Double Play: The Escape Game and Great Big Game Show Open in Seattle

The holidays are almost here, and for many families that means hosting visiting family members and other out-of-town guests. If you’re like me, you may be left racking your brain to come up with an activity that the kids, grandparents and hard-to-please teenage cousins can all enjoy together. Let me let you in on a little secret: Two new Seattle-area attractions might be the answer. Great Big Game Show and The Escape Game just opened at Westfield Southcenter, and have plans to open a second dual location in downtown Seattle later this year. The games offer a little something for everyone — from silly challenges to thrilling escapes — so you can keep your group entertained during the holiday season and beyond.

Win big on Great Big Game Show 

I went to check out Great Big Game Show with another mom and a handful of kids ages 7–16. We entered the “studio” ready to play and took our places behind two long podiums, each with seven red buttons. After watching a short intro that mimicked behind-the-scenes game show footage, our host came bursting into the room. He had a lot of energy and a microphone, and he was there to get us excited! 

We divided our group into teams — one red, the other blue. Teams are decided by drawing cards, which did stack the deck a bit when we played, as one team ended up with both adults. Then we came up with team names, which didn’t seem to really matter much; the host referred to us as the red and blue team throughout the games. Finally, we readied ourselves to play several mini games over the next hour. The games are competitive and points are tallied overhead on a large scoreboard.

Family-friendly games 

Great Big Game Show has 18 rotating mini games. So if you want to come back and play again, the games — or at least the questions — will likely be different each time. 

Our group started off by trying to build the tallest tower we could in 30 seconds using large soft blocks in a variety of shapes. Other games we played included trivia, a quiz of elementary school questions, a Wheel of Fortune-like puzzle to solve, a giant wheel to spin, a blindfolded Pictionary-like game and more. No game lasted more than a few minutes, and our energetic host kept things moving right along. There were also plenty of fun props, including giant pencils and dice, Nerf-like shooters and blindfolds.

All-ages fun 

We had a range of ages and enthusiasm in our group, but there ended up being something for everyone. The adults answered all of the trivia questions, while the kids loved the blindfolded drawing, spinning the giant wheel and playing the Plinko-like game. The 7-year-old in our group thought that the games were fun, but mentioned having both adults on the other team wasn’t fair. So here’s my insider tip: If you want to make sure your teams are evenly stacked, you have the choice to select your teams rather than drawing cards and letting fate take the lead. Although I think it is important to note that the team with zero adults led the score almost the entire time!

When the game was over, confetti rained down from above and there were smiles all around in our group photo. Our 10-year-old player said, “The games were creative. My favorite part was the confetti falling down for the winning team.” The 13-year-old on our team thought the games were creative and fun and, “better than expