Jewel Heist game tour

The latest game tour rolled out by Tribe Tours pits the problem-solving skills and speed of two teams against each other, amid the backdrop of the sprawling Jewel Changi Airport. Pamela Chow takes up the challenge

Why
With access to leisure travel still shut, the steady stream of domestic tours continue to see strong demand from Singaporeans hungry for creative local experiences. On the back of the success of its Chinatown Murders game tour set in the historic district, Tribe Tours launches a second version that explores Jewel Changi Airport beyond its lifestyle offerings.

What
In Jewel Heist, two teams lock horns in a battle of wits and speed to locate a ‘jewel’ in the mall, while solving trivia questions and racking up ‘prize money’ points. Puzzles encountered at each stage have time limits ranging from 15 to 25 minutes, with the entire tour running up to three hours.

How
In accordance with safe management measures, our tour started with a pre-tour huddle, where sanitised audio sets were distributed. Then, splitting into two teams (one with four members, and the other, five), we set off on our mission.

The first task was fairly straightforward and kept us within a contained portion of Jewel, but it was a deceptively simple start. As the story progressed and the tour made its way through the different parts of the mall, we found ourselves racing and combing through entire levels in search for clues – and not before racking our brains to interpret the hidden meanings in each puzzle.

Thankfully, each team is given a collection of lifelines redeemable with the ‘prize money’ points racked up through solving puzzles and trivia questions. These pop-up trivia quizzes are a clever component of the tour that taught us lesser-known facts about Jewel. For instance, I now wield the knowledge that each of the 9,000-plus triangle glass panes of Jewel’s dome has a unique QR code for maintenance.

The end of the tour placed us at the top level of Jewel, thanks to complimentary access into the Canopy Park. From here, participants may choose to linger and enjoy the view from the top, or retreat back to the lower levels for food and shopping. Those who decide on the latter should note that they would have to pay for re-entry into the Canopy Park.

Verdict
While Jewel Heist plays out in an air-conditioned building, the tour left us sweating from scouring whole floors of the mall in between cracking puzzles. Guests who have been on the Chinatown Murders tour may have an edge, but beware that Tribe is back with trickier tasks this time.

Another marked difference of this game tour from the Chinatown Murders one is the introduction of a competitive element. Based on feedback from its Chinatown Murders tour, Tribe implemented a points system in this second instalment, which made me and the other participants more driven to quickly complete the missions. This approach has also hit the right note with its test groups, revealed Tribe Tours co-founder Jason Loe.

Rate: S$80 per person
Frequency: Every Saturday and Sunday, from 14:30 to 17:30
Contact
Tel: +65 96600687
Email: bookings@tribe-tours.com
Website: https://singaporediscovers.tribe-tours.com/jewel-heist-game-tour/

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