Menu

Family Escape Room

Summer Escape Rooms

Keeping Your Cool- Confessions of a Game Master

, , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

With the summer heating up, escape rooms will be a popular outing for families, friends, coworkers, and teammates. They provide a getaway from the sun and heat in an adventurous and fun environment. Sometimes though, putting groups of people in rooms and telling them to find a way out can lead to some heated discussions and emotions. Not to worry, though: Our game masters have a few tips that will help your team work more smoothly and keep the tension between players as low as possible. Check out the latest Confessions of a Game Master!

Escape rooms are fun but potentially stressful situations. You’re locked in a room, given handfuls of puzzles, bombarded with information and rules, and placed under a time constraint. All of that can add up to a pretty intense experience, and that’s to say nothing of the theme of the room. Though part of the fun of escape rooms is the rush of racing against time, our game masters have a few tips to help you keep your cool in an escape room.

One of the best ways to beat the heat of an escape room is to remember that you are here to have fun. Of course everyone likes to win, and it’s very exciting to hold the record for “best time,” but remember that your first and foremost goal should be to enjoy the game you are playing. Quite often when groups arrive determined to break the record, they get so caught up with being number one that they don’t take the time to enjoy themselves. This also adds pressure to the less experienced players since there is a huge burden on them to perform better than most players.

If it sounds like I’m not a fan of fastest time records, it’s because I’m not. Or really, I don’t think they should be as important as people make them out to be. “Fastest Time” can tell you how quickly a game was solved, but it won’t tell you how much fun the group had or how many memories they created. I encourage each group to enter every game with the goal to do their best, not the best. Your escape room experience will be instantly less stressful when your goal is to fully experience the room. And if you happen to make the best time while you’re at it? That’s the cherry on top.

What are your tips on staying cool under pressure in an escape room? Let us know in a comment below! Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a Confessions video and for other escape room goodies.

Geoff Durham
Manager, Game Master, King of Cool
Cross Roads Escape Games

Fun House KIDS

A Magical Birthday: Escape Room Birthday Parties at Cross Roads

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

Is your child’s birthday quickly approaching? Are you looking for a way to make their party extra special? Well, come on down and test your wits in our FUN HOUSE!

An escape room is a great birthday party idea because they are an interactive group experience that emphasize and strengthen many skills including teamwork, communication, and problem solving, while still being an entertaining and immersive game.

The Fun House is a topsy-turvy experience filled to the brim with laughs, mystery, magic, and excitement! You and your team must work together to find clues and solve puzzles before time runs out. The light-hearted nature of the game makes it an ideal party destination, full of puzzles that allow groups to work together or break into smaller teams.

If your team consists of young children with dreams of being magicians, have no fear! The Fun House KIDS provides the same whimsical fun and puzzle solving experience but is an alternate version designed for younger players between the ages of 8 and 13-years old. However, it is never too early to send your children off to the circus and children of all ages can play the game! We’ve added some hands-on puzzles to this version of the game so that everyone, no matter what age or height, will have something to do.

What could be better than running off to prove yourself at the circus? Why, how about a party afterwards! Cross Roads Escape Games offers a beautiful lounge that is a comfortable, private space where your group can unwind, talk about their experience, eat some cake and ice cream, and open presents. Along with the lounge rental, we can provide cups, plates, napkins, utensils, balloons, and even take care of clean-up.

Speaking of food, what could possibly go better with a birthday party than pizza? If you need catering for your party, we offer a special escape room package from Top Class Pizza that includes three Large 1-Topping Pizzas, two 10” cheesy bread sticks, two 10” cinnamon sticks, and two 2-liters of soda.

Parents love having their child’s birthday party at Cross Roads Escape Games because they know the kids will have a great time interacting and using their brains and not being distracted by phone screens. Kids love escape room birthday parties because they can be clever, solve puzzles, and win prizes in a unique experience. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary for your child’s next birthday, try the Fun House for a truly memorable party.

The Fun House and Fun House KIDS is for 4-8 players and is one-hour long. If players are 13 years or younger, they must be accompanied by an adult in the game. Both of our games are private games, meaning your group will not be paired with strangers. Our lounge is available to rent for an extra fee and comfortably fits up to 13 adults. We also do bachelor parties, proposals, baby announcements, and other celebrations! If you have any questions about parties at Cross Roads Escape Games or you would like to book your party, give us a call at (714) 572-1004.

Geoff Durham
Manager, Game Master, Party Animal
Cross Roads Escape Games

Family in the Fun House

Tips For Finding The Best Escape Room To Play With Your Family

, , , , , , , , , , , , 11

The Holiday season is fast approaching, and for many people that means family gatherings. There’s always a lot of fuss during these next few months, dealing with travel schedules, cleaning, lodging, dining, and most importantly, entertaining. Though I cannot help you with everything, allow me to suggest some entertainment that can include the entire family and leave a lasting impression.

Last Christmas I got to visit my parents in San Antonio, Texas. My brother, my cousin, and his wife joined us for an early Christmas Eve dinner. After we finished eating, we were looking for something fun to do as a family. My brother suggested trying a local escape room, so we set off to solve a mystery aboard a pirate ship. We had a great time.

Escape rooms are a great idea for families getting together during the holidays. They provide an opportunity for groups of all ages to interact, to share, to laugh.

Unlike going out to see a movie, you are not confined to a seat in the dark, unable to talk with everyone else. In an escape room, you are free to move around. You can talk to each other, joke to each other, and sometimes even act silly together. For those who have trouble striking up conversations, the puzzles in the room provide an easy starting point.

To plan the perfect escape room outing with family, I have a few tips:

  1. Find a game with a medium difficulty rating. With a medium difficulty, first-timers and enthusiasts alike can contribute. The first-timers will be able to understand and solve puzzles, while at the same time the enthusiasts can still find the game challenging and engaging.
  2. Try finding a non-linear game. Non-linear games hold many puzzles that can be worked on simultaneously. This means that your group can split into smaller teams, giving everyone something to do.
  3. Find a theme that appeals to everyone. There are plenty of silly, kooky, fun games that you can play, just be sure to check the age limits for the rooms. Also pay attention to limits on group size. Find one that can hold your entire group, and see if you qualify for a private room.
  4. Include others. If you consider yourself an escape room master, sometimes it can be frustrating playing a room with those who have no idea what they’re doing. Just remember that you, too, were once a first-timer. Try guiding your family members in the right path. If an answer seems obvious to you, try helping your family come to the same conclusion as you instead of simply answering the puzzle. If you have a family member standing in the back not participating, even something as simple as “try this combination on this lock” could be enough to get them involved.
  5. Adjust your goal for fun. Working as a Game Master, I have had many groups whose only goal is to escape. We all love winning, but we can’t win 100% of the time. Approach your game with your number one goal being to have fun with your family. If you focus more on including everyone and having a great time, you’re going to come out on top. Escaping would just be a bonus. Especially if you are playing with a large group of first-timers, there’s the possibility of tensions running high. Take a step back, breathe, and look at the room as a bonding experience.

If you are in the Anaheim area during the holidays and need something fun to do with your family, The Fun House is the perfect game for you. Your group will enter a wacky carnival to prove yourself as worthy magicians before time runs out. As a non-linear game with a medium difficulty, there are plenty of puzzles for everyone with any sort of experience. If your group has kids 13 and under, we even have a special version of the game with puzzles designed for younger players.

This holiday season, you can relieve a bit of stress by planning an escape room outing for your family.

Geoff Durham
Game Master and Manager
Cross Roads Escape Games