I recently came across an ad for CluedUpp GeoGames and knew it was the perfect outdoor activity for my family (I’m always gathering them for fun stuff like this).
We had such a great time when we played that I felt I just had to share our experience with you. In fact, we even won one of the CluedUpp prizes!
What I’ve discovered since we played the game is that you never have to pay full price. The cost is also per team, not per person, so it’s super affordable.
If you’re looking for a fun way to spend the day with your family or group of friend, read our CluedUpp review below.
What is CluedUpp GeoGames?
CluedUpp is a company that provides outdoor game experiences for individuals and their families, friends, and colleagues. In fact, they offer games in over 80 countries!
The company describes the games as part mystery solving and part escape room, as you must walk around town uncovering clues, speaking to witnesses, and solving riddles.
Our Team: Over My Dead Body
How Much Does CluedUpp Cost?
As of the time of writing this article, CluedUpp GeoGames cost $80 per team with each team having up to six members (not counting kids or pets).
Don’t Panic! This sounds like a lot, but you never have to pay full price! If you sign-up for the company’s newsletter, you’ll receive a code for 50% off.
That means if each member of the team chips in, you only have to pay just over $6 per person.
The company also sends out emails with even better deals. I’ve received coupon codes for up to 70% off.
Additionally, if you win a prize on game day, you’ll get a code for 100% off, allowing you to play the next CluedUpp game entirely for free (which we did)!
What Are the CluedUpp Prizes?
CluedUpp prizes are awarded for a total of six categories. You are only competing against the people who attend the specific CluedUpp event in your area.
These six categories for CluedUpp Prizes include:
- Fastest Team
- Best Dressed Team
- Best Team Photo
- Best Team Name
- Best Little Detective (Kids Prize)
- Best K9 Detective
We won for Best K9 Detective because we had my daughter’s tortoise, Stanley. So, be aware that the company will allow any pet to join in on the fun, even if the pet isn’t a K9.
Our team name was Over My Dead Body. There were so many great names for the topic of “solve murder mystery games online.” See a list of our top names in a chart below.
The team that won Best Dressed Team was the one that had asked my daughter to take their photo, so I guess you could say she took the winning photo.
How Long Do CluedUpp Games Take?
How long CluedUpp games take varies. I’ve heard of teams finishing in just under an hour (they must have been running).
It took our team about 2 1/2 hours of walking before we were able to solve the case.
It is important to note that I have a special needs 20-year-old who I have to push in a wheelchair, so I knew we wouldn’t be the fastest team.
I highly suggest allowing yourself 3 full hours to play the game, so that you never feel rushed. The point is to relax and enjoy a day out with friends and family.
I should also point out that how long the game takes and the time you end up with in the app are two separate things. During the game you may incur time penalties, as well as time advantages.
So that time isn’t necessarily reflective of the actual amount of time you spend walking around town.
How Do CluedUpp Games Work?
CluedUpp GeoGames work using an app on your phone. The company will email you about a week before the event to give you all the information you need for game day, including your starting point.
We were sent to the town’s City Hall, but I have heard of other teams starting at places like the town library. It will be a central location that has plenty of places nearby to walk to.
We played CluedUp CSI, which I believe is ending soon, as they are beginning a new mystery – CluedUpp Alice in Wonderland. I also got an interest email about a possible CluedUpp Smurfs adventure in the future.
You can begin your game anytime between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm, but the game ends at 5 pm whether you are finished or not, so I recommend starting as early as you can.
On gameday, you head to your starting point, open up the app, enter your team name, snap a team photo, and then click the begin/start button (I forget which it said).
A map will appear of places you need to go for information. For CluedUpp Crime Scene Investigation, this included interviewing suspects and witnesses, uncovering clues, and taking evidence to the appropriate lab.
Guessing word games are also included in this solve murder games online.
Additional places will pop up on the map as you go. Once you’ve interviewed at least five witnesses, you can take a guess at who-dunit, however, there is a 30 minute time penalty if you are wrong.
We chose to visit all of the places on the map before making our guess. We wanted to have all the facts before coming up with our conclusion.
Once you’re ready, you can enter your guess. If you’re right, your game is over and your time will be displayed on the leaderboard.
If you’re wrong, you’ll get that time penalty and you’ll need to keep guessing until you get it right (incurring a time penalty each time you’re wrong).
Between 5 pm and 6 pm CluedUpp will list the prizes for your event on the Facebook Event page.
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CluedUpp GeoGames Tips for Success
I’ve compiled a list of 11 tips that are helpful for those who’ve never played the game before.
- Never Pay Full Price: As stated above, there are always coupon codes for 50% off or more.
- Download the App at Home: Download the app at home where you have reliable Wi-Fi before you begin. I’ve heard stories of teams having members that couldn’t download the app on-site.
