PUBLISHED August 21st, 2020 06:00 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 12:54 pm
With a fair amount of Singaporeans still studying and working from home, it’s easy to feel restless and stuck in a mundane routine. Now that escape rooms in Singapore are flipping their “Closed” signs over and scrubbing up their rooms to welcome guests back, it’s time to mask up, gather the smart ones in your friend group (but only five, mind you), and head out to stimulate your brains in an enjoyable way.
Captivate Escape Rooms
The brain-children of professional puzzle designers and a psychology PHD holder, Captivate Escape Rooms is full of surprises and originality. You’ll have seven distinct rooms to choose from, starting with all-rounder CSI: Crime Scene Investigation that delves into the murder of the world’s smallest man, and ending with 75-minute-long Alien VS Human which brims with clever puzzles and a fantastic endgame. Captivate also frequently pushes out fresh themes, with new puzzle on the block The Hitman and Mythical Beasts that’s expected to open at the end of 2020.
Captivate Escape Rooms is located at 190 Clemenceau Avenue, #06-28, Singapore 239924. Open daily 10.45am-9.45pm.
Escape Hunt
Attention to all you budding Sherlock Holmes, because we have a case to solve. Everyone’s favourite murder-mystery takes you back to the late Victorian era, where you and your fellow detectives have to unmask the true identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper in The Whitechapel Murderer case. Scour for clues in his hideout before the clock runs out, based on Escape Hunt’s classic style of utilising logic that ties back to the room’s intriguing storyline. And once you’ve cracked the case, reward yourself with complimentary tea and biscuits at reception.
Escape Hunt is located at 100 Orchard Road, #02-43 Concorde Hotel & Shopping Mall, Singapore 238840. Open daily 10am-10pm.
Lockdown Singapore
Don’t be fooled by their adorable bear mascot – Lockdown.sg’s puzzles are nothing to sneeze at. These carefully sculpted brain teasers are heavily logic-based, with just the right amount of hands-on interaction. You’re either Bears of Justice trying to take down a bomb-planting super-villain in a nuclear facility, or transported to a Harry Potter-inspired wizarding school to solve a famous Quidditch player’s disappearance. Another must-try is their VR Escape game that sees a landslide trapping you in a spooky abandoned mine. And to amp up the time pressure, your oxygen supply depleting acts as the clock for your game time instead.
Lockdown.sg is located at Orchard Gateway, 277 Orchard Road, #02-02, Singapore 238858. Open daily 1.30pm-10pm.
Lost SG
Got a flair for the dramatic? Jazz up your puzzle-breaking experience with high-tech mechanisms and immersive sound effects at Lost SG. Crowd-favourite rooms here include Exodus – a game inspired by the biblical story of Moses that sees you trying to evade the Pharaoh’s clutches – and Aokigahara, based on Japan’s real-life suicide forest whose eerie vibes will leave you rattled yet thrilled. No major spoilers, but exciting hints include using body heat to activate hidden switches and lots of screaming to trigger voice-activated sensors.
Lost SG is located at 1 Sophia Road, #03-01 Peace Centre, Singapore 228149. Open Sun-Thurs 11am-10.45pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12.45am.
The Escape Artist
Prepare to use both brains and brawn as you brave a zombie-infested land or disarm a ticking bomb in the heart of the city. The Escape Artist boasts special features that sets them apart from regular escape rooms – think lots of climbing and crawling in two-storey themed rooms, and activating special powers unique to each player that can boost your chances of success. Be it summoning a useful tool, the ability to extend time, or even a sacrifice, teamwork is key in order to bust your way out to freedom (sometimes literally).
The Escape Artist is located at 52 Telok Blangah Road, #01-01 Telok Blangah House, Singapore 098829. Open Wed-Sun 2pm-10pm.
Trapped Escape Room
If you enjoy the suspense of goosebumps chilling your skin and the occasional jump scare, Trapped Escape Room is calling your name. Weave your way carefully through the notorious Mental Ward as fresh-faced interns, or face down Tekong horrors stories come to life in the Tekong Army Bunk. After something a tad tamer? Try The Purge, based on the popular dystopian horror film. All you have to do is escape from a group of psychotic purgers within 60 minutes. Easy-peasy… or not.
Trapped Escape Room is located at 2 Orchard Link, #02-20 SCAPE, Singapore 237978. Open daily 11am–10.30pm.
Xcape Singapore
One session just isn’t enough with Xcape Singapore’s empire of 10 escape rooms, each a heart-pounding mix of puzzles, special effects, and hidden doorways. Horror fans, brace yourselves to face the curse of Annabelle or dead bodies from The Morgue with their Xcape Haunted lineup. Then there’re the rooms which breathe life into popular movie franchises – hop onboard the zombie-infested Busan Express or get stranded on Shutter Island. If you’re in the mood for something light-hearted, they’ve got funtasy games such as Kungfu Panda X and Mission X – The Love Confession as well.
Xcape Singapore is located at Bugis Village, 161 Rochor Road, Singapore 188436. Open daily 11am-11.30pm.
Top image: Lockdown.sg