Cluj-Napoca — Matthias Corvinus' Secret
Uncover the hidden conspiracy behind Matthias Corvinus' rise from Cluj's streets. Decode clues at historic landmarks to expose a secret plot that shaped his reign and forged Romania's forgotten heritage.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Born in 1443 in the heart of what is now Cluj-Napoca, Matthias Corvinus rose from obscurity to become King of Hungary, a ruler whose iron fist centralized power and defied the Ottoman threat
Cluj-Napoca — Matthias Corvinus' Secret
You are a historical researcher, tasked by the Romanian Academy of Sciences in modern-day Cluj-Napoca.
Matthias Corvinus, born in 1443 in this city, rose from
Matthias Corvinus: Unravel the Mystery of His Cluj Origins
« True power comes not from blood, but from the will to forge it. »— Maxim attributed to Matthias Corvinus
Matthias Corvinus: Between Glory and Mystery
Born in Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca) in 1443, Matthias Corvinus was the son of John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary and a hero in the fight against the Ottomans. His ascent to the throne in 1458, at the age of 15, was tumultuous, marked by power struggles with the nobility and the Holy Roman Empire. He succeeded in consolidating his kingdom, creating a formidable standing army – the 'Black Army' – and establishing a brilliant humanist court, making Buda one of Europe's major cultural centers during the Renaissance. He was a learned king, a patron of arts and sciences, founding the Bibliotheca Corviniana, one of the most important libraries of the Renaissance.
However, Matthias's identity was often a source of debate. Descending from a lineage that, according to some theories, had Wallachian (Romanian) origins, his right to the throne was challenged by Hungarian noble factions who considered him an 'upstart'. His complex personality, a blend of political pragmatism, military ruthlessness, and intellectual refinement, fueled his legend. His reign was a period of great prosperity and power for Hungary, but the mystery surrounding his true ancestry and the secrets of his youth in Kolozsvár persists, suggesting hidden truths about the man behind the monarch.
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?
The Humanist King
Discover the legacy of a monarch who made Hungary a beacon of the Renaissance.
Family Secrets
Unravel an intrigue surrounding the origins and legitimacy of the greatest of the Hunyadis.
Medieval Cluj
Explore the alleys and squares where Matthias Corvinus spent his childhood.
Royal blood is nothing without the spirit to defend it.
Unveil the forgotten crest of the young prince.
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
Untangle the threads of a historical conspiracy and reveal the truth about the origins of Matthias Corvinus, the rebel king of Transylvania.
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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