Puzzles are the backbone of any great escape game attraction. A compelling story or Hollywood-quality scenic can only go so far to create a memorable experience. It takes puzzles that are unique, outside the box and most importantly, fun to truly bring a game to life.
Escape Authority is honored to announce our 2020 Keys To Greatness – Best Puzzles winners:
The Elevator Shaft
(Sylmar, CA)
Horror-themed games can sometimes be easy to suspend disbelief; after a few well-timed jump scares, even the most stoic of players could be left on edge. The true art, however, lies in the psychological implantation of puzzles that feel like organically natural actions to take under the circumstance, if it were real. Actions guests must take within The Elevator Shaft quick transform the mood from “obviously this is make-believe” to repeating “it’s only make-believe, it’s only make-believe” while trying to muster up the courage required to proceed. A warped and psychotic world full of taboo puzzles pushes guests’ limits, all while a rickety old six ton elevator looms over head, threatening to fall with just one wrong move. The puzzles are so outside of the box – or elevator, as it were – and so real that they, themselves develop a clear tone of life of death.
Click here to read our full review of The Elevator Shaft.
July 11, 2020 – Escape Authority takes racially intolerant comments very seriously, and as such, in light of those recently made by the owner this former award-winning venue, we can no longer support, recommend or endorse this game. As such, this award has been removed.
This is not a political issue, nor is it a matter of opinion. This is an issue of respect and human decency. We need to do better as a people. The time for that is now.
Playground
( Austin, TX / Dallas, TX / Houston, TX / Jacksonville, FL / Orlando, FL / Nashville, TN / New Orleans, LA / Atlanta, GA / San Francisco, CA / Las Vegas, NV / New York, NY / King of Prussia, PA )
In hundreds upon hundreds of games, one stands out as the most inspired feeling of fun we’ve ever encountered. (Eight year old me is rolling around in his sleeping bag knowing I just used those words to describe a day in school!) And best of all, Playground can be found in a whopping seven of The Escape Game’s locations nation-wide, making it even more accessible to inspire newer players all over!
Playground captures the spirit of its light-hearted theme by erasing preconceived notions of what school-based tasks can be and replacing them with the fondest memories of gameplay in the industry today. Surprises rain down from every angle, including one of the most unexpected Taboo Puzzles we could ever even imagine. This is one after school program that will result in a whole lot of screaming “I CAN’T BELIEVE WE JUST DID THAT!“
Playground wins our gold Keys To Greatness – Best Puzzles honor for the second consecutive year.
Click Here to read our full review of Playground.
Congratulations to our winners of the second annual Keys To Greatness – Best Puzzles award!
With more than 1,000 games played across the site, being picked as one of the best three in the country is a well-earned honor to truly be proud of!
With so many deserving games worthy of recognition, our goal is to ensure these Keys To Greatness awards are attainable to all – not just those with blockbuster budgets that might be otherwise out of reach. As such, it’s important to note that we have, as much as possible, limited games to winning a single category – but every game will still be qualified to win the coveted Keys to Greatness – Best Game award, as well as the Keys to Greatness – Remote Play awards.
*Although the games I’ve personally designed are consistently very highly rated by both enthusiasts and newer players alike, I cannot in good conscience nominate an attraction I created. As such, those games and the venues that call them home have been intentionally omitted from consideration for any Keys To Greatness award.
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