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Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery

Hoorn Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game

4.4 on Google (23 reviews)

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  • 1.5–2 hours
  • 1–4 players per team
  • In the free Loquiz app on your phone
  • Start any time within 12 months
  • Free cancellation until you start

Solve a detective murder mystery on foot in Hoorn, from the Kerkplein past the Roode Steen to the Hoofdtoren by the harbour.

The Balthasar case is open in Hoorn, and it stays open until somebody walks the route and reads it properly.

Think of it as a detective game the size of a city. The murder mystery runs on your phone while Hoorn supplies the evidence: witnesses to question, codes to crack, photographs to take, and one name to hand in when you are sure. Nobody guides you and nothing starts at a fixed hour.

The case takes you past Westfriesmuseum, Museum of the 20th Century and Roode Steen 16.

Where the Case Takes You in Hoorn

So do Hoofdtoren and Bossuhuizen. The route runs 3 to 4 km and rewards the people who look up rather than the people who walk fast.

How Your Case in Hoorn Plays Out

You walk and the case reaches you in pieces. Digital characters wait along the way, each with part of the truth and each wanting something first: a puzzle, a code, a photograph. Whatever you solve crosses a name off the list. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours over 3 to 4 km, though nobody is timing you - stop for an hour and the case waits. It asks the sort of attention Sherlock Holmes made his name on - the detail other people step over.

For Families, Friends and Teams in Hoorn

With friends. Four people, one phone, one case. Somebody will back the wrong suspect early and refuse to let it go, and that is the part everyone remembers.

With your team. Split into fours, buy a ticket each, and send them off on the same murder. Team building without a facilitator, a venue or a start time - and in Hoorn that means nobody has to be anywhere by nine.

With kids. The puzzles work from about eight years old. Younger ones walk along and help, older ones take over the phone, and the whole thing survives being interrupted by ice cream.

Questions People Ask First

How does the murder mystery game work?

Everything sits in the Loquiz app. Start it wherever you like in Hoorn, follow what the case tells you, solve what each location puts in front of you, and hand in a name when you are sure.

How long does it take?

About two hours of playing and 3 to 4 km of walking. How long the whole outing takes is up to you, because you can stop for as long as you like and carry on after.

How many people can play on one ticket?

One €19.95 ticket covers four players on a single phone. Past four, take a second ticket: two teams chasing the same killer beats six people squinting at one screen.

Do we need to book a time?

You pick a date, not a slot. Start at nine or start at four; nothing in Hoorn is waiting on you and no guide is standing anywhere.

Is it suitable for children?

From roughly age eight it works well. The puzzles are built to be solved, not to defeat anyone, and younger children happily walk along and help.

What happens if it rains?

Nothing forces you to keep walking. Duck into a cafe, let it pass and carry on when you feel like it - there is no time limit on any part of this.

Is this a detective game or a walking tour of Hoorn?

You get the walk either way. The difference is that you arrive at each place with a question, and a question makes people look at a building far harder than a plaque ever does.

What else is there to do in Hoorn?

There are other city games in Hoorn built on the same idea and a different story, and the Netherlands has plenty more where this came from.

Also in the city: Secrets of Hoorn · The Hoorn Syndicate · city games across the Netherlands

  1. WestfriesmuseumRoode Steen 1, 1621 CV Hoorn
  2. Museum of the 20th CenturyNieuwe Wal, 1621 DG Hoorn
  3. Roode Steen 16Roode Steen, 1621 KD Hoorn
  4. HoofdtorenHoofdtoren, 1621
  5. BossuhuizenSlapershaven 2, 1621 BK Hoorn

How it works

  1. BookYour ticket arrives by email.
  2. Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
  3. PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.

What players in other cities say

4.4 on Google (23 reviews)

  • ★★★★★

    Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!

    Martin M.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    Game in Amsterdam was fun!

    Enzo L.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    Had So much fun playing while exploring the city

    Philip C.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!

    Jessica S.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.

    JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    This was a fun game! It had a few challenges which was good and surprises. It got me to go around and explore Queenstown, New Zealand. I got to places in Queenstown, New Zealand I hadn’t been to before while on holiday here. Thank you for that and it gave a feel what it would be like to be the actual Sherlock Holmes!

    Dylan J.February 2024 · via google
How we check reviews

These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.

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