Schaumburg, IL: 60 to Escape – Putt Portal

February 19, 2025 Brian Gondek 0

60 to Escape has been a staple of top end Chicagoland escape rooms for some time, but their latest venture is quite the surprise- miniature golf! I had a chance to play through it this weekend, and the intriguing concept pays off, assuming you like miniature golf.

Kissimmee, FL: Doldrick’s Escape – Crazy Train: The Ballad of Skeemin’ Plotz

December 23, 2024 Brian Gondek 0

On my recent trip to Florida, I got to play one of the newest TERPECA finalist escape rooms – Crazy Train: The Ballad of Skeemin’ Plotz at Doldrick’s Escape. The room is remarkable in many ways – the old timey cartoon aesthetic is unique among escape rooms, and the game hits all the right marks with aesthetic and puzzle variety. The most unique thing to me, though, and something that may go unnoticed among many escape room enthusiasts, is the level of craft invested to make an escape room that will delight players of all skill levels.

A Thank You to Paruzal

December 19, 2022 Brian Gondek 0

One of my favorite new developments in 2019-2020 was the advent of the online escape room. While businesses everywhere were locked down, clever business owners realized there was a new opportunity to offer puzzle games playable from home. While escape rooms you can play on your computer are nothing new, the novelty of having an online game master walking you through a scenario was great, and even after physical businesses reopened, I still appreciate playing these games from time to time.

Bethlehem, PA: Escape.exe – Neon Tokyo (Resistance)

November 7, 2022 Brian Gondek 3

The last time I visited Escape.exe, in April 2021, Neon Tokyo was coming soon. After the experience I had in the first room, Site: 117, Neon Tokyo was a must-visit, and the next time Christina and I needed to drive to the east coast, we made sure our path took us past Escape.exe.

Congrats on 200 Rooms!

June 23, 2022 Brian Gondek 0

What do you do for someone who reaches an escape room milestone? I periodically went out of my way to do something special for mine- my 300th room was at a port of call in Mexico, and my 500th was a four hour deluxe game. When my dad reached #199, I knew I wanted to do something special for his.

Branson, MO: Escape Code – Secret Passage

May 8, 2022 Brian Gondek 0

March 20, 2022 – I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to play some really cool escape rooms on my birthday in the past, and 2022 was no exception. Escape Code in Branson has placed well in the USA Today escape room rankings, and I was curious to see what it was all about.

Oak Creek, WI: City 13 Escape – Save the City

February 18, 2022 Brian Gondek 0

September 7, 2021- For my 500th escape room, I wanted to do something special. Thankfully, I live less than two hours from one of the most ambitious and impressive escape room experiences out there- a four hour “Save the City” experience at City 13 Escape in Oak Creek, WI, touted as the world’s largest escape game.

Nampa, ID: Labyrinth Escape Games – Shipwrecked & Nightwalker 1944

November 11, 2021 Brian Gondek 0

October 11, 2021 – It was the last full day of our tour around the American west, and we still had a long way to go. We started the day in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and we had a reservation at a VRBO in Boise, Idaho. Everything in between was a blank slate. But as I looked to my plan for the day, I realized I really wanted to squeeze in a room at Labyrinth Escape.