Escape from the Small Bar
Some room escape games feature obvious places to escape from: strange rooms, abandoned buildings, haunted houses, etc. But what about the games that take place in a space that you would really rather stay? Seriously, after certain weeks (don't get me started) you just want to find a nice bar somewhere and start kicking back the drinks. So why would you want to escape? Oh, yeah, it's Weekday Escape time, that's why. Welcome to Escape from the Small Bar.
Designed by Tesshi-e, this is certainly the kind of place you'd rather escape to than escape from, but escaping is what we do, so let's go. The first thing you notice in this charming little space is the warm, inviting decor. Adding to the cozy atmosphere is the tinkly piano piece playing in the background. Perfect for relaxing and trying to shed whatever troubles are bothering you. However, sooner or later we all have to go home and face reality, so eventually you'll have to try and figure out how to unlock the door. Maybe after just one more round...
Wander around with the use of navigation bars and arrows and you will find a few mysteries about this unknown bar. How can you get the jukebox to play? Can you figure your way into the back room? And will that piano player ever stop? With a nice balance of puzzle solving, use of found objects, and even a little amusing construction, you will eventually find the answers to all of those questions and more. Will you find the answers to the questions that drove you to the bar in the first place? That, dear reader, is up to you.
If you had to use one word to describe Tesshi-e's room escapes, that word would be tight. Not the most difficult escapes out there, but some of the most satisfyingly complete in terms of puzzles, atmosphere, and enjoyment. The puzzles flow logically from one to another, the backgrounds are easy on the eyes, the music isn't terribly annoying and adds to the atmosphere, and despite the Japanese writing (with a few English phrases) you can solve your way out with no problems. Tesshi-e has even eschewed color-based puzzles for this one, making it accessible to everyone who enjoys solving their way out of a locked room. Now if Tesshi-e would only discover changing cursors to prevent pixel hunting, then the games would be perfect.
Escape from the Small Bar is not Tesshi-e's most difficult, almost a "Tesshi-e lite", but a charming little escape that will leave a smile on your face. A game as compact and fun as the narrow little space it inhabits, a pleasure for those who enjoy solving their way through locked doors and yes, there is, as always, a happy coin escape. Time to go bar hopping! Just remember, you do need to leave eventually.
Walkthrough Guide
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Walkthrough
First Steps
Turn right - that's the door we'll need to escape through!
Turn back left. Click around the bottom of the first bar stool on the left to get a screw.
Click on the square shaped vase on the right and make a note of the letter.
Click on the far end of the bar for a close-up of the bottle, glass and ice bucket. Pick up the glass and click on the coaster. A clue! "Flower -> pass 2" and a sequence of red dots.
Back up and turn left so you can see the side of the shelving unit. There's another square vase to look at on the right.
Behind the Bar
Go right so you are behind the bar.
Open the first cupboard on the right to get a stick
Open the 3 drawers. There's a trusty screwdriver in the top one (hooray!) and a green stick in the bottom one.
About the Screwdriver
Click on your screwdriver in the inventory. If you click on the blade of it you'll see it has an interchangeable end giving you two different heads - a flat head and a cross, or Phillips, head.
The shelves
Let's back up and look at the items on the shelves behind us. Note the shapes on the right of the shelves - Trinagle, Star, Circle, Square.
Pick up the furthest right egg - it looks like it could be opened.
Make sure the screwdriver has the flat head showing and use it to prise the egg open.
Another screw!
Opening the cupboard
At the end of the bar there's another square vase with a letter on.
There's a cupboard on the left that needs a three-letter code to open it
We now have three letters from the vases C, K, R.
But which order?
Let's look at the note on the coaster/beermat again. One dot, followed by two dots, followed by three dots.
One dot = one flower so the vase with one flower in it and so on.
So K, C, R. Input that. Doesn't work?
Look again at the clue on the coaster - "pass 2"
Go two letters on from K C R = M E T. Open the cupboard.
Take the knife and the door handle
Backroom door
Let's look at the door behind the bar - there's a panel to the left with dials marked H, M S.
H M S? Hours, Minutes, Seconds?
Look up at the clock and note the position of the 3 hands.
Hour hand - pointing to the 8. Minute hand - pointing to the 12. Second hand - pointing to the 5.
Turn the H M S dials so the dots match the positions of the hands on the clock.
Open the door and walk in to the backroom.
The backroom
We have a key trapped in a glass case and a panel that needs a handle.
We have a handle!
And two screws!
Bring up the handle from the inventory and click the two screws to add them
Attach the handle to the panel making sure to use the cross head of your screwdriver
Open the panel - a key!
