Sick of being a passive bystander in a movie theatre? Perhaps it’s time to become the lead in your own story. Because a good night out is no longer about hitting a bar for a quiet one—no no. Get that adrenaline pumping at one of Auckland's best escape rooms instead.
There are plenty of adventures to be had—find da Vinci’s last invention, fall down the rabbit hole and cure your crew amidst a zombie apocalypse. You’ll be locked in a room and pushed to capacity to bring out all your smarts, teamwork and physical prowess. With just 60 minutes (in most cases) you’ll want work hard and fast to beat the clock. For all you adventurous folk, here’s our roundup of Auckland’s escape rooms. Tick tock.
Escapism
65 Karepiro Drive, Stanmore Bay, Auckland
This one's a bit of a hike if you're based in central but it's absolutely worth it. Boasting the best fit-out of an escape room we've seen to date with neat props and smart scenarios, the crew currently has two spiffy rooms up and running with two more in the works. For now, choose between an eerie zombie apocalypse and a beguiling, replayable (and family-friendly) Mad Hatter's Hat scenario or book a back-to-back session and really flex those escape skills. Best for teams of 3-4 players, Escapism is without a doubt one of the best escape rooms in Auckland.
Escape Masters
Level 11/300 Queen Street, Auckland CBD | 613 Great South Road, Manukau City Centre, Auckland
With a focus on intelligence rather than physical prowess, Escape Masters is the perfect adventure for all the brainiacs who didn’t necessarily nail gym class. Since their launch in 2014 as the first real-life escape game in New Zealand, Escape Masters has grown to provide nine adrenaline-inducing adventures between their two Auckland locations. The CBD offers a choice of six storylines (both online and in-person) including a haunted motel, a bank heist, an alien prison break and the gangsters' bar, among others. And with another four themes on offer in Manukau, there’s plenty to keep your heart racing and your mind ticking.
Escapade
Level 1, 23 Victoria Street East, Auckland CBD
Image credit: Escapade | Facebook
Escapade focuses on Kiwi-themed experiences, with rooms such as The Bach, The Shed, The Tavern and The Boathouse. Use your observational skills, problem-solving and common sense to escape the room as you learn about Kiwi culture in the process. The challenges are more common sense-oriented rather than trivia or school smarts, with physical aspects too. Follow your gran’s clues to solve an old mystery, search for treasure as you stumble upon an abandoned gold mining shed, save the city from approaching darkness as you escape from an old mystical tavern or, save yourself as you discover your racing boathouse has been tampered with by a competitor's team.
Escape HQ
495 Lake Road, Takapuna, Auckland
Escape HQ on the North Shore cater for 2-70 people all playing at the same time. They even have a date night package so you can put bae through their paces. Use your analytical skills and compete against friends or family as both teams race against the clock for bragging rights. Become a roadie for a 70s rock band, put a farm back in order before the farmer gets back, survive a mountain blizzard, and more. Not keen on being locked in a room for an hour? These guys also have an outdoor escape where you can track international fugitives before the stolen items are lost forever.
Escape Rooms NZ
Level 2, 66 Anzac Street, Takapuna, Auckland
Head to Escape Rooms NZ for 90-minute challenges (rather than the usual 60-minute scenarios) and delve into Da Vinci, which will have you searching for the genius’ last-ever invention; The School Of Wizardry where you must rescue the headmaster; The Mad Hatter, where you attempt to rescue Alice from her wild adventures; American Diner where you get mixed up in a trophy heist; The Doll where you must race against the clock to avoid being caught in a demon's wrath, and the Time Machine (self-explantory, right?). And, in case you find yourself struggling, you can ask for clues (but don’t, because who doesn’t want the satisfaction of escaping all on their own?)
Thrillzone
Level 1/28 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna | Corner of Quay and Hobson Street, Auckland CBD
Taking escape rooms up a notch, Thrillzone’s escape rooms are mind-bendingly interactive and technology-driven. Their Takapuna branch offers both indoor escape adventures and, get this, virtual reality escape rooms. Here, you can enjoy the mystery and puzzles of the escape room in an immersive virtual world while your friends are posed as different VR characters! Dive into a Jungle Adventure or a Scary Occult practice— the choice is yours. Or, for the more adventurous types, unleash your inner detective and take code-cracking to the streets on one of Thrillzone’s outdoor escape adventures. While exploring your choice of Takapuna Beach or downtown Auckland, you can take your squad out on this part scavenger hunt, part escape room, part augmented reality mission.
Escapologist
10/215 Rosedale Road, Albany, Auckland
If dragon slaying and outrunning the authorities during the New York Prohibition sounds like a bit of you, head to the Escapologist. Great for groups of 2-6, their classic escape rooms are the perfect escape from reality. With 60 minutes on the clock, assemble your team through the dwarfish halls and lead them on a quest to reclaim what's lost in their Dragon's Treasure room, or teleport to 1925 and enjoy a Night at the Speakeasy then figure out how to get out before you get caught!
Keep the adrenalin pumping with a visit to Archie Brothers' Cirque Electriq.
Image credit: Alexander Popov, Escapade.