An Escape Room is an experience in which a set of players are locked in a room and must paint collectively to find clues, clear up puzzles, and perform obligations that allow you to get away within a set time limit.

The beginning of the Escape Rooms

The original escape room was developed in Japan in 2007. An escape room video game inspired it. The concept was brought to life in the real world by creating a room players had to escape from. His first real-room escape room was called “Real Escape Game”, and he first worked in Kyoto, Japan. The developers were inspired by the desire to create video game characters and participate in solving puzzles.

The escape game was a huge success, and many escape rooms were opened in Asia over the next decade. In 2017, more than 5,000 escape rooms were operating in China alone. The dogs expanded outside Asia and became popular in Europe and North America from 2013-2014. Cities like New York, San Francisco, and London began opening high-rises with creative escapes that helped fuel the trend.

Popular Escape Room Types

While early escape rooms often follow a similar template, these days, you can find incredibly diverse varieties tailored to all interests and skill levels. Some popular themes include:

• Beginner Rooms – Great for new players. Rooms have relatively simple puzzles and a linear path of progression.
• Advanced Rooms – For escape room veterans. Puzzles are highly challenging. This often involves layered or interconnected puzzles.
• Escape Game Franchises: Companies like Escape the Room and The Escape Game operate rooms with similar themes across multiple significant cities. Rooms are highly polished.
• Outdoor Escape Rooms – Also called escape trails. Players navigate clues while walking or being driven between outdoor locations.
• Large Scale Rooms – For significant groups of 10-20 players. Puzzles encourage splitting up into teams. Rooms have multiple stages.
• Multi-Room Escapes: Players progress through a series of connected rooms for an extended experience that tells an in-depth story.
• Luxury/VIP Rooms – Elaborate sets and effects paired with puzzles requiring arts, science and culture knowledge.

The Psychology of Escape Rooms

There is significant psychological research behind what makes escape rooms fun. According to Scott Nicholson, professor of game design and development, 6 key factors help explain the popularity of escape rooms:

• Gameplay: Escape Room Downtown Chicago are active experiences that get players to use their bodies and minds to interact with puzzles and the environment. It feels like being part of a game.
• Novelty: The experiences are new, intriguing, and often unconventional, with elements of surprise. Players are curious and engaged.
• Transformed Space: The rooms feel like you are within a magical, fictional world.
• Socializing – You get quality time to bond with friends, family or coworkers. Communication and teamwork are required.
• Achievement: Solving the final puzzle gives a strong sense of accomplishment. Players feel smart.
• Storyline: An overarching story weaved into the puzzles helps drive engagement and gives meaning to the actions.

Tips for Beginners

Here are some handy tips for making the most of your first escape room experience:

• Pick a beginner room as your first choice to get your feet wet and build up confidence. Advance rooms can be very challenging.
• Read the briefing information ahead of time so you know the backstory. Ask about the difficulty level and theme.
• Avoid spoilers online that give away puzzle solutions. Don’t ruin the a-ha moments.
• Bring shoes that are easy to run around in. Layers of clothing help adjust to warm/cold rooms.
• Ask staff questions if you get stuck for more than 5-10 minutes. Don’t let one puzzle ruin the experience.
• Take pictures before/after you escape for great souvenirs, but ask if photos are allowed first.
• Let everyone participate. Even those who think they won’t be good at puzzles often love escape rooms.
• Most rooms can accommodate 6-10 players. Less than 4 can be challenging. Up to 8 is ideal for beginners.
• Expect an intro briefing beforehand. Listen carefully. Take notes if needed and ask clarifying questions.
• Stay organized. Designate a lead player to direct, assign roles, and keep track of clues/puzzles.

The Future of Escape Rooms

While already a significant industry, escape rooms show no signs of declining popularity any time soon. Facilities incorporate new technology into their room design to create incredibly immersive environments. Virtual reality is being blended with physical rooms to enhance the experience. High-end productions are crafting detailed sets akin to theme park attractions. Franchise locations provide consistent experiences for enthusiasts to “collect” new rooms. There has also been growth in remote online escape rooms played via video calls during the pandemic.

Conclusion

Escape rooms provide fun, interactive apex entertainment for all ages. They encourage teamwork and bring people together to accomplish a common goal. The innovative spaces out there today motivate players to return again and again. As long as creative designers keep developing fresh new themes and puzzles, escape rooms will continue growing as a go-to activity.