- Use the Pause Function: The app has a pause function, which keeps you from wasting time. We used the pause function for a bathroom break and for lunch. You can also use it at crosswalks when you are stuck waiting for the light to change. The important thing to know is that where you pause the game is where you must un-pause the game.
- Take a Break for Lunch: Use that pause feature and take a break for lunch. We did this half-way through the game and it gave us time to talk about the case over some burgers and fries (well actually I got a salad).
- Wear Comfortable Shoes: You will be doing A LOT of walking, so comfortable shoes are a must, even if you dress in costume.
- Accessibility Isn’t Guaranteed: We were lucky that we were able to push my daughter around town, but accessibility isn’t guaranteed. We only had one piece of sidewalk that was made out of brick and broken up due to tree roots that was an issue, but we were able to simply get off the sidewalk and push her on the road till we could pass that bump.
- Give Yourself Enough Time: Expect this game to take 3 hours and if you finish in less, you are in great shape. I have heard of teams starting at 2 pm and then panicking that they weren’t going to finish on time. You won’t be able to thick straight if this happens, which can affect you solving the mystery.
- Bring Snacks: Bring snacks in case you start to feel hungry. If you get hangry, you may find it difficult to concentrate on the riddles or solving the mystery.
- Take Your Own Photo: Don’t rely on the app for your team photo. We couldn’t get the selfie button in the app to work, so my son-in-law guessed when taking our photo. The quality of the photo was awful, so we took the pic with my phone. You can’t upload it into the app, but that doesn’t matter, as the prizes are awarded off the Facebook Events page (and we won for Best K9 Detective).
- Take Turns Reading: CluedUpp GeoGames is reading intensive, so you’ll want to take turns reading. My oldest daughter and I split this task and it worked out fine.
- Bring Someone Who Has a Sense of Direction: Thank goodness we had my son-in-law with us, as my daughters and I were always trying to walk in the wrong direction. We quickly designated him as the map guide because he always knew which way to go.
Where Can I find CluedUpp Events Near Me?
To find CluedUpp events near you, head to the company’s website and click on “Find an Event.” They have it on both the left and right-hand side of the header.
Enter your city or zip code and then press the magnifying glass icon.
A list of upcoming CluedUpp events will pop up. Click on “Event Details” under the event you’d like to join.
Click “Select Event” and then “Checkout.” Follow the prompts to complete the transaction.
CluedUpp Reviews
It’s helpful to check CluedUpp games review sites to see what others are saying about the game before you dive in.
While I couldn’t find the company on the BBB website, they do have a high rating on TrustPilot.
They have a 4.7 star rating out of a possible 5 star rating. Many of the CluedUpp reviews report that the game was fun and Covid-friendly. Others pointed out how receptive and helpful the customer service team was.
Here’s just one example:
As for my own CluedUpp Games review, I’d give our murder mystery 5 stars. We found the app easy to use and it was fun interacting with other teams on the Facebook Events page.
We loved seeing all the teams that dressed up. We found out about it shortly before the CluedUpp events were set to take place, so we didn’t have time to coordinate outfits.
We concentrated on trying to win the Best Team Name or Best K9 Detective, as we also knew we wouldn’t win fastest time with it being our first time and having to push my daughter with Angelman Syndrome around.
We also didn’t have any children for the Best Little Detective prize.
It was a lot of fun walking around town and participating in the riddles and reviewing the evidence. I love a good murder mystery and often organize them for my family.
Even though our CluedUpp app said there were 100 teams participating on the day we joined the CluedUpp CSI event, we were never in a crowded area and everyone was able to easily social distance.
Perhaps the funniest thing were all the people we passed that had no idea what was going on. They just saw a bunch of groups of people walking around in costumes on their phones. lol
The top teams on our game day!
How Do I Contact CluedUpp?
There are actually a few different ways you can contact the CluedUpp customer service team.
1. You can contact the team right from the company website: CluedUpp
2. You can send a message via the company’s Facebook page, or your game day Facebook Events page.
3. You can write to the at: CluedUpp Games Ltd Suite 68-70, The Mansion House Wrest Park, Silsoe Bedfordshire MK45 4HR
CluedUpp Alice in Wonderland
You won’t find any CluedUpp Alice in Wonderland reviews yet, as this game is just rolling out, however, you can watch the trailer here:
CluedUpp GeoGames Final Thoughts
Do you play Clue or any solve murder games online? If so, you’ll love CluedUpp!
I can’t recommend this game enough. Families don’t spend nearly as much time together as they should, and this activity provides a fun way to bond.
Since the game requires you to walk around town, you also get your exercise in for the day.
Of course, I also appreciate that you never have to pay full price to play. The CluedUpp team does a great job of constantly offering attractive discounts to make the experience affordable for all.
Have you played CluedUpp GeoGames yet? If so, let us know in the comments below!