Alcatraz Escape Games Blog
7 Must-Know Escape Room Tips and Tricks
Socializing is one of the best things for our physical and mental health. According to Summa Health, socializing can boost our mood, reduce stress, slow cognitive decline, and improve our quality of life. What better way to socialize than by beating an escape room with your favorite group?
Escape rooms are tough and intimidating to some, but with the right escape room strategies, they're less intimidating. But what sorts of escape room tips and tricks should you focus on?
If you're curious about winning escape room techniques, we're here to offer our assistance. Here are the best ways to find the room puzzle solutions with your group.
- Work Together
- Split Up
- Remember the Difficulty
- Don't Overthink Things
- Be Careful for Tricks
- Keep the Theme in Mind
- Pace Yourself
1. Work Together!
The most important of all escape room tips and tricks is also the simplest: work together! Escape rooms are a social activity that takes teamwork to be able to tackle correctly.
Many escape rooms are made for as many as ten people, which we offer several of. Some are made for as few as five.
However many people you have on your team, make sure that you're working together and not getting frustrated. As the timer ticks down and time feels short, it's natural for the adrenaline of the situation to lead to some raised tempers. Oregon State University insists that arguments aren't just unpleasant - they're bad for your health.
Do your best to treat each other with kindness and not let the puzzles come between you. Practically speaking, this will impact your team's ability to solve the puzzles! Personally speaking, it's just not very fun to do an escape room with people snapping at each other.
There are some escape rooms that are meant for a single person where this advice won't apply. But since most are group efforts, we thought it best to make sure this was first and foremost.
2. Don't Hesitate to Split Up
Part of working together is to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. Who's best at what kinds of puzzles? What team members work best with each other and will work more efficiently toward the same goal?
These are difficult things to know if it's a group you aren't highly familiar with. Are you doing a team-building exercise with coworkers you don't know well? In that case, you may not know every strength and weakness of your partners.
Don't hesitate to let some people work on one solution while others work on another. Many of these team-based escape rooms have a large number of people, so everyone working toward the same solution becomes a detriment.
3. Remember the Difficulty
When you go to sign up for an escape room, there's usually some way to tell the difficulty. Sometimes it's from knowing the completion rate, and other times the escape room will blatantly tell you what the difficulty is.
You should keep this difficulty in mind when coming up with escape room strategies. Many team-based escape strategies will overlook the difficulty and overshoot what the puzzle is offering.
If the puzzle is easy and you go in expecting an exceptional challenge, you may feel underwhelmed when your group solves the puzzle too quickly. Similarly, if you're expecting some family fun and find a remarkable challenge, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth.
4. Try Not to Overthink Solutions
Another important part of understanding the difficulty is to not overthink solutions. If you're expecting a greater challenge than what's on offer, you may fail the escape room by missing the solution.
That's because you were looking for complex solutions where the fix was simple. Maybe you were looking too deeply into the clues, or maybe you expected there to be more clues to look into.
Whatever the case, do your best to aim for the simpler solutions first and build from there. Doing so can help you find even the most complex of room puzzle solutions without overshooting the difficulty.
5. Be Careful for Trick Puzzles
Speaking of finding all the clues, how often have you found yourself tricked by clever wording? It's most common in riddles, but you'll find plenty of riddles and puzzles on display in the average escape room.
Many escape rooms have instructions that are in the form of a riddle. These instructions give you hints about the solutions, but they're rarely complete or give you all the information.
In almost every escape room, there's also a timer going down. Because of that, many of the puzzles are designed to mislead you and burn your time up chasing false leads. Stay vigilant and do your best to keep all paths open!
6. Keep the Theme in Mind
Good winning escape room techniques start with remembering the theme. Every escape room has some sort of theme that the experience is built off of.
That theme is often important when it comes to finding solutions. A pirate-themed adventure may focus on treasure maps or compasses. A ghost-themed puzzle might have an emphasis on occult imagery like Ouija boards or an exorcism.
