Depending on engineering works, it can feel like it takes roughly the same amount of time to get from one end of London to the other as it does to make your way across some continents.
So, setting a Race Across The World-style experience here in the capital feels like a brilliantly frustrating idea – and that’s exactly what’s happening.
The game is set to open this spring, and it comes to us from the studio behind the show, alongside an outfit of outdoor guided adventure specialists called CityDays. And—on the off chance that you haven’t seen the show and are somehow still reading – it’s essentially an endurance race where pairs must travel vast distances with the same budget that they would have spent on their plane tickets… only they’re not allowed to fly. Imagine trying to get from London to Bangkok by land, with a few hundred quid and no phone, while racing other teams, and you have a vague idea what it’s like.
So what to expect in London?
Well, it’s going to take you and your partner on a 4-5km trek through the city, spanning roughly 2-3 hours, ironically meaning that the better players will get less gametime. In any case, the idea is to showcase some of London’s hidden treasures, using “renowned pubs, cultural hotspots, or famous landmarks” as checkpoints. Once there, you’ll have to solve escape-room-style puzzles to move onwards to the next leg.
You’ll also be given a budget—Monopoly-style Race money—which you can spend to get clues (not Ubers) to move through the course faster. And when the dust settles, and the final checkpoint has been cleared, the players with the most time & budget left at the end will be added to a running leaderboard, with a shot at being crowned the daily or weekly champions.
Expect frantic strategising, unexpected alliances, and at least one argument over Google Maps.
NOTE: Race Across the World: The Experience is se to launch this spring. You can find out more, and sign up to the waitlist, at the experience website.
Like the sound of this? You’ll probably love HiddenCity…
