Riddle School
- Genre Puzzle games
- Players 1
- Session 15 min
- Price Free
- Updated
Phil is a round-headed kid in a green shirt, slumped at his desk while the teacher points at a blackboard that reads "Mathness: 3+0=2". His opening groan sets the whole goal: he has had enough of this school and wants to get out before the bell. Riddle School is the first chapter of Jonochrome's series, made in 2006 when he still signed his work as JonBro, and this is the later remastered build that shows v2.0 on its title screen. There is no timer to race. You click on furniture, people and posters, read Phil's dry one-liners and pick up anything that is not nailed down. The front doors are shut during school hours, so the way out has to be improvised from junk found in classrooms and corridors. The author's own Fun Facts page says it took three weeks to make, has 99 library items and seven characters, and that it began as a shooting game before he turned it into a puzzle.
| Left click | Look at an object, talk to a classmate or skip to the next line of dialogue |
|---|---|
| Red arrows | Walk to the next corridor or step back out of a room |
| Inventory (bottom left) | Click a collected item, then click where you want to use it |
| M button | Leave to the menu; the red map in the top corner shows which room you are in |
How to play Riddle School
- Press Main Menu, then Start Game. The scene opens in Phil's classroom with a short conversation; click to move it along.
- Once the dialogue stops, the cursor is yours. Try the pencil sharpener on the teacher's desk first, since it is what gets Phil moving.
- Out in the hallway, follow the red arrows left and right. One stretch has the locked exit, another has Ms. Cophey's room next to a water fountain.
- Enter rooms through the arrow on their door and click everything inside. Items you can take jump into the four inventory boxes.
- Use items by selecting them and clicking on a person or object. Keep going until Phil finds a route out of the building.
Tips
- Read every line Phil says. The jokes often hide the hint, like the remark about a feather duster lying in a dustbin.
- In Ms. Cophey's class the board says the Earth is flat and the bin is labelled with a fan's name. Check the bin before you leave.
- Phred sleeps at his desk and Smiley is the only pupil who enjoys lessons. Talk to both; classmates matter more than furniture here.
- Stuck? Walk the whole hallway again. The map in the corner fills in as you visit rooms, so dark squares are places you have missed.
Questions about Riddle School
Who made Riddle School?
The animator who signed it JonBro at the time and later renamed himself Jonochrome. The credits list him for art, animation and programming; only the music came from other artists. He now gives the series away free on GameJolt.
How long does it take to finish?
It is the shortest regular episode of the series, with a handful of rooms. A first run with some head-scratching is usually well under an hour, and nothing needs grinding.
Can I play it on a phone?
It is played only with the mouse, so a tap works as a click in a mobile browser. The stage is small on a phone screen, though, and a computer is more comfortable.
Do I need to play the sequels in order?
This is where the story starts. The later games carry the same classmates forward, so beginning here makes the running jokes land.