These sorts of themes can help lead you toward good room puzzle solutions. Because of that, it's great to do escape rooms that are in line with your interests. You can use your knowledge to find out the most about your adventure.
7. Pace Yourselves!
Finally, always remember to pace yourself. It feels backward to think of moving slowly when there's a timer coming down, but haste makes waste. According to Psychology Today, rushing can lead to mental health problems, which is a good way to impact your escape room!
It's common for teams to end up losing because they rushed. When this happens, you miss obvious hints or clues that you otherwise would have caught. Move quickly, but not so quickly that you aren't able to spot the obvious solutions.
Mastering Escape Room Tips and Tricks
Knowing the right escape room tips and tricks will help you form winning team-based escape strategies. Pace yourselves, remember the difficulty, and treat your fellow escapists well.
Alcatraz Escape Games is proud to be the premier escape room provider in Draper and Lindon. Our escape rooms vary in size, difficulty, and theme to provide you the best challenge in all of Utah. Contact us to schedule an unforgettable experience today.
Top Escape Room Themes to Try: Unravel the Mystery Today
Themed escape rooms are exciting adventures where you and your friends work together to solve different puzzles and uncover mysteries. These immersive experiences take you into different worlds, allowing you to step into thrilling stories that challenge your mind and teamwork skills. As you search for clues and solve riddles, you'll feel the adrenaline rush of racing against the clock.
In this article, you will discover some of the best escape room themes to try. Each theme offers a unique experience that promises fun and excitement. Whether you're a fan of mysteries, adventures, spooky tales, or more, escape rooms offer something for everyone.
Featured Escape Room Themes at Alcatraz Escape Games
When you visit Alcatraz Escape Games, you can dive into a variety of thrilling escape room themes that will test your wits and teamwork skills.
Each room offers a unique adventure, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. Here's a quick overview of the immersive experiences you can look forward to:
Raiders Revenge
In Raiders Revenge, your mission is to uncover the elusive Idol of Cosmos hidden within an ancient temple. This escape room offers a thrilling blend of adventure and mystery, challenging you to solve puzzles and navigate obstacles as you race against the clock.
As you enter the room, you'll find yourself surrounded by the sights and sounds of the jungle. Your adventure begins as you maneuver through forgotten passages and decipher cryptic symbols left behind by ancient civilizations.
The atmosphere is immersive, pulling you into a world where every detail matters. You must work closely with your team to outsmart clever traps designed to protect the idol.
With a maximum capacity of eight participants and a duration of one hour, "Raiders Revenge" is perfect for groups looking for a moderate challenge. Approximately 40% to 50% of participants successfully complete this room, making it an exciting test of teamwork and problem-solving skills. There are no age restrictions, allowing everyone to join in on the adventure.
Scallywag Escape Room
In the Scallywag escape room at Alcatraz Escape Games, you and your pirate crew embark on an exciting adventure across the high seas. This immersive experience is designed for up to five players and lasts for 30 minutes, making it a perfect choice for those looking for a quick yet thrilling challenge.
As you set sail, you come across an abandoned vessel that piques your curiosity. The atmosphere is filled with the spirit of adventure, and your mission is to explore the ship, uncover its secrets, and find hidden treasures. You'll face various puzzles and challenges that require teamwork and clever thinking to solve.
The theme of Scallywag is rich with pirate lore, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the world of swashbucklers and treasure hunters. The room is designed to engage players with its unique setting, props, and storyline, making every moment feel like a part of your own pirate tale.
Mutiny Escape Room
In the Mutiny escape room, you and your fellow crew members are thrust into an exciting pirate adventure. The story begins with you overhearing that Captain Pilfer has been unfairly keeping the treasure for himself.
