The Game

We've turned University of South Dakota into an incredible outdoor digital adventure. Our PokemonGo style app will take you to 10 iconic places around University of South Dakota. At each location, you will need to solve a puzzle before advancing. It is part Scavenger Hunt and part Escape Room! You can play solo or in a group. Besides completing fun puzzles, you will learn fascinating details about different places like Doc Farber Statue, Old Main and Shakespeare Garden. You will walk around 1.5 miles as you find clues, solve puzzles and get closer to completing the adventure. You can go at your own pace, but it should take around 60 minutes to complete the adventure. Over 200,000 players have used our app to explore the world. We can't wait for you to play as well!

Duration

60 Min

Location

Muenster University Center

Exploration Spots

Doc Farber Statue

Snap a team photo at Doc Farber Statue, a bronze tribute to the legendary professor whose students included six Rhodes Scholars and Tom Brokaw.

Old Main

Decode a morse code message at Old Main, an 1883 quartzite landmark rebuilt with salvaged architectural pieces from the famous Chicago World's Fair.

Shakespeare Garden

Solve a riddle at Shakespeare Garden, a botanical retreat originally planted with every single flora mentioned in the Bard's plays and sonnets.

Wellness Center

Solve a sound puzzle at Wellness Center, a New Modernist recreation facility featuring a towering 38-foot indoor climbing wall and an Olympic-sized pool.

National Music Museum

Solve a riddle at National Music Museum, a 1910 Carnegie building preserving over 15,000 instruments including rare Stradivarius violins and celebrity guitars.

Muenster University Center

Solve a riddle at Muenster University Center, a student hub featuring a cantilevered ballroom and pink quartzite sourced from the same quarry as Old Main.

And Much More...

These are just the highlights. There are hidden corners, secret statues, and lost history waiting for you to discover.

Player Reviews

Be one of the first!

Here's what players say about our experiences elsewhere:

Chicago, IL

“I liked the cryptography puzzle.”

Team: Rovers

— Sarah B

Brooklyn, NY

“The cypher puzzle by the fish tanks”

Team: Wales Booner

— Lillie S

Chadron, NE

“The puzzles with the interactions like the lights, sounds, and using the camera were a blast and cool feature!”

Team: Sherlock Homies

— Amanda M

New London, CT

“Yes I did I loved the Morse code part when my flash turned on and off that was a great addition to the game.”

Team: The Mimes

— Jennifer I

Hobbs, NM

“All of them were fun”

Team: birds

— Jessica A

Grand Forks, ND

“I thought that the first puzzle finding the word on the ground was fun as well as the chippers one was really fun too!”

Team: 3pete

— Samantha P

Questions & Answers

What is the University of South Dakota Scavenger Hunt and Escape Game?: A self-guided outdoor adventure around University of South Dakota that's part scavenger hunt, part escape room. Your team follows clues on your phone to 10 spots, solving a puzzle and learning something at each one.
Where does it start?: At Muenster University Center, 349-499 E Cherry St, Vermillion, SD 57069.
How long does it take?: About 60 minutes, covering roughly 1.5 miles on foot. You can go as quickly or slowly as you like!
How much does it cost?: $10 per player.
How many people can play?: Teams can be 1 to 8 players. For bigger groups, split into several teams and race each other on the leaderboard.
What do I need to bring?: A charged phone with mobile data and location turned on, and The Great Game app (free on the App Store and Google Play). We'll send you instructions on how to create a team when you book. Comfortable shoes help.
Does everyone need their own phone?: No. One phone per team is enough, and up to 8 teammates can join on their own phones if they want to.
What if we get stuck?: There are hints at every step, so no team ever gets stuck.
Is it good for kids?: It is great for families! We see multi-generational teams all the time!
What if it rains?: There's no set start time, so you can play any day. If the weather's bad, just go another day, and we'll refund you if your plans change!
Can we book it for a group or event?: Yes. We run custom games for team building, orientations, clubs and conferences, including games built around your own venue, and we've hosted events for over 1,000 people. Book a demo.