An escape game (or escape room) is a real-life puzzle adventure. A team is locked in a room decorated around a theme (prison, laboratory, manor, spaceship) and must solve a chain of puzzles to escape before time runs out, usually 60 minutes. A game master follows the session from a control room and drops hints when the team gets stuck.
In practice
- Duration: the standard format is 60 minutes of play, plus briefing and debriefing. Allow 1h30 on site.
- Team size: most rooms take 2 to 6 players. Large groups split across several rooms in parallel, with a leaderboard at the end.
- Budget: in Paris, pricing is usually tiered, in the range of 20 to 35 euros per person depending on team size and time slot.
- Who it suits: no physical requirement, everything relies on observation and logic. It is the most accessible group activity in this glossary.
Escape game or action game?
The escape game happens in a single room and works your brain. The action game chains several challenge rooms and adds a physical dimension. If your group wants to burn energy, look at the action game instead.
Going further
- The Unusual activities hub
- The ideal outing quiz to settle the group’s preferences
- Our rankings & tops of verified venues