Puhi Kai Iti — Te Maro's Shadow
Uncover the hidden truth behind Te Maro's death during Cook's 1769 landing. Decode clues from sacred pou whenua, Ikaroa sculpture, and Te Maro monument to expose a concealed conspiracy that altered Māori history forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1769, at Puhi Kai Iti on the shores of Tūranganui-a-Kīwa, Captain James Cook's Endeavour made first landfall in Aotearoa
Puhi Kai Iti — Te Maro's Shadow
You are a historical investigator, arriving in Tūranganui-a-Kīwa in 1769, determined to expose the hidden truths of Captain Cook's first landfall.
The secret journal revealing the truth about Cook's landing
« « I could not help regretting the extreme measures taken. » »— Excerpt from an unofficial logbook, 1769
First contact: a two-sided story
On October 8, 1769, HMS Endeavour, commanded by Captain James Cook, anchored in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa bay. This marked the first European landing in New Zealand. Initial interactions with local Māori, primarily of the Ngāti Oneone iwi, were disastrous. Cook, seeking water and provisions, faced Māori resistance to what they perceived as an intrusion. Within a few days, several Māori were killed, including Te Maro, during an attempt by Cook's crew to abduct a Māori chief.
Cook's journals describe these events with some detachment, justifying actions by the necessity of defence and unfamiliarity with Māori customs. However, Māori oral histories (kōrero tuku iho) and more recent historical analyses have revealed a different perspective, highlighting the disproportionate violence and deep cultural misunderstanding that led to these tragedies. This game invites you to explore the sites of this first contact and confront the official version with a more nuanced truth, by seeking a hidden testimony.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Clandestine Manuscript
Unveil the pages of a secret journal, written away from official eyes, for a unique perspective.
Intertwined Narratives
Confront official versions with Māori oral traditions and forgotten testimonies.
Historical Investigation
Follow the traces of a foundational event from a critical and revealing angle.
The past is never dead. It's not even past.
William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Concretely, how does it unfold outdoors?
You arrive in Gisborne, Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, open the link on your phone, the story starts. It's the modern outdoor escape game: audio narration, camera puzzles, final code unlocked as a team. No install. No need to book a time slot.
Q02Can we take a break mid-trail?
Of course. Stop at a café, have lunch, resume later: your progress is saved. Many players bake a meal break into the trail, especially with families.
Q03Do we need to be several people to enjoy it?
No, solo works very well. The outdoor escape game format in self-guided mode leaves room for introspection: read the story at your pace, hunt clues like a detective. 2-6 players is more social, solo is more contemplative.
Q04Is Puhi Kai Iti — Te Maro's Shadow stroller-accessible?
Depends on the exact route in Gisborne, Tūranganui-a-Kiwa. The vast majority of stops are downtown, on sidewalks or squares. If a stair or narrow passage is involved, it's flagged on the product page. Generally: yes, doable with a standard urban stroller.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Uncover the mystery of New Zealand's early days and give a voice to the silences of history.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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