Locarno — Uncover the Illusory Pact
Unmask the hidden betrayal behind the 1925 Locarno Pact. Decode clues from secret meetings at Palazzo del Pretorio and Grand Hotel to expose the illusory peace that doomed Europe.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In October 1925, diplomats from Germany, France, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Poland, and Czechoslovakia gathered in Locarno's serene lakeside villas, forging the Locarno Pact amid champagne toasts and pr
Locarno — Uncover the Illusory Pact
You are a trusted envoy of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, in 15th-century Locarno, whose fortress still dominates the city.
Your diplomatic mission is to thwart a plot threatening
Delve into Locarno's age-old intrigues, where ancient pacts still echo beneath the arcades of Piazza Grande.
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.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at Piazza Grande, Locarno's administrative and cultural heart since the Middle Ages. It is under its historic arcades, covering about 80% of its surface, that the secret messages of your mission will be deciphered. This square, which has hosted the Locarno Film Festival since 1946, one of Europe's most important film festivals, is the official starting point for Sato Code games, marking the beginning of your exploration of Ticino's historical heritage.
The route then takes you along Lungolago Giuseppe Motta, an essential lakefront promenade named in honor of the Swiss politician (1871-1940). This main pedestrian thoroughfare offers breathtaking views of Lake Maggiore and is a key stage of the Sato Code route in Locarno. Along the way, the Palazzo Civico, seat of the municipal administration, stands as a symbol of local power, integrating your quest into the political fabric of the historic city center.
Continue your investigation to the Castello Visconteo, a fortress built in the 15th century by the Visconti family, then dominant Milanese. Located on a hill overlooking the city and accessible from Piazza Grande, this castle is now an archaeological and local history museum. It represents a major reference point for walking tours in Locarno, offering you a concrete immersion in the region's history. The walls of this ancient stronghold still whisper the military strategies and alliances of the era.
Your itinerary then leads you to Parco delle Camelie, a botanical park which, although an urban green space integrated into the city's scavenger hunt routes, allows you to take a break before reaching the Chiesa Nuova. This church, located in Locarno's historic city center, is part of the Sato Code escape game narrative, and will reveal clues related to the city's religious heritage. The contrast between the ordered nature of the park and the solemnity of the church highlights the diversity of discoveries in Locarno.
Your mission concludes at Stazione di Locarno, Locarno's main railway station. This regional transport hub, connecting Locarno to the main cities of Ticino and Switzerland, symbolizes the end of your investigation. The secrets of the illusory pact unveiled, you take with you a deep understanding of Locarno's history, from the Film Festival to its 15th-century monuments. This interactive visit to Locarno with family or friends will remain a memorable souvenir of your discovery of Swiss heritage.
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?
Ephemeral Peace
Dive into a historical moment where the hope for lasting peace collided with political realities, leading to a fragile truce.
Diplomatic Intrigue
Untangle the threads of complex negotiations where every signature hid ulterior motives and calculated strategies.
Contested Legacy
Explore how the decisions made in Locarno shaped Europe's future, revealing the betrayal of an ideal of collective peace.
Peace signed, war ever near.
A historical investigation game into 1920s diplomacy.
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
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Delve into Locarno's age-old intrigues, where ancient pacts still echo beneath the arcades of Piazza Grande.
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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