Citydash: March Madness. An action packed street game by Fire Hazard

Citydash is an intense real-world game of speed, stealth and strategy, played on the streets of London. March Madness brings Citydash to Tower Hill for a night time edition of the game.

Game creators Fire Hazard, previously known for zombie-themed shootouts in the woods and the 2011 live-action burglary Heist, have been running Citydash since 2010. Citydash has appeared at games festivals in Berlin, Copenhagen, and Melbourne, and is a regular feature in London, with regular weekend events and themed editions coming up through the rest of the year.

Teams of four players have 60 minutes to reach as many checkpoints as they can and text in the codes. Some checkpoints open and close during the game, and some are cryptic, so constant alertness is crucial. More importantly, all the checkpoints are patrolled - and if the guard can get close enough to see a player number, the team will banned from part of the game zone.

“This is an adrenaline-charged hour of strategy and stealth, not an afternoon-long puzzle-solving amble”, says Fire Hazard founder Gwyn Morfey. “We take a lot of computer-game and movie experiences and move them into the real world”.

But that’s not to say that only elite athletes need apply. “You have to be quick but you also have to be tactical” says theatre review site Event.co.uk. Cryptic clues, complex areas to hide in and the ever-present guards mean that well-organised teams have a good chance against faster ones. The live scoreboard on players’ smartphones throughout the game means that competition exists all through the ranks, not just at the top.

There’s a spirit of fun throughout: “Fire Hazard games always start in the pub and finish in the pub, and we don’t take it too seriously”, adds Gwyn. “Often I see the scratch teams stay together and sometimes they come back as an organised team next time, so it’s a great way to meet energised people”.

March Madness tickets are £18, available only in advance from fire-hazard.net.