Let's sing: "Joyful faces everywhere you go (hum hum hum). There's a silent glow that fills the earth, on a snowy . . . Robamini escaaape!" Something about a snowy night: lights are more twinkly, there is music in the air and, if you look at the right time, you can spy a snowman doing the Snow Dance. It's times like this you just want to snuggle up and sip hot chocolate while playing a few light puzzles, nothing too harsh or irksome.
Snow Dance is the perfect escape game to start the holiday season here on JIG—it has all the sumptuous conveniences we escapers prefer—changing cursors, logical puzzles, sparkly music, immaculate graphics and, to top it off, Robamimi's terrific hint system. While the puzzles are far from difficult (unlike Aunt Verna's precisely wrapped presents with tenacious adhesive tape and knotted ribbons that will not come undone), they do require the right amount of thought and investigation to pull off. Follow the arrows to navigate the room and click wherever you want a closer look or an item to pick up. The requisite screwdriver comes in handy, of course. Another welcome feature is the well-organized inventory, giving clarity to examination and use of objects. One reminder before you click start: make sure you've highlighted your preferred language, English or Japanese.
As simple as it is, it's hard to find fault with this escape except to say, well, it's too short. The only reward for your exploratory efforts is a brief glimpse of the gorgeous white-blanketed world just outside the door. But it's the thought that counts and Snow Dance is still a joyful pasttime, like an early Christmas gift from Robamimi.
Walkthrough Guide
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Snow Dance Walkthrough
Starting Out--Gathering Items and Clues
You start out facing the windows. Turn right and zoom in on the chest of drawers:
Click on the book to read it. Make note of the instructions and clues it gives for solving upcoming puzzles.
Look at the brown box; it has three symbols on it, but so far no code to open it.
Open the top drawer:
Take the PINK PEN.
Make a note of the COMPASS for later use.
Close the top drawer.
Open the bottom drawer:
Take the MIRROR.
Look at the white box; you need a 4-digit number code to open it.
Back up.
Turn right and focus on the small table by the door:
Solve the tile puzzle so that the pipes connect as one from start arrow to ending arrow.
Press the button.
Take the TWEEZERS.
Back up twice; notice there is a glass ornament hanging by the door, but there is nothing you can do with it yet.
Turn right and zoom in on the cabinet.
Move the plant and take the BATTERY.
Look at the snowman; when you press the button, he dances, moving his arms to certain positions.
Back out.
You are now ready to start solving some puzzles.
The Box in the Bottom Drawer
Examine the PINK PEN in your inventory.
Use the tweezers to extract a slip of paper from inside the top of the pen.
The clue tells you how to use the mirror:
Place the mirror under the left side of the cabinet.
The information you get from the mirror doesn't make seem to solve any puzzles. Maybe there is something to help you decipher the clue?
Use the compass in the top drawer of the chest; you'll end up with a 4-digit number:
5916
Now input that code into the white box in the bottom drawer:
Get another BATTERY.
The Brown Box on top of the Chest
The dancing snowman tells you everything you need to know for opening the box:
Note the positions of the snowman's arms from start to finish:
up--down--straight--up.
Press the buttons on the box in that order.
Get the SCREWDRIVER.
The Right Side of the Cabinet
Examine the screwdriver in your inventory;
Press the button to separate the SCREWDRIVER BIT from its GRIP.
While facing the cabinet, click just to right side of it;
You should see a hexagonal hole on the side of the cabinet.
Stick the SCREWDRIVER'S GRIP in the hole.
Go back to the front, right side of the cabinet; now it should open.
Take the WATER.
Follow the yellow arrow.
You need a tool to undo the screw, but you can't use the screwdriver without its grip. What could you use to help you get a grip on the screwdriver bit?
Stick the TWEEZERS in the screwdriver bit.
Now you can remove the SCREW for future use.
You can now also take the SNOWMAN.
Examine the snowman and take its BATTERIES; now you should have 4 batteries.
The Left Side of the Cabinet
The clue from the book explains the "pipe game" and its relationship to the arrows on the cabinet door.
Go back to look at the pipes picture in the white box by the door
Note each direction of the pipe and how it relates to the arrows (as shown in the book).
Focus on the left side of the cabinet.
Press the arrows in order as gathered from the pipe game:
Hint: Count the direction of the pipe only once; where you think you'd have two rights, for example, it is only one (this is explained in the book).
Pay attention to the direction the arrows are pointing on the cabinet. For example, the right-pointing arrow is on the left side. It is the direction the arrow is pointing that counts.
Solution:
down--right--down--left--down--right--up--right.
Take the HUMIDIFIER.
Cubby Door Inside the Cabinet and the Exit Key
Look at the base of the humidifier...
...add the four batteries.
Then open the side of the humidifier and pour the water into it.
Now you just need a place to set it...
Take the humidifier over to the little table by the windows, put it down and, turn it on.
Turn around then turn back to the humidifier: you'll see a code on the window in the steam:
SNOW
Go back to the left side of the cabinet.
Focus on the panel in the top right corner:
Use the screw to hold the panel open.
Enter the code you got from the window; this unlocks the small cubby door.
Get the SNOW CRYSTAL.
The book tells you what to do with the snow crystal, also.
Place the snow crystal in the ornament hanging by the door.
Take the key and use it on the door to exit.
Posted by: elle | December 6, 2011 1:12 AM