With the captain planning to leave for shore, you have one hour to gather your crew and raid his quarters to claim your share before he returns. Room Details are as follows:
- The room can accommodate between 2 to 8 players, making it perfect for small groups or larger teams looking for a fun challenge
- You will have 60 minutes to solve the puzzles and escape, so teamwork and quick thinking are essential
- There are no strict age restrictions, allowing participants to join based on their discretion
- Approximately 52% of participants successfully complete the room, indicating a moderate level of difficulty that balances challenge with fun
Chloe Escape Room
The Chloe escape room offers a bone-chilling horror experience that immerses you in a gripping narrative. You and your team are tasked with reopening a cold case involving the mysterious disappearance of a little girl named Chloe.
The investigation leads you to the house of a notorious serial killer, suspected of being involved in Chloe's vanishing. Her spirit haunts the house, seeking revenge, and you must find five totems and perform an exorcism within one hour to escape her wrath.
This escape room is designed for up to 10 participants and is known for its challenging and scary nature, with a completion rate of only 6.66%. The experience is intense, featuring mature themes and requiring participants to be at least 16 years old, unless the entire room is booked privately by your party. Be prepared for strobe light effects and some crawling during the experience.
Wizard Hysteria
Inside the Wizard Hysteria escape room, you and your friends will be plunged into a magical adventure filled with mystery and excitement. The storyline centers around an evil wizard who has returned to wreak havoc on both the magical and non-magical worlds. Your mission is to stop him before it's too late.
As you enter the room, you will learn that the only way to defeat this dark wizard is by finding six enchanted artifacts hidden within the walls of the academy. These artifacts are crucial in harnessing the magical powers needed to confront the wizard. You'll need to work together, using your problem-solving skills and teamwork to uncover clues left by your former headmaster.
This room accommodates up to 10 participants, making it perfect for team challenges. The difficulty level is moderate, with about 59% of participants successfully completing the escape, so be prepared for a fun and engaging challenge.
Your Next Adventure Awaits
Whether you're a fan of solving puzzles, experiencing thrilling stories, or just looking for a fun way to spend time with friends and family, there's something for everyone at Alcatraz.
We invite you to experience these escape room themes for yourself. You can easily book a room online and get ready for an unforgettable escape room experience. Don't miss out on the chance to test your skills and enjoy a day of fun and excitement. Reserve your spot today!
Mastering Escape Room Clues: Tips & Tricks for Success
Even though escape rooms were introduced in Japan in 2007, they have become quite popular over the years all over the world. So much so that we have lots of movies based on the escape room idea.
Escape rooms offer an immersive and challenging experience that combines teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity.
The thrill of deciphering clues, solving puzzles, and racing against the clock to "escape" makes them a favorite activity for friends, families, and colleagues alike. To increase your chances of success, it's essential to master the art of solving escape room clues.
This article provides escape room strategies to get out of there faster and beat the game.
Understanding the Basics
Before diving into specific escape game tips, it's important to understand the basic structure and types of clues you might encounter in an escape room. Clues can come to you in many forms.
- Physical Objects: Items that need to be manipulated or used in conjunction with other objects
- Visual Clues: Hidden messages, patterns, or symbols found on walls, props, or within the room's decor
- Auditory Clues: Sounds or spoken hints that guide you toward a solution
- Textual Clues: Written messages, riddles, or codes that need to be deciphered
Tips for Mastering Escape Room Clues
If you go to an escape room with friends or loved ones for their birthdays or some other event, you want to make sure you are going to solve the clues and come out triumphant. Competitive or not, here are some tips for you to use.
1. Communicate Effectively
Effective communication is key to solving escape room puzzles. Share your observations and thoughts with your team members, and listen to their ideas as well.
Avoid long explanations and get straight to the point to keep everyone on the same page. Pay attention to what others are saying and consider their input seriously. Split tasks among team members based on strengths and preferences, then regroup to discuss findings.
2. Stay Organized
Keeping track of clues and your progress is crucial. Disorganized teams can easily lose track of important details, wasting valuable time.
Create a central spot in the room where all found items and clues can be placed for easy reference. Have one person keep track of solved and unsolved clues, another managing the clock, and others focusing on finding and solving puzzles.
