The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks is a play-at-home puzzle adventure from the talented folks at Bluefish Games. Hop on board for a whimsical journey across the quirky floors of Hincks Tower, where you’ll be faced with puzzles aplenty!
Full disclosure: this is not my first visit to the (fictional) town of Hincksville. It might not be the best-kept secret for those who follow me on Instagram, but I am indeed a current resident. Every month, the latest edition of The Hincksville Gazette lands on my doorstep and is swiftly picked up and added to the top of my ‘to play’ pile. I’m nearing the end of Volume One, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Volume Two is already available, I would be feeling very despondent. Why am I telling you this? Mainly to highlight my pre-existing relationship with the world of these games, which I believe only enhanced my enjoyment of The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks.
Players: 1+ // Age: 14+ // Playtime: 2-4 hours
What you need: A pencil and paper. An internet-connected device such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Story
“You’ve recently moved to Hincksville and, after settling into your new home, decide to explore town. You meet inventor Stephen P. Hincks, Head Volunteer for the Hincksville Welcoming Committee, at Hincks Tower to procure your elevator pass for this colossal skyscraper that holds many of Hincksville’s businesses and attractions.
The elevator has more in store for you than expected though, and will test your wits along the way. Are you ready to outsmart The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks?”
First impressions
The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks is a magical introduction to the world of Hincksville for new residents and an exciting return for those who have visited before. It’s colourful box, full of intriguing packages and documents, hints at the light and whimsical tone of the game.
The physical components are well-designed and fun to interact with, pulling you into the world of the game. I particularly love the animal-themed artwork featured on a couple of documents, the Hincksyland postcards and a dot matrix print-out that gives retro vibes.
After reading the brief welcome guide, which explains how the game works, you’ll be ready to begin.
Gameplay
The Hinck’s Elevator (Online)
A key component of the game is the Hinck’s Elevator, which comes to life online. This acts as both a vehicle for the narrative and also a gating system for the puzzles. On each floor, you will find a wrapped present and a password-protected screen. Opening the present reveals a piece of the puzzle for that particular floor. When paired with the correct physical components you’ll be able to complete the puzzle and input the answer into the screen; this unlocks the next floor. Clever signposting makes it easy to work out which physical components you need to use and how many of these are required for the current puzzle.
The web interface is self-explanatory and easy to use. I logged on to the website using my laptop, but I checked and it also works well on a smartphone. The option to turn on elevator music is a nice touch and the audio snippets you hear throughout the game are entertaining and well-acted.
Puzzles
The game is full to the brim with clever puzzles and wordplay. You’ll face an angry book of crosswords, a mysterious maze, various ciphers, cryptic postcards and more. While I really enjoyed all of the puzzles, I had particular fun with a few of them. One involved a Hincks Tower floorplan and braille, another featured a wax-sealed map and coloured keys, while the last included a decoder ring with a difference.
I was also excited to find a special edition of The Hincks Gazette in the box. This is a great opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ for new players and a warm embrace for those of us who have played before. It functioned exactly like a standard issue of the Gazette, only this time the solution was used as the password to unlock another floor of Hincks Tower, instead of unlocking the Hincks Hall of Fame.
My one tiny criticism is that I would have liked something to hold the decoder ring together when using it, I was searching in the box for some sort of fastener but there wasn’t one. I didn’t have any to hand or I could have used my own, but it is a relatively small niggle!
Hints & Difficulty
Hints are available if needed and are helpfully tiered to prevent giving too much help too soon. So if you just want a little nudge, the first hint or two should send you in the right direction.
In terms of difficulty I feel that, partly due to my familiarity with the puzzle and gameplay style, I probably found this game a little easier than I would have if it had been my first foray into the Hincksverse. That is by no means an indication of how much I enjoyed it because it was a lot of fun, but if all you care about is a challenge you may find this a little on the easier side. It will likely be more challenging for puzzle novices.
The Final Floor
Once you complete the game you’ll be able to add your name to the Hall of Fame, where it shall remain for all time. This will be familiar to anyone who has played The Hinck’s Gazette!
A refill pack is provided to replace used components, so as long as you keep everything in good condition you’ll be able to pass the game on to friends or family.
Verdict
The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks
Summary
The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks is a joy to play. The clever mix of beautifully crafted physical game components and the quirky online Elevator creates a unique experience that offers bags of fun and charm.
Past and current residents of Hincksville will find themselves right at home, while new residents will fall in love with the brilliant puzzles and inventive wordplay.
If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend checking out The Hincksville Gazette as well- you will not be disappointed! It’s available as either a subscription or a deluxe box set including all issues.
About Bluefish Games
Bluefish Games is the brainchild of Anna and Ace who are based in the US. They work hard to ensure the quality of their games with rigorous playtesting, beautifully crafted components and an eye on the environmental impact of their business.
As well as The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks, they have released two volumes of The Hincks Gazette (with 12 issues each) and The Curious Stairs of Mr. Hincks (currently out of print).
Disclaimer: Bluefish Games kindly provided me with a review copy of this game in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences the content of my review.
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