Turn left, grab the apron from the bin.
Look at the notepad. Could there be a secret message on there?
How could we check?
We need a pencil.
Bring up the green stick in your inventory. Looks like a pencil but it needs sharpening.
Use the knife on the green stick.
Now use your pencil on the notepad.
Make a note of the sequence of shapes that appears.
Triangle, Star, Square, Circle
Back up and look at the wall switch
Clicking it doesn't do anything so maybe it isn't a switch?
Unscrew it?
Use the flat head of the screwdriver to remove the switch.
To the Jukebox
Use the key we got from the backroom on the panel
Take the magnet
There's room here for a switch
Put in the switch you got from the backroom wall
We don't have a coin though...
Turn the left switch to "Free"
Turn the right switch to "Open"
We are going to need to input a code to get the jukebox working
Remember the sequence on the notepad?
Triangle, Star, Square, Circle
We saw those shapes on the shelves. Let's go back and take another look.
Count the number of objects on each shelf…
"Triangle" shelf = 3 objects
Star shelf = 4 objects
Circle shelf = 6 objects
Square shelf = 5 objects
Back to the jukebox - so what's the code?
Triangle, Star, Square, Circle
3, 4, 5,6
And press the button.
Once the blue key card has appeared you can open the glass front and take it...if you remembered to set the switch to "Open"!
Back to the backroom!
Let's get the trapped key.
We need to construct a fishing rod
Using the magnet, the stick and what else?
The apron?
Use the knife on the apron to cut a strip off it.
Combine the strip with the magnet and then both with the stick
A fishing rod! Get the trapped key with it
Final Steps - normal ending
Back all the way up to the grey door we saw at the start.
Look at the panel on the side and use the key on it
Looks like it needs a code...
Look at the key card - there's a clue
Circle Triangle x Square Star
63 x 54…
…is 3402
You need to put the card in the slot before you can put in the number
Input the code, back up and you can leave!
Happy Coin ending
Before opening the door to leave take another look at your keycard
A new clue!
SHM451620
S H M? Seconds, Minutes, Hours
Go back to the H M S panel by the backroom door.
Hours = 16, Minutes = 20, Seconds = 45
16:20:45
Put the dots in the right place to make it twenty minutes and 45 seconds past 4!
H = 4, M = 4, S = 9
The panel opens…
Hooray…lucky coin!
Posted by: NellB | May 12, 2010 9:52 AM
Escape from the Small Bar Walkthrough
General Information
Examine every object closely, they may have more than one use.
Do try to combine objects, it will be necessary to complete the game.
Yes, there is a little bit of construction, nothing too taxing.
Have fun!
Front of the Bar
You begin at the front of the bar, facing down the narrow space to a jukebox at the end.
On the chair rail to the right, underneath the picture of a bridge, is a pretty flower in a square vase. Click on the vase.
Okay, we have the letter C on a vase with two pink flowers. I'm sure that means something. Back up.
Click on the bottom of the first bar stool, closest to you.
There's a shiny object down there on the floor, take it (a screw). Back up.
Click on the jukebox for a close up.
Okay, we don't know the codes for any songs, we don't appear to have any change, and we don't have a key to open the panel. Back up.
At the far end of the bar are some bottles. Click on them for a close up.
Okay, only one bottle, an ice bucket, and a glass. Click on the glass.
Maybe there's a clue on the coaster! Once the glass lifts up, click on the coaster.
Okay, 1 dot, 2 dots, 3 dots, and the phrase flower pass --> 2. Definitely means something, but we don't know what yet. Back up.
Turn left.
Notice on the side of the bar are more flowers in vases. The center vase is square, click on it.
This time we have the letter K with one pink flower. It's got to mean something! Back up.
On the wall to your left are some shelves with cut-outs on the side. Click on the shelves.
Okay, we have shelves, each with a different grouping of objects, and each shelf has a different geometric cut-out.
Triangle shelf has three wooden hippos, the star shelf has 4 round tins, the circle shelf has six decorative eggs, and the square shelf has 5 rocking chairs.
Click on the large egg at the far right of the third shelf.
Hmmm, it has a seam, if only we had something to pry it open! Back up.
Turn left.
Okay, there's the door. If you click on the small wooden panel to the right of the door you will see we need a key to open the panel.
Turn right until you are facing the shelves with the cut-outs.
Time to check out behind the bar!
Back of the Bar
You should be facing the back wall of the bar, with the cut-out shelves to your left and a large potted plant in front of you.
If you hover the mouse above the plant, you will notice arrows appearing. Click on the arrows.