Use paper and pen (if provided) to jot down important information and connections between clues.
3. Think Outside the Box
Escape room puzzles often demand innovative and out-of-the-box thinking. Be ready to tackle challenges from various perspectives and explore unconventional solutions.
Many puzzles are based on patterns or sequences. Identify and use these patterns to your advantage. If a solution isn't working, try a different method or perspective.
While creative thinking is important, avoid overcomplicating solutions. Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.
4. Pay Attention to Details
Small details can often be the key to solving puzzles in escape rooms. Focus on your surroundings and examine everything carefully.
Look under, over, and inside objects. Check for hidden compartments or messages.
Pay attention to the room's decor, as it may contain vital clues. Colors, patterns, and themes can all be significant.
Clues aren't always visual. Listen carefully for sounds, and be open to tactile or even olfactory clues.
5. Manage Your Time Wisely
Time management is crucial in escape rooms. Keep an eye on the clock and pace yourselves to ensure you don't spend too much time on any one puzzle.
Break the game into smaller segments and set goals for each segment. If you're stuck on a puzzle for too long, move on to another task and come back to it later.
Most escape rooms offer hints or clues if you're stuck. Don't be afraid to use them, but try to solve as much as possible on your own first.
6. Collaborate and Build Teamwork
Escape rooms are designed to be solved through teamwork. Use the strengths and skills of each team member to your advantage.
Ensure everyone is involved and contributing. Different perspectives can provide new insights.
Trust in each other's abilities and judgments. A cohesive team is more likely to succeed.
Acknowledge and celebrate when you solve a puzzle or find a clue. This boosts morale and keeps the team motivated.
7. Utilize Technology and Tools Provided
Many modern escape rooms incorporate technology and interactive elements. Make sure to use these tools effectively.
Pay attention to any instructions given about how to use technological elements in the room.
Don't be afraid to experiment with buttons, switches, or interactive props. They're there for a reason.
Some technological elements might be triggered by specific actions or sequences. Be observant of changes in the room when interacting with them.
Common Types of Puzzles and How to Solve Them
There are a few common types of puzzles that you will be expected to solve in a mystery room, at least for now. So you should know what these are and what tricks can help in solving puzzles.
1. Locks and Keys
Look for keys hidden in obvious and less obvious places. Pay attention to numbers, letters, and symbols around the room that could be part of a combination.
2. Riddles and Word Games
Identify keywords and phrases. Use the room's theme and decor to find context clues.
3. Patterns and Sequences
Look for repeating elements or sequences. Apply the identified pattern logically to unlock the next step.
4. Visual Puzzles
Look at differences and similarities in visual elements. Sometimes viewing from a different angle can reveal hidden elements.
Become the Unchallenged Master of Escape Room Clues
With these escape game tips, you are now ready to master escape room clues, no matter what the organizers might throw at you. Use all clue-solving techniques available at your disposal.
Alcatraz Escape Games are Utah's best escape rooms, getting Trip Advisor's Best of the Best 2023 award. We are located both in Draper and Lindon.
Book an escape room for a team building session or a birthday or ask us for any last-minute lightning deals we might have.
Top Birthday Party Ideas for Teens: Fun and Memorable Celebrations
There are over a billion adolescents in the world, according to UNICEF. Though the organization defines an adolescent as anyone between the ages of 10 and 19, the majority are likely teenagers.
Adolescence is often a confusing time, both for the teen and their parents or guardians. Seemingly simple tasks, like throwing a birthday party, can be tougher with a teenager.
You're not the first person to struggle with this, though. Plenty of others have been there and come up with some great birthday ideas for teens. We'll offer some suggestions and advice in this article.
Visit an Escape Room
Escape rooms took the world by storm several years ago, and their popularity hasn't waned since. The main draw of escape rooms is the mystery and challenge they offer. Players must solve some sort of puzzle before time runs out to complete a room.
