Are you looking for a way out of your dull life, or do you want to unleash your inner detective?
If yes, then escape games sound perfect for you as they take you on a thrilling experience and teach you many things like decision-making, problem-solving, time management, teamwork, and communication skills along the way.
What are escape games?
Escape games can be physical or virtual; in these games, a participant or group of participants are locked inside a room with clues, puzzles, and hints. Participants have to find their way out of that room using those hints and puzzles.
Escape games have different themes. Some escape games have a classic fiction or fantasy theme, like Dracula, Haunted House, Witch Castle, etc.,
While some have survival themes like escaping a drowning submarine, surviving an earthquake, finding a way out of a dark and dense forest, etc.
The popularity of escape games in Canada
Escape games are one of the most trending forms of entertainment in Canada.
People love to go to escape games with their family, friends, and employees to enjoy a fun-filled day and do things beyond their imaginations.
Canadians call escape rooms a perfect getaway from their tense and mundane life.
Types of Escape Games in Canada
There are different types of escape games in Canada,
Traditional escape rooms
Traditional escape rooms are also called live escape rooms, and they are brick-and-mortar escape rooms in which participants get locked in a physical room and have to escape from it.
Designers pour their creativity and passion into designing such rooms and follow a certain theme while designing them.
These rooms give visitors an incredible experience.
If they are designed well and look extremely realistic, then visitors start feeling as if they are actually stuck in that situation and feel intense emotions like panic, fear, thrill, and anxiety.
Outdoor escape rooms
Outdoor escape rooms are a unique combination of treasure hunt and live escape rooms, but they don’t confine players to a physical room.
Instead, they have hints spread all over the place, and players have to find them and escape from the place.
Outdoor escape games are extremely popular at weddings and camping events.
Virtual escape games
Virtual escape games are quite similar to traditional escape games, and the only difference is that players play them online rather than in person.
Players can play them alone or with a group of participants on a video call.
If they are developed well, then they give players the same excitement and thrill as a physical escape room.
Top Escape Games in Canada
There are thousands of escape rooms in Canada that have different games and themes.
We have short-listed the top five escape rooms for you with the best games and service.
Hint Hunt
Google Rating: 4.8/5
Hint Hunt is an escape game center in Canada with branches in different parts of the world.
It offers an interesting range of escape games, and the one reason that makes Hint Hunt stand out from other escape game centers in Canada is their unique themes.
Hint Hunt has raised the bar for every other escape game center with its extraordinary game room range that differs from old-school escape game themes and explores different areas.
The puzzles and hints of Hint Hunt are also challenging and even confuse the most experienced players.
Therefore, most players visit Hint Hunt to challenge their limits and experience situations that are beyond their expectations.
Hint Hunt has four themes; every theme requires 3 to 6 participants and has a 60-minute duration.
Trapped
Google Rating: 4.5/5
Trapped in another popular escape game center in Canada that is quickly opening its branches in different parts of the world, it is one of the most successful and popular escape centers.
The incredible customer service is the biggest contributor to the soaring popularity of Trapped.
Trapped has a wide range of escape games with the most interesting, thrilling, and sometimes scary themes that keep the players on edge all the time.
Trapped has a total of 13 themes, and most games are around 60 to 70 minutes long. 2 to 6 participants can participate in every game.
Escape Games
Google Rating: 4.75/5
Escape Games North York is another great escape game center in Canada and is popular among escape game enthusiasts for its great customer service and wide range of games.
Escape games Canada offers its visitors seven games, all unique in their themes.
For example, some games have a horror theme, some have a survival theme, some have a mystery theme, and some are sci-fi. All games are one hour long, and 4 to 8 people can participate in one game.
The wide range of well-designed games and amazing customer service is the main reason behind the rising popularity of Escape Games Canada.
Adventure Rooms
Google Rating: 4.8/5
Adventure Rooms is another great escape game center in Canada that claims to be Canada’s first escape game center.
Even though Adventure Room’s claim of being Canada’s First Escape Center is debatable but no one can argue about the fact that it is one of the most popular escape centers in Canada, and people love going there for its incredible service and well-designed themes.
Adventure Rooms has eight games, and most of them have a crime theme in which players have to escape from prison or have to collect evidence from a room, solve a case, and then escape from it.
The crime-oriented themes of Adventure Rooms are a treat for every crime show lover and unleash their inner detective.
Escape The House
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Escape The House is another great escape center that has garnered the love of escape game lovers with its unique themes and amazing customer service that makes people feel welcomed and excited.
Most games of Escape The House have a mystery, crime, and detective theme, and some have a survival and escape theme.
Escape The House has a total of 5 games, of which two have not been released yet, but they look as exciting and engaging as the last three.
Tips for a Successful Escape Game Experience
Some people are escape game experts and find their way out of the game irrespective of the game’s difficulty level, while others can’t win an escape game despite being escape game enthusiasts.
Escape games are all brains and nerves, and there is no such thing as just getting lucky while playing an escape game!
Here is a list of a few tips from the escape game experts that can help you in winning your next escape game.
Preparation
Expert escape game players prepare well before going to the escape games. Preparing for an escape game includes picking the right team, being on time, and being attentive and positive.
If you have the luxury of picking a team of your choice, then make sure that your team is balanced. Don’t add all smart people, or all decision makers, or all leaders in one team, as it will only cause chaos.
An ideal team has one leader, two problem solvers, and one follower. If teammates can not immediately recognize the leaders and problem solvers in them, then they should work in collaboration but give the leading and final decision right to one person who can make decisions and does not lose his cool easily.
Teams should always arrive on time to enjoy themselves fully and plan everything beforehand.
Communication
Winning an escape game is 90% communication and 10% dedication, as there are times when teammates feel like giving up after getting stuck on a puzzle, and in that scenario communicating with each other and boosting each other’s morale is the only way to keep trying.
Effective communication not only helps you in getting out of a difficult situation but also helps you in moving ahead.
Teamwork
Teamwork is extremely important for winning any escape games as no one can win this game alone or do all the work and take their team ahead.
So everyone has to contribute, and everyone has to do something to help the team move ahead. Every escape game has a time limit, and one person can’t do everything within that time limit.
Time management
All escape games have a time limit. Escape game experts don’t keep their eyes on the prize; they keep their eyes on the clock.
Teams must refrain from engaging in petty arguments or wasting time on one puzzle or hint.
They have to utilize their time properly to win.
Conclusion
Summary of escape games in Canada
Escape games are great stress relievers, boredom fighters, and team builders.
In Canada, the first escape game was launched in 2013, and the popularity and number of visitors have only increased since then.
Canadians love escape games as they take their stress and boredom away and help them in bonding with their family, friends, and teammates.
Recommendations
Always go for a game in which you are genuinely interested. If you are a mystery lover and you start playing a horror game, then you will only feel scared or bored, and your whole experience will be ruined.
If you have the luxury to choose, then always participate with people who understand you or listen to you.
Never lose your calm, and try to understand your teammates if they are acting up, as sometimes the
realistic surroundings and the environment of escape games evoke feelings of panic and fear in people.
Final Thoughts
Everyone should go for an escape game at least once in their life as it gives a fun-filled experience and teaches so many things along the way, like being resilient, trusting instincts, listening to the team, trying hard, etc.
However, having a good team with you is important, as a bad team can ruin your experience.