History's Most Daring Escapes

We’re going to take you down memory lane to look at some very exciting escapes of those who dared, hopefully, it’ll give you the motivation to fight your way out of the room (but not literally). We have selected a few because we think you’ll love them, and it’ll hopefully provide you all the confidence you need to give our rooms a go.

1 Escape From an ‘Impregnable’ Prison - John Dillinger

As you can imagine John Dillinger was in prison for killing a police officer and robbing a bank. Although the prison was thought to be impregnable, Dillinger proved it wasn’t and escaped. That’s clever you’re probably thinking, however, he was shot much later outside a theatre in Chicago, so he possibly wasn’t that clever after all. 

2 Midnight Express - Billy Hayes

The midnight express sounds romantic, but don’t confuse it with the Orient. This was an altogether different kind of train, more  like a train of thought that led to a plan that led to an altogether complete disaster. A student was caught drug smuggling in Turkey and given a 4 year sentence followed by another 30 year sentence just prior to his leaving prison. He worked on ship docks as part of his sentence but escaped in a rowing boat - which was handy. He travelled to Istanbul, and then on to Greece before deportation to America. He wrote a book about it - well he would wouldn’t he?

3 Helicopter Escape - Pascal Payet

Yes you guessed it, he was French and escaped not just one, but twice. What is also impressive is that he did from high security prisons. Before you get too impressed, he did it with the aid of 4 masked men and a helicopter. He also helped another 3 people escape too - so he gets brownie points for that.

4 Escape From Alcatraz

It’s Alcatraz next, a prison famous for its impregnability. Alcatraz was on an island and therefore considered impossible to escape from. However, 3 people escaped by digging their way out of their cells and climbing out of an air vent, then on to a roof and from there using a drain pipe to reach the ground. They were never seen again and although some believe they may have drowned, others think they escaped to freedom. 

Escape Colchester - For great escapes from imaginatively themed rooms

So now you’ve been inspired by others escapes it may be time now for some of your own. You’ll work against the clock in a themed escape room of your choice with up to 6 friends. You’ll need to find and solve all the clues, and then once you’ve done that use the key to unlock the door. Book your escape room over the phone or online - be ready for your great escape!

The Ultimate Guide to Beating an Escape Room

If you’re looking to win your first Escape Room Games, then this blog should give you a few tips on how to beat the clock. We can’t say that by reading our post you’ll definitely win, but what it will do is give you a few clues before you get here. So, read on and go through the only guide you’ll ever need on beating those oh so popular Escape Rooms.

Keep clues and puzzles in one central place

Don’t lose them, because if you do you may never see them again and that could lose you the game. There are a lot of different factors to consider, including furniture, pictures, bookshelves, things on the floor, on the wall etc, so it makes sense to allocate one place to put all your clues where they can be worked on together later once you’ve found them.

Familiarise yourself with the room’s layout

You’ll find that most of our Escape Rooms, wherever they are, are designed much the same and will follow the same rules, shape and basic principles. Knowing this will save you time as you navigate your way around with your fellow teammates. Remember, clues won’t be hidden so you’ll never find them, the game is designed so that you will find them all and solve them within 60 minutes, so don’t over analyse it.

Play with people you are familiar with

If you play with people you know there will be less awkwardness and you won’t be faced with the prospect of being with someone you don’t like. Pick people that have similar interests to you and people you know won’t let you down. They could be people you work with on a regular basis, or perhaps close friends.

Keep your team small

You’re supposed to have between two and up to six players in a game. We suggest you choose under six. That way it won’t too crowded, there’ll be room for each person to move around the room and no one bumping into the furniture.

Escape Colchester – for the ultimate game you always want to come out on top with

Now that we’ve given away some of our secrets we know you’ll want to try your hand at it yourself. After all this is the most fun you can have with friends and as a group. It’s interactive, fun and really tests you. Book your room over the phone or online and we’ll see you down here, and if you don’t win first time, you can always come back and try again.

Escape Room FAQs

Today we’ve got a bunch of our most interesting and most frequently asked questions for you. Then, we’ve put them all together in one post so you can refer to them whenever you feel the need. We like to take care of our Escape Room fans and make sure they have all the information they’ll ever need before they pay us a visit. 

Let’s start with the most pressing question of all:

What are Escape Room Games?

Close your eyes and imagine you’re locked in a room for an hour. The room you’re locked in is decorated and furnished in a particular theme. There is a sense of urgency, this sense of urgency is shared between a group of you, who are also locked in the same room as you. You’re all searching for clues, because this is where the secret to your eventual escape lies. You all find the clues, this is done by searching every corner of the room and by working together, as a team. You find the clues, you work them all out and then – hey presto, the door opens, you’ve found your way to freedom! But it’s not a dream it’s an actual game, that my friends is Escape Room Games. Oh, and by the way, you have an hour in which to do this.

