As the cliché goes, how time flies -- it’s been a full year since I started writing the Wander Minnesota column (oh, hey, WCCO? If you need my address to deliver that Dom Perignon, let me know). I hope you’re enjoying it -- I know I’m enjoying writing it -- and to celebrate, I’m going to do some occasional new features besides the usual listings of places and events. Periodically I’m going to take a closer look at something new or interesting around the state, starting today with a new attraction that opened last week at the Mall of America.

MagiQuest is the brainchild of a group called Creative Kingdoms, which wanted to find a way to take the parts of video games that kids find attractive and translate them into a larger framework -- one which require players to be on their feet and moving.



It doesn’t hurt that there are elements of Harry Potter thrown into the mix. When you arrive at MagiQuest for the first time, you have to choose a clan (since I was feeling rather princess-like, I chose Majestic), then you pick your personal wand and your character’s name and register. Here’s the thing: the initial fee to get in seems high, especially if you're bringing multiple children, but once you’ve gotten the wand, it’s yours to keep, and you can use it in subsequent visits, which brings the cost down. Also note: if you just want to follow your kids around and not play, you can simply be a Magi Guide for $4.99.

That said, I’d recommend trying it out. When I first went in, the space seemed simplistic.



A very Dumbledore-esque magi teaches you how to play, and he’s always available at the “Stone Circle” (a central core to the game with computer screens) to guide you on your quest. Your wand acts like a video game controller would; you use it to activate your quests, get information, and acquire the steps to complete each quest. The quests are devised of several clues that require you to travel around the MagiQuest space, searching for the answers. Some are easy -- and some are not.


Before I knew it, I was stalking clues like a crazed person, waving my wand at any particular landmark that might have any chance at the answer. Now, here’s the next cool thing about this: because the wand is specific to you and you keep it, on return visits you can pick up where you left off, rather than having to start over. Sir Loin the Vegetarian, who acted as guide for us, noted that as time goes on, new quests and adventures will be added so that the game will not be repetitive. Here’s the one I want to do:

Do I even have to confess that the boys who were with me made far greater progress in their quests than I did?



Of course there’s a shop, where you can buy accessories and even costumes for younger children.



We had a great time. The boys even worked up a sweat, running from clue to clue and quest to quest. Advice: wear comfortable shoes -- you’ll be on your feet a great deal and consider playing along. Or send grandparents; there were lots of those there this weekend, having a jolly time chasing their young Magis around the realm.

What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.