Traditional Rooms
You can book an escape room at Alcatraz Escape Games in Draper, UT. We offer scenarios and themes ranging from pirates searching for treasure to a chilling haunted house escape where you'll encounter a vengeful ghost named "Chloe".
Virtual Reality
If you like the idea of an escape room but would prefer something a little more innovative, we offer escape experiences that utilize virtual reality. With this technology, we can explore intriguing ideas that wouldn't otherwise be possible.
Now, guests can explore time travel adventures and a dragon's lair, among other fantastic scenarios.
Throw a Pool Party
Whether you own a pool or book a public one, pool parties offer hours of fun. Pools are timeless. The only thing that changes is how we use them. While younger kids might play with pool noodles or practice cannonballs, older kids might try to swim laps or chat with others while relaxing in the water.
Water helps us feel better, whether we swim or not. Studies have shown that contact with water triggers our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming us down after an exciting or stressful situation. Scientists don't know why water has this effect on us, but they do agree that it happens.
Have a Game Night
Whether you're fonder of videogames or board games, we can all agree that there's something special about gathering loved ones around for a friendly competition.
Board Games
The great thing about games is that they cater to a wide range of objectives and playstyles. A deduction game like Clue will play very differently from cooperative games like Pandemic, which in turn are a far cry from strategy war games like Root.
Videogames
Videogames don't allow for as many players as some board games do, but they do offer the same variety of objectives and playstyles, if you know where to look.
Whether you're looking for an innovative game, or simply a fun one, you have plenty of options. Ask your teen what games they like, and you have a recipe for unique birthday celebrations.
Theater Party
If you're looking for teen birthday party themes, host a movie night. Some theaters allow people to rent out rooms for parties, so your teen can catch a showing of a movie with their closest friends.
Most of us don't have the money to rent out a movie theater, but that doesn't mean that we can't have a theater party. Whether you have a bit of space in the backyard or a living room with a couch and a few chairs, you can still throw a watch party.
Having a watch party at home offers its own set of advantages, with the biggest one being more options. Perhaps your favorite movie is twenty or thirty years old. Maybe the local theater has a copy or can play yours on the big screen, but there's no guarantee.
Paintball
One of the most exciting birthday ideas on our list is a paintball outing. Any birthday party can be awesome, but not much beats paintball if you want pulse-pounding thrills.
Paintball is a simulated wargame that will appeal to everyone from dedicated athletes to amateur strategists. Paintball engages our bodies at every level, from physical endurance to coordination and planning.
There are a few things to remember when planning a paintball party. The first is that safety is a top priority for any reputable paintball attraction, so you don't need to worry about anybody getting injured. The second is that paintball gear protects against injury, but not pain. Unless you wear layers or padded clothing, getting hit will hurt.
Dinner Party
Hosting a nice dinner probably isn't high on your teen's birthday party planning list, but you shouldn't dismiss it. Dinner parties offer the unique advantage of working in tandem with other parties. For instance, you could combine a dinner party with a watch party by having a movie play while your guests eat a meal that pairs well with the movie.
Dinner and Escape
You can even mix it with one of our escape rooms. We host birthday parties that include an escape experience and an hour in one of our party rooms. These rooms come with plates, cups, and napkins, as well as free setup and cleanup services.
Themes
A dinner party with a theme is something we should all experience at least once. Whether you're going for Old Hollywood, an 80s theme, or anything else, dressing up for a theme party is a big part of the fun.
Try adding food and games that fit into the theme of the party as well. It might take a little creativity on your part, but a well-executed theme is worth it.
Birthday Ideas for Teens
Coming up with birthday ideas for teens isn't easy, but you have many options available. We've talked about a few ideas here, but feel free to add your own ideas or put twists on established ones.
You can book an escape room party on our site. If you have any questions about escape rooms and how our escape rooms work, read through our FAQs. They'll tell you everything from when to show up to what rooms have age requirements.