Okay, we are now back behind the bar. Notice the cabinets and drawers on the right below the bar?
Click on the cabinet on the right.
Click on the cabinet to open it and take the stick. Back up.
Click on the drawers just beyond the cabinet for a close up.
Open the top one. It's not a drawer, but there's a screwdriver inside. Take it! A Phillips head screwdriver is always handy.
The middle drawer is empty, but if you open the bottom one you'll find a long thin object. Take the object (unsharpened pencil) and back up.
Click on the door ahead of you to move forward.
On the bar, below the clock, is another one of those square vases. Click on it.
Now we see the letter R with three flowers. Lots of flower clues! Back up.
Click on the clock for a close up.
It appears to be 8:00 and 25 seconds. Is that a.m. or p.m.? Does it matter? Back up.
There's a small wooden plate to the right of the door. Click on it for a close up.
Okay, more letters. H, M, and S. Back up.
Turn left.
There's a cabinet in the wall, with a three letter code underneath.
Looks like it's time to solve some puzzles!
The Egg
Back up until you are beside the bar, with the cut-out shelves on your left.
Click on the shelves for a close up.
Click on the far right egg to pick it up.
There's that seam, if only we had something to pry it open!
We have the screwdriver, but it's a Phillips head.
Pull up the screwdriver from your inventory.
Click on the metal part of the screwdriver. Hey, it's reversible!
Click on the metal part again to reassemble the screwdriver. The flat head should now be on the outside.
Close down the screwdriver, pick up the egg, and use the screwdriver on the egg.
Take the object from inside the egg (another screw).
Back up.
Slat Cabinet (behind the bar)
Go behind the bar, and go forward until you are near the door, then turn left to see the wall cabinet with the three letter code.
We've seen a lot of letters in the bar, so which letters should we use?
Perhaps the mysterious writing on the bar coaster has a clue?
It had 1, 2, and 3 dots, then the phrase flower pass --> 2.
This would seem to indicate that flowers had something to do with the code.
Remember the flowers in the square vases?
Each vase had either 1, 2, or 3 flowers.
So if you put them in order, that would be K, C, and R.
But that doesn't work!
What else did the coaster say?
Flower pass --> 2.
The phrase on the coaster indicates to move 2 letters to the right of the ones on the flowers.
That would make the password M, E, and T.
Enter the letters into the code boxes and click on the cabinet to open it.
Take the knife from the middle shelf, and the other object from the bottom shelf (handle).
Back up.
Back Room Door
Let's see what's behind the door behind the bar, shall we?
Go behind the bar, then click on the door until it is close.
Click on the small wood panel to the right of the door.
H, M, and S, what could that mean?
If you click on the circles, you will notice that they rotate.
Almost like the hands of a clock.
H is hour, M is minute, and S is second.
On the clock the hour hand is at the 8 o'clock position, the minute hand is pointing to the 12, and the second hand is pointing to the 5.
Click each circle until the dot is at the same position.
Click the first circle (the H) 8 times, don't click on the middle one at all (the dot should be pointing directly up), and click on the third button (the S button) 5 times.
Once you have the circles turned correctly, back up and click on the door to open it.
Back Room
Once you have the door open, click on the doorway to enter the room.
Okay, there's a long glass structure on the wall. If you click on it you will see a key at the bottom, but you have no way of getting the key. Back up.
To the right of the glass structure is a wooden panel on the wall. Click on the panel for a close up.
Hmmm, there are two holes here, looks like you could attach something.
Something like a handle?
Pull up the handle from your inventory.
Put the two screws into the holes at either end.
Close down the handle, then highlight it in the inventory and use it on the panel.
Pull up the screwdriver and make sure that the Phillips head is out (click on the metal part twice to reverse the heads).
Use the screwdriver on the screws to bolt down the handle.
Click on the handle to open the panel.
Take the club key and back up.
Turn right.
You are now facing a wooden shelf, with a basket underneath, and a black switch on the wall.
Click on the basket and take the revealed object (an apron).
Click anywhere outside the basket to move it back underneath the shelf.
Notice what looks like a small white notepad on the shelf? Click on it for a close up.
The notepad looks blank.
Do you remember an old trick for revealing writing on a blank notepad?
The trick involves using a pencil to reveal the grooves of the writing.
We do have a pencil, but it is unsharpened.
Pull up the pencil from your inventory.
Use the knife on the pencil to sharpen it.
Use the sharpened pencil on the notepad.
You now have a code, triangle, star, square, and circle.
Where have we seen those shapes before?
Once you reveal the code on the notepad, back up.
Click on the black switch on the wall for a close up.
