Best Escape Rooms in Phoenix, Arizona

During my latest trip to Phoenix, I teamed up with the amazing Scott who was a local enthusiast. Even though it was the first time I had met him, it felt like Scott was an old friend that I had not seen in a while. I have met so many great folks in the escape room community and I encourage everyone to reach out to play with new people! 

Phoenix Escape Room Standouts

The Nemesis Club: Evil Robots (Phoenix)

The Nemesis Club had an ice cream shop called "Soda Jerk" as a "front" and you needed a secret password to be let into the back of the store and into the escape room area. The funny part about this was that the ice cream shop served actual desserts. It had a massive line up out the door and most clients didn't even know there was an escape room in the back! It was a sweet set up.

The first game we played, "Evil Robots", was fantastic. The overall build out was top notch and on par with Disney attractions. The immersion and tech were solid and the overall experience was a couple of levels above anything else in Phoenix. My only complaint was that I wanted more! I have a soft spot for whimsical sci-fi themes so this game really checked off a lot of boxes for me. 

We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of their second game, "Mogollon Monster". This monster was the local version of "Big Foot" and our role as scouts was to find him. The creativity in terms of the use of technology in storytelling was something I had never seen in over 400 escape rooms played. The start and the end were incredible and such a pleasure to experience. Both games at The Nemesis Club were highlights not only in Phoenix but in the country as well!

• Set Design: Great
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $35/person 
• Number of players: Up tp 8 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Great Room Escape: Spellbound (Tempe)

We played this game back when the company was called "Mindspark" and it was the highlight of our trip back in 2018. A great "cabin in the woods" atmosphere along with some satisfying puzzling and a very thematic finale made for a must play in the Phoenix area. There was a time where this game was also available in Louisiana.

• Set Design: Great
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Price: $29/person 
• # of Players: Up to 10 (we recommend 4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★½

North Valley Escape Room: Big Top Circus (Anthem)

A colorful circus game with some cute puzzles made this escape room a good choice for players of all ages. There were a few other solid games at this locations, such as "Alcatraz", but it had been a while since we played it and we weren't sure if the game was still the same.

• Set Design: Fine
• Difficulty: Easy
• Price: $30/person
• Number of players: 8 (we recommend 2-3)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★

Eludsions: Mad Matter's Tea Party (Phoenix)

This game had one of the largest footprints out of all the games we played in Phoenix. While a few puzzles were a bit tedious, overall the game exceeded my expectations and bonus points if you like the Alice In Wonderland theme.

• Set Design: Good
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $33/person
• Number of players: Up to 10 (we recommend 3-4)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★

Paragon: Return of the Pharaohs (Mesa)

Paragon had a really spectacular set design and some clean tech in their game. Although I was not too excited by the theme, there were some fun elements that excited the beginners in our group.

• Set Design: Amazing
• Difficulty: Medium
• Price: $30/person
• Number of players: 4-10 (we recommend 4)
• Duration: Dream 60 minutes
• Overall Rating: ★★★★

Other Escape Rooms In The Area

Here are some other honorable mentions:

• Dare To Escape: X-Child (Tempe): Played back in 2018 and it was fun back then but could be dated today. There was a homemade feeling to this game but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
• North Valley Escape Rooms: Escape Alcatraz (Anthem): Back in 2018, this was our favorite in the area with a massive set that might have been reduced to make space for new games. There was a super memorable element near the beginning of the experience that we didn't expect.
• The Escape Game: The Theater (Phoenix): A very nice looking theater set with charming elements and at least one tedious puzzle. The game was relatively easy for us.

We hope this post helps out anyone who is hoping to venture off to Phoenix to play escape rooms!

MindSpark: Spellbound, Terminal, Zombie Room (Tempe, AZ)

"Brainsssssssssssssss"

MindSpark has locations in Tempe, AZ and Austin, TX and was at the top of everyone's list to visit in the Phoenix area. The staff was exceptionally welcoming and friendly which was something we felt from a lot of the staff in the Phoenix rooms that we played. We went through all three games at this location. From their site:

Spellbound (The original room is from Rise in Tickfaw, LA)
"Hidden deep in the woods lies a cabin that was at one time inhabited by a coven of witches tasked with guarding our world from the rise of the vampires. Unfortunately the witches have long since vanished and the protection spell is wearing off. Use the clues left behind to find vampires' lair and destroy the king before he rises again."

Terminal Room
"You and your team have boarded a subway car, when the car crashes into an abandoned subway station. You explore the station and soon learn of a conspiracy. Your team must learn the details and stop the impending results."

Zombie Room
"Trapped with no way out, chain link by chain link a brain-crazed and bloodthirsty zombie invades the room. You and 11 others must solve the room before the time runs out and the zombie is unleashed. With only sixty minutes and your brains, you must uncover clues, decipher riddles, and discover the keys to unlock your freedom."

Dare To Escape: X-Child (Tempe, AZ)

"X-Men we need you"

Date To Escape, not to be confused with the nearby "Dare 2 Escape" company, has three rooms in Tempe, not far from MindSpark. We played one game at this location, "X-Child" and for some reason I thought it would be about some little girl's haunted spirit which wasn't the case. It was actually more of a play off of "X-Men" and kids with superpowers. From their site:

X-Child
"Telepathy Acclimation Program, or TAP, was a programme set up to train potential human telepaths. Children who showed telepathic potential were sent to Station Zero, a facility located deep in Mojave Desert for training.

You were one of the children who was sent to this facility. Officially, TAP’s function was “to evaluate telepathic abilities so an understanding of this phenomenon could be compiled.” In reality, they did physical and psychological experiments on you and other children.

The facility was closed down, and your memories of the place is hazy. After years of searching, you and a group of TAP victims were finally able to locate the now-abandoned facility.

Some old systems are still active though. As soon as you enter the facility, it goes into a lockdown..."

North Valley Escape Room: Escape From Alcatraz & The Great Outdoors (Anthem, AZ)

One of Best Escape Room Locations in the Phoenix area!

North Valley Escape Rooms is located 33 miles north of downtown Phoenix in the city of Anthem. This was the first place that we visited on our trip to Phoenix and weren't quite sure what to expect given it was pretty far out in a little town of 30,000 people. When we entered the establishment, we were greeted by three employees who were energetic and friendly, a perfect way to start an escape room!

There were five games at this location and we were able to play two of them,"Escape From Alcatraz" and "The Great Outdoors". We have played a good number of prison/Alcatraz types of rooms so it generally takes something different for us to get excited but there was enough buzz from other enthusiasts for us to book the room. We also hadn't played an outdoorsy themed game so it was nice to mix things up. Although we didn't get to play their newest game, "The Legend Of The 7th Stone", we took a peek at their set which was beautiful and seemed to have a good mix of tech integration. From their site:

Escape From Alcatraz
"Get prepared for the ultimate in escape room experiences! With almost 2000 square feet of puzzles and clues, Escape from Alcatraz is certain to WOW and amaze even the most experienced escape room enthusiasts. What could be better? How about 75 minutes to complete!

Your crimes have brought you to The Rock to serve your time. A life sentence in this dark hole is not an option. Escape is your only choice. Do you have what it takes to escape The Rock?

The Great Outdoors
Your all-inclusive camping trip at Fall Mountain Campground is confirmed! No need to pack your camping gear... the Fall Mountain Campground is all inclusive. When tragedy strikes, will you have what it takes to escape? Survive the trip and live to tell the tale!