Is there an age limit?

No there isn’t but obviously this is a demanding game so it may not be good for children younger than 10. If you do bring children under 16, if you think they’d enjoy it, then by all means brings them but make sure they’re accompanied by adults and that they do not come alone. 

Can I still come if I suffer with claustrophobia?

Of course! The rooms aren’t anywhere near as small as you’d imagine, this is because they have to accommodate groups of people from 2 to 6 so they’d have to be reasonably big to fit them all in and for them to have enough room to search the entire area. In any case, we will either leave the door to the room unlocked or even leave it open for the duration of your time in the room, if this helps. You can leave whenever you like. 

What’s the maximum amount of people allowed in the room?

So, you can get the most enjoyment out of your time here, we usually suggest at least 2 people (otherwise it would be bit lonely all on your own) or no more than 6. More than that will have you all scrabbling around bumping into each other and things, so try to leave it at 6. 

How much time should I plan to spend here?

You’ll need to think about the time it takes to get here, the hour you’re in the room and also the 30 minutes we usually use to talk to you and brief you on what to expect, plus health and safety and where all the exits are – the usual stuff. So, as well as the time it takes to get there, figure in at least an hour and a half. 

Escape Games Colchester – where your imagination can run riot.

So, there you have it, if you have any other questions you feel haven’t been covered here, why not give us a call? We’re very approachable and we don’t bite, and we’d be more than happy to answer any further questions you have in relation to our Escape Games here at Colchester. Book your room online or over the phone and we’ll see you here soon!

How to Be Successful in an Escape Room

If you’ve got your escape room booked and you’re ready to take part in the challenge, then you’ll be hoping for some tips on how to be successful. We like to help our people find their way around the room with a fighting chance, while at the same time not completely destroying the game’s enjoyment. After all, we all need a hint or two when we take part in a game, don’t we?

Team Balance

Having the right team behind you helps. Find people who each bring something different to the table. People with a keen eye for detail and who are observant and quick thinking. Problem solving skills are always useful, and analytical, logical thinking is an obvious advantage.

Finding Clues

You’ll be searching for clues and you’ll need to be able to look everywhere – so keep your eyes very much peeled. Up at book shelves, picture frames, inside the books even and under and up and over everything you see. Clues could be anywhere and depending on which room you’ve chosen there may not even be any book shelves, if that is the case, then whichever objects there are in your themed room of choice, look underneath it, on it above it and below it. 

Organise Your Clues

Clues should be kept in one central place once discovered, that way you know where they all are, and they don’t get lost. Move on if you get stuck on one clue because that will cost you precious time, you only have 60 minutes in which to work them all out and escape remember. 

Don’t Let Anyone Dominate

You don’t want to bring along people who have a tendency to dominate. This is a game of team players, and everyone should have an opportunity to speak, so keep the dominators at home. Even the quietest person may have what it takes to crack one part of the puzzle so don’t ignore anyone.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help 

If you find you’re all really stuck then don’t hesitate to wave at the camera because we’ll give you a clue if you need one, that’s if the one’s carefully secreted around the room are too hard to find. It’s better to ask for help sooner than later and give yourself a better chance of getting out within the hour. 

Escape Colchester – Premier Escape Rooms

So, are you coming on down to see us, got your escape room booked? Which theme did you choose? Got your game head on? We’ll see you down here at Escape Colchester, we can’t wait get you started, so book online or use the good old-fashioned phone.

A Guide to the Escape Games and Escape Colchester

We’re going to be giving you a guide on our escape games here at Escape Colchester. We have four rooms which you’re locked in for an hour. In that time you have to find your way out by solving a range of puzzles and cryptic clues which are hidden carefully within the room itself. All the rooms are themed and they are Witchcraft and Wizardry, 221B Baker Street, The Cabin and Escape the Seven Seas.

Authentic, detailed and oh so much fun!

They have all been painstakingly created with their chosen themes in mind, and are made to look as detailed and as perfect as possible. That means you have a fantastic time while you are in there in a room that’s an authentic recreation of your favourite movie or character.

Teamwork

Once you’re in there you’ll all need to move around the room and search all areas to find the clues. When you’ve found each one, you make a neat pile and then work them out one by one, once you’ve found them all and they’re there in front of you. Teamwork is crucial, you’ll need to work together to find your way out. This is a perfect opportunity to get to know each other if you’re a brand new corporate team or if you’re a group of students who are about to embark on a degree course together. 

If you don’t get out first time - try, try again

There’s no pressure, not everyone gets out first time, but it’s always an excuse to come back again...and again because we love to see our past visitors come back to see us and we’re accustomed to seeing the same faces. We always give everyone who comes to see us a warm welcome, whether you’re a first timer or you’re on a second, third or fourth time visit. 

