On a historic street corner in the heart of Hollywood, an immersive experience has arrived that challenges you to use your puzzle solving skills to enter the world of the OASIS. Oh, and there’s some rad 80’s jams, too…
For last month’s PLAYBACK theme, we were thrilled to partner with Ready Player One not only on some loot from the much-anticipated Steven Spielberg adaptation of Ernest Cline’s beloved pop-culture novel, but on an amazing VR-centric Mega Crate too. Now, with less than 10 days until the film finally hits theatres, we’ve got a sneak peek at a very fun event taking place in Hollywood for fans to enjoy as we countdown to opening day: The Ready Player One Challenge!
Are YOU ready to enter the Oasis?! (GIF by Nicole Campos)
As it’s described, the Challenge is “An experiential, hyper-sharable maze in the heart of Hollywood designed for all ages to escape the Real World and explore the OASIS in search of three hidden keys.” Essentially, you are allowed to explore a maze full of film references, set recreations (and some real sets, too!), interactive displays and even live actors in-character, to solve the mystery as Parzival and his friends do in the film.
The Stacks are a reality, right on the corner of Hollywood and Vine! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
On sneak peek day, finishing touches were being put on the hand-painted front entrance (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Upon entrance, you’re asked to register a player handle and email, and given an RFID bracelet; the bracelet tracks your progress as you make your way through the maze, which should take 30 minutes or less to complete… and if you want to see your name atop the High Scores list at the end, you’re going to want to try to finish it a lot faster! And also remember the clues you are given before your entrance, they are essential to finding the keys.
Ready to rock & roll! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
You actually enter the maze through Wade Watts’ van… and this is the REAL van set from the movie! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Almost immediately, as everything from Van Halen to Depeche Mode serenades your entrance, you’ll run across neon passageways, gritty “real” world details, and oh so many pieces of retro flair from decades gone by… most of which you can interact with. (Ever used a View Master, kids?) There are also actors in-character everywhere you turn… and you can interact with them too, though they may not reply. (If you look like you’re really struggling, they may be a *little* more helpful…)
Hmm, she looks busy… maybe just let her do her thing… (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Although, hold up… Look at Betelgeuse there, dude TOTALLY knows something. (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Or Batman! Dude, ask Batman where the keys are! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Essentially, the best way to experience the Ready Player One Challenge is to have fun, but be sure to take in every inch of your surroundings… this way, you’ll get the most out of the experience and probably still manage to find those elusive keys as you go along! There are so many cool details along the way, of course that it’s very easy to get lost in those for minutes at a time. If you want your name on that scoreboard with a quick solve time for the maze, you’re allowed to take pictures inside – pour over those details later!
Ooh the neon. Sooo much neon. Too much neon? NEVER ENOUGH NEON! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Who doesn’t still want gaming cabinets in their rec room?! (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Yep, pretty sure these were all of my mix tapes back in the late 80’s too. (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Ever wonder as a kid “What if I decorated my room like a Rubik’s Cube?” NOW YOU KNOW. (Photo by Nicole Campos)
Ultimately, once your sleuthing (while every so often stopping to sing along to Def Leppard for a few spare seconds, of course) has paid off and you find all three hidden keys, you’ll need to find the one IOI rep who can show you the entrance to The OASIS… and therein lies the magic! Inside is as close-up a look at Ready Player One that you’re going to get, including exclusives of both footage and 100% authentic props from the film. (We can’t show you exactly what’s inside, because spoilers… and you’ve gotta solve those puzzles to earn that entry!)
Once you’ve completed the maze, be sure to explore the surroundings too; you can snap a pic inside that authentic Back to the Future meets Knight Rider DeLorean pictured up top, too, plus more vehicles and props from the movie!
The Ready Player One Challenge is open right NOW, through April 1st and if you’re a fan of the book or the film and are anywhere near the L.A. area, it’s well worth checking out. Anticipation has run so high that the reserved times available through the website are already sold out – however, check back on the site for details, they do accept walk-ups when it isn’t too busy!
And don’t miss Ready Player One, In Theatres March 29th!
