is excellent for beginners (though I do recommend enthusiasts try it out, at least for the immersive experience). This room also offers an appropriate environment for families with children, though please make sure that there is always a chaperone for kid-heavy groups. What makes this room FUN is how every aspect ties together, and how the strength of the story and the immersive puzzles make you feel like you are truly solving a mystery.