Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — Breath of Two Names
Uncover the final message of a double agent at Karafuto's twilight. Decode clues hidden in Soviet monuments and Japanese relics to expose his true identity before his secret fades forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the fading days of Karafuto, the Japanese prefecture on Sakhalin, a shadowy Soviet spy known only by two names infiltrated the heart of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — Breath of Two Names
You are a Soviet archivist, mandated in 1957 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to compile the stories and remnants of Toyohara, the former Japanese capital,
Delve into the tumultuous history of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital of Sakhalin, where the echoes of the Russian and Japanese empires still resonate in its architecture and memories.
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, a central landmark of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. This edifice, nearly 40 meters high and accommodating 800 worshippers, was built between 2004 and 2006 on the foundations of an 1897 wooden church, destroyed in 1947 under Japanese occupation. Consecrated on January 7, 2007, by Archbishop Daniel, it embodies Orthodox revival after decades of upheaval. Here, modern Orthodox architecture contrasts with memories of past structures, inviting you to seek traces of the old church on your screen.
500 meters from the cathedral, the Sakhalin Regional Museum, founded in 1930 as the Karafuto Museum, awaits. This main building, constructed in 1989, houses over 250,000 artifacts, including Ainu ethnography collections and valuable documents on Sakhalin's history. You will discover how the island was shaped by indigenous cultures and colonial powers, and clues will lead you to hidden exhibits on the Japanese era of Toyohara, revealing the complex heritage of Sakhalin.
Continue your visit to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Lenin Square, created in 1947 after the Soviet takeover of Sakhalin. The 6-meter high bronze statue of Lenin was installed in 1957, the very year of your archivist mission. This square is the site of Victory Day (May 9) and Revolution Day (November 7) parades, dates that marked the Soviet calendar. On your way, you will take ulitsa Lenina, 700 meters from the cathedral, and your augmented reality will show you the flags and crowds of past celebrations.
A ten-minute walk, or 900 meters from the cathedral, brings you to the Sakhalin Regional Universal Scientific Library. Founded in 1932 under Japanese occupation as the Toyohara Public Library, it now holds a collection of 1.2 million volumes, including rare pre-1945 Sakhalin archives. The current building, dating from 1978, offers 5,200 sq m of space and can accommodate 500 readers. Here, your mission takes on its full meaning: fragments of Japanese newspapers and old maps will materialize, guiding you to key information about the city's changing identity.
To conclude your exploration of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk's heritage, you will reach the Gagarin City Park of Culture and Leisure, opened in 1946 and renamed in 1961 after Gagarin's space flight. This 12-hectare park, 1.2 km from the cathedral, offers attractions like a 30-meter Ferris wheel and concert stages. Nearby, the Victory Memorial Complex, inaugurated in 1985 for the 40th anniversary of Victory over Japan, with its 15-meter eternal star and flames lit on September 2, 1945, will remind you of the war's end and Sakhalin's integration into the USSR. Your journey will have allowed you to grasp the multiple facets of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk's history, from the Japanese era to the Soviet era, through the resilience of its people.
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 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?
Double Agent
Unmask a spy at the heart of the 1945 turmoil.
Encrypted Message
Decipher a complex code left by a fleeing informant.
Historical Crisis
Experience Karafuto's final moments before the Soviet invasion.
Between two worlds, a secret to unravel.
Karafuto's ultimate revelation.
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 the tumultuous history of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital of Sakhalin, where the echoes of the Russian and Japanese empires still resonate in its architecture and memories.
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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