The newspaper doesn't lie. On a random Spring day in Year 1, The New Paper drops a story about treasure hidden at the top of the castle tower in Paralives, with experts apparently baffled about how to reach it. The good news: the solution is completely doable once you know exactly where to look and which doors to take. This guide walks you through every step, from finding the entrance to cracking open that gold chest.
Where is the secret passage in Paralives?
The entrance is inside the Townhall and Library, the castle-style building at Castle Plaza in the center of town. You can't miss it; it's the one with the turret tower.
The building is open between 08:00 and 21:00, so plan your visit accordingly. Head inside and climb two floors up to the second floor. Near the top of the stairs on the right, you'll find a white fireplace with some cardboard boxes stacked in front of it. Click on the fireplace and select "Go through secret passage" to begin.
The Townhall and Library closes at 21:00, so arrive early if you want time to work through the full puzzle without rushing.
Secret passage entrance fireplace
How do you solve the secret passage puzzle?
The passage is a series of interconnected rooms filled with bookshelves, closets, and fireplaces. Pick the wrong exit and your Para gets sent back to the start. Here's the exact sequence that works.
Follow this Solution:
- Enter the fireplace on the second floor (this is the entrance).
- In the first room (with a bookshelf, a closet, and a skeleton in a coffin), go through the bookshelf on the left.
- In the next room with two closets, go through the closet on the right.
- In the messy room with a closet on the left and a fireplace on the right, enter the fireplace on the right.
- In the large room with multiple bookshelves and skeletons, go through the bookshelf on the right.
- After passing through a small room with a golden toilet, you'll reach a larger room with a bed. Go through the bookshelf in this room.
- In the final room with a fireplace on the left and a closet on the right, go through the fireplace on the left.
You're through. Your Para emerges at the top of the castle tower.
Choose the correct bookshelf exit
Taking any wrong exit sends your Para back to the beginning of the puzzle. There's no checkpoint mid-run, so follow the sequence exactly.
What free Paradimes can you collect along the way?
The puzzle isn't just about reaching the end. Several rooms contain paintings on the walls that you can sell for Paradimes, the in-game currency. Here's what's available:
- Room 3 (messy room with the decorative chest): One painting worth 250 Paradimes.
- Room 4 (large skeleton room): Two paintings worth a combined 1,031 Paradimes.
- Bedroom room (the one with the golden toilet nearby): Wall art worth 2,436 Paradimes.
That's a solid haul just for navigating the passage. The decorative chests scattered through the rooms look tempting but cannot be opened; they're set dressing only.
The bedroom room also has amenities you can use to restore your Para's Needs before tackling the final stretch. Worth taking a moment here if your Para is running low.
What is the reward for completing the puzzle?
At the top of the tower, you'll find a gold chest. Open it and you receive Enroque, a pet rock.
Enroque is a decor item for your Para's home. It has no interactive functions; you can't play with it, feed it, or do anything beyond placing it somewhere in your house. It exists purely as a trophy for solving the puzzle. Someone has apparently been kissing it, based on how it looks, which makes it arguably the most charming useless item in the game.
Is it worth the effort? That depends entirely on how much you enjoy the puzzle itself and the free Paradimes you pick up along the way. The painting sales alone add up to over 3,700 Paradimes, which makes the run financially worthwhile regardless of what you think of Enroque.
How does the secret passage fit into the broader game?
This puzzle is one of several community-focused activities in Paralives. The game packs a lot of optional content into its world, and the castle tower secret is a good example of the kind of discovery the developers at Alex Massé's studio have built in. If you enjoy this type of content, check out the full Paralives guides collection for walkthroughs covering everything from skills to community buildings.
For players building out their Para's life beyond the puzzle, the community center donation guide covers another major town activity worth completing. And if you want to expand what the game offers beyond its base content, the mod installation guide walks you through the built-in mod menu and Steam Workshop setup.