Maze Room
K110,, 5555 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 541-1640
http://mazerooms.com
A couple of weeks ago, I received a media invite to try Maze Room and I was excited! I had always wanted to try one of those escape rooms but hadn’t yet gotten around to it. Maze Room, hailing from California, just opened a location in Austin a month ago. I formed a team of friends, all of us new to the experience and not sure what to expect, a couple of us skeptical.
Upon arrival, one of the owners sat us down and explained the rules to us. We had 60 minutes to escape the room with 5 hints available should we choose to use them. No smartphones were allowed. The story was that we had an hour to snoop in an alleged Russian spy’s apartment to determine his true identity. Seems simple enough right?
Nope, not at all.
We were escorted to and locked in a tiny kitchen. We were underwhelmed at first sight. How hard can it be to escape this tiny room? As we investigated, we discovered clues, keys, and nonsensical codes. It did not take us long to figure that the space we inhabited would expand, giving way to another room and that this was not a simple game!
I don’t want to give anything away but a couple of my friends who attended that night are still talking about how much fun they had. When I was younger, my favorite part of children’s museums were the hands on make believe exhibits. I loved going to a fake grocery store and buying supplies and pretending I was a grown adult. This experience of escaping the Spy Safe House conjured up the same glee I experienced as a child. I think my favorite part was seeing my grown friends in their 30s, a couple of them not easily impressed, squealing every time a key unlocked, or a room opened, or a code cracked. Childlike joy!
We managed to get out with just 3 minutes left on the clock and used up our 5 hints. I left feeling invigorated and happy. It’s not often that grown adults can engage in an exciting game of make believe that is also challenging. Maze Room is a place for adults to play like children. I recommend Maze Room for your next group date or team building exercise!