Escape Colchester - Premier Escape Rooms

We hope you enjoyed our guide on escape games here at Colchester, give us a call and book your room. We can’t to see you and we know you’ll all have a great time, whether it’s with friends or family or as part of a corporate team building exercise. 

Things to Do in Colchester This Winter

Looking for things to do in Colchester this winter? Well, we’re here to help and we’ve come up with the best selection of venues for you and your family to visit over the cold winter months. We hope you enjoy it and find it a useful little addition to your things-to-do calendar for the family.

Zoo

If you thought that a visit to the zoo in winter was out of the question, then you’re wrong. The zoo is the perfect place to visit in the winter months, for one thing it’s quieter than it is during the year, and there’ll be more room to get around and see the animals, which is good news for the children!

You’ll also find that this Christmas there’s a little festive sparkle going on with Santa’s reindeers paying a visit to the zoo. There’s an Elves Workshop as well, and you can listen to some stores from Santa’s hard-working elves, and then enjoy some rather delicious snacks from the Elves Kitchen. Colchester Zoo has really gone all out in creating a festive atmosphere for everyone and they’ve succeeded. The fun starts at the end of November and then continues until just before Christmas. If you’re interested in the Santa Experience, then take a look on their website.

https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/Colchester-The-Magic-of-Christmas/details/?dms=3&venue=0651310&hasimage=L&events=1&uv=1&feature=1037&pvieflag=E

Museum

Colchester Castle Museum is the venue for a rather special Christmas event. Entrance to the castle is free, and there’s the obligatory mince pies and Christmas carols and some entertainment, with a wonderful opportunity for children to meet Santa. There is a small fee for seeing Santa and receiving a gift, but the rest is free and you’re more than likely to have a great time while you’re there. It’s just the thing for putting you in the Christmas mood.

There are more details here: https://cimuseums.org.uk/event/meet-santa/

Panto

Would Christmas be the same without Panto? Probably not, so Colchester brings you the traditional pantomime, and this year it’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s faithful to the story, with Snow White banished to the forest and trying to escape the wicked Queen. The Seven Dwarfs are on hand to rescue the fair maiden from the clutches of the queen, and all told it’s a great story told in the most unique and imaginative way – just what you’d expect from Panto. Stars appearing include Dale Superville and Antony Stuart-Hicks, so there’s guaranteed fun to be had for all the family.

Escape Games Colchester – For The Some Fun and Games

Why not try our escape games here in Colchester once you’re done with the fun and excitement of Panto and Santa? You and friends or family will be locked in a themed room where you’ll have to search for clues and puzzles. Once you’ve found them all you then have to work out how to solve them in order to escape the room in under 60 minutes. It’s fun, exciting and gives a break away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. So why not head on down?

What Are Escape Rooms

If you’ve been told about Escape Rooms but you’ve no idea what they are, then in this post you’re going to find out all about them. Perhaps you’ve been invited out on a birthday party with friends and this forms part of the celebrations, or perhaps it’s a team building exercise you’ve been asked to participate as part of a work day away from the desk. What we can tell you with certainty is that the Escape Rooms here in Colchester is the most exciting way to spend an hour of your time. Let’s find out more...

Locked In a Room With 60 Minutes To Escape

We have more than one room, each one is individually themed, and once you’re locked in, you have to find your own way out. A group of you, either friends, work colleagues or family will be locked in and only by solving a series of well-hidden cryptic clues will be you be able to escape the room. Add to that the fact that you only have one hour, 60 minutes to do that in.

Teams, Friends and Co-workers

Hopefully, the team you’re with won’t be too large or too small. Locked into a room together could get a bit cramped, and too little and you won’t have enough brain power to work out the puzzles and clues. If it’s part of a team-building effort then you’ll be with work colleagues, and the reason why your boss has chosen this method is to help you all to bond, and hopefully, work better together once you’re back at the office. It’s a great way of learning new things about yourself and helping to unlock skills you never knew you had.

Of course, it’s also tremendous fun, if you’re just part of a group of people either celebrating a birthday, or any other kind of celebration, then it’s a great way for you to interact with friends, and perhaps ones you haven’t seen for a while. You have to communicate and through doing this you’re talking, and that’s the best way to bond.

Themed Rooms

The themed rooms we currently have are Witches & Wizardry and 221B Baker Street, so you can have an hour of bewitching magic or one full of detective sleuthing. Whichever one you decide on you’ll have a great time.

Escape Games Colchester

Now you know exactly what an escape room is, you’ll know what to expect, and hopefully be able to immerse yourself in the fun. You won’t be on your own because all your colleagues or friends will be there with you, joining in and helping to solve the riddles of the room – so you can escape! If you want to know more then get in touch, our contact details are on the bottom of the page, or call if you’re ready to book a room.