by Glen Poezyn
When it comes to escape rooms, the premise is quite simple, and we believe that Queen said it best: “Just gotta get out, just gotta get right out of here.” Grab your chommi, who has thought of every possible hypothetical situation, and try to get out of these escape rooms in Joburg.
The Gr8 Escape
As we alluded to in the beginning, the point of an escape room is to unlock the door to the outside by solving a series of puzzles that are all contained within the room itself. We understand that to those with claustrophobia, this sounds like a nightmare, but don’t worry, the rooms are under constant supervision, so you won’t be trapped forever!
The Gr8 Escape is a perfect group escape room experience, offering multiple different rooms all with varying storylines and difficulty ranges. Currently, the ‘Asylum Escape’ is the ‘easiest’ on offer with a difficulty rating of 7/10. If you and your mates are grizzled veterans, give the 10/10 ‘The Basement’ escape room a try. With this one, you might just end up as one of the props!
Details: https://thegr8escape.co.za/ | 076 362 0765 | Pineslopes Office Park, Fourways
Hashtag Escape
The puzzles that you’ll need to solve here are often environmental. This means that the puzzles hide in plain sight around the room and need to be physically interacted with in a specific way in order to unlock the next piece. If all of this sounds like a lot, don’t worry! There are beginner escape rooms for the newbies.
In the case of Hashtag Escape, their ‘beginner’ room is called ‘Closure’. Rated a 6/10, this room is a double-edged sword. While it is the one that beginners will gravitate towards, it’s also their scariest! Your team will be playing the role of paranormal investigators who have been sent to unravel the secrets of this haunted house. They have four other rooms available as well, should you not want to end up as a jumpscare clip on YouTube…
Details: https://www.hashtagescape.co.za/ | 073 722 0551 | Bedford Centre Shopping Centre, Bedfordview
Lostland
You've likely caught on to the fact that each escape room in Joburg has various themes. These themes help immerse the participant in the world that the rooms have built for an overall better experience. Some themes are quite universal, like the horror-themed rooms, but some offer unique storylines that can’t be experienced anywhere else. One of the unique themed escape rooms at Lostland is the ‘Bomb Squad’ puzzle. Trapped inside an abandoned military base, you and your own squad need to work together to stop the bomb from going off. We’re sure that this setting would be a heck of a corporate teambuilding exercise.
Details: https://lostland.co.za/ | 011 803 0386 | Suite 1.2 Rivonia Center, Sandton
Escape Room
With all subtlety locked away in storage, the aptly named ‘Escape Room’ is another spot that offers some wholly unique rooms that’ll test your mental mettle. You might want to bring a fairly large group when visiting this one, as these puzzles are no joke. All three of their themed rooms are rated a 4/5 difficulty and can be tackled by up to 7 people. The themes are ‘Disappearance’, where you’ll discover a secret door that leads to untold mysteries, ‘Mine Escape’, where you attempt to rescue your fellow miners that have suddenly vanished, and ‘Kellar’s Magic Emporium’, which has you applying as the magician's assistant with a twist.
Details: https://www.escaperoom.co.za/ | 061 586 6285 | Dunkeld West Centre, Dunkeld West
While it may be true that escape rooms are the only experience that you pay to leave, the joy and excitement of figuring out the various puzzles with your mates is priceless. All across Joburg, you’ll find these unique experiences that’ll have you breaking out and wanting more.