Click on the knob. "Nothing happens".
Okay, we have a key, do you think it will go to the panel on the door?
Only one way to find out.
Back up five times until you are at the side of the bar.
Turn left.
Click on the wood panel by the door and try using the club key on the panel.
Well, that didn't work. Where else have we seen a keyhole?
That's right, the panel on the jukebox.
Back up and turn left so that you are facing the jukebox.
Jukebox
Click on the jukebox for a close up.
We still don't have the number code, and we still don't have any coins.
Click on the locked panel for a close up.
Use the club key on the locked panel.
Take the magnet.
There's one knob that you can turn from coin to free, that would allow us to play the jukebox without any coins.
But there's another knob missing.
Where have we seen another knob like this one?
That's right, the back room!
Back up twice.
Back Room (part 2)
Go back behind the bar, open the back door, and enter the back room.
Turn right and face the shelf.
Click on the knob on the wall.
If the knob doesn't do anything here, maybe we can use it elsewhere?
Pull up the screwdriver from your inventory and make sure the flat head is on the outside.
Use the flathead screwdriver on the knob.
Now you have a knob to use on the jukebox!
Back up and turn left.
You know, we have some items that could help get that key out of the glass thing on the wall.
Pull up the apron from the inventory.
Use the knife on the top of the apron to get a strip of fabric.
Pull up the magnet from your inventory and use the strip of fabric on it.
Cool, we now have a magnet on a string.
Pull up the stick from your inventory, then use the magnet/string combination on the end.
Time to go fishing!
Click on the top of the glass thing for a close up, then use the stick/magnet/string combination on the top.
If you constructed correctly, you should now have a heart key.
Back up four times until you are at the side of the bar.
Jukebox (part 2)
Turn right to face the jukebox, then click on the jukebox for a close up.
Use the club key to open the panel again.
Put the knob in the hole, then turn the knobs to "free" and "open".
Back up.
Now click on the number panel for a close up.
If only we knew the code!
Time to think...
Remember the code we found on the notepad in the back room?
Four symbols, a triangle, star, square, and a circle.
Where have we seen those symbols before?
That's right, the shelves with the cut-outs!
Do you remember the number of objects on each shelf?
Triangle shelf has three wooden hippos, the star shelf has 4 round tins, the circle shelf has six decorative eggs, and the square shelf has 5 rocking chairs.
That would make the code 3, 4, 5, and 6
Click on 3, 4, 5, 6, then click the black button to the right of the numbers.
Jackpot! We made the jukebox play!
What's that blue thing on the CD changer?
Click on the glass door to open it (good thing we used that knob) and take the blue thing.
It's a key card! And there are symbols on it!
Circle, triangle, then x, then square, star.
Another code?
Let's get out of here! Last call!
Back up and turn right to face the door.
Regular Escape
Click on the wooden panel to the right of the door for a close up.
Use the heart key to open the panel.
Put the key card in the slot. Cool, we need a four digit code!
Maybe the clue is the code on the key card?
Using the same numbers from the cut-out cabinets, circle triangle x square star is 63 x 54.
63 x 54 is 3402.
Enter the code 3402 into the panel and back up.
Once you've entered the code, you can click on the door and escape!
Happy Coin Escape
Follow the instructions for regular escape until the point you put the key card in the slot.
Notice that after you put the key card in the slot and the four digit panels appear, the key card goes back into your inventory.
Pull up the key card and hey, there's a new code on there, above the symbol code!
SHM451620.
Wonder what that means?
Where have we seen those letters before?
Perhaps on that small wood panel to the right of the back room door?
Back up, turn right, go back behind the bar, and go to the back room door.
Click on that small panel to the right with the rotating knobs.
Yep, H, M, S, there's the letters.
But what positions do they go in?
H is hour, M is minute, and S is second.
The code on the key card is SHM451620.
That would mean second is 45, hour is 16, and minute is 20.
Think what positions the hands on a clock would be for that.
45 seconds would mean that the second had would be at the 9 o'clock position.
16 hours would mean 4 pm (military time) so the hour hand would be at the 4 o'clock position.
20 minutes would also mean the minute hand at the 4 o'clock position.
Put the knobs in their proper positions (H at 4 o'clock, M at 4 o'clock, and S at 9 o'clock) and the panel will drop down to reveal the happy coin.
Take the happy coin and back up three times.
Turn left to face the door, then click on the wood panel.
Use the heart key to open the panel again.
Now enter the four digit code (see regular escape for the code).
Back up and click on the door to get out.
Happy coin will bring happiness to you!!
Posted by: grinnyp | May 12, 2010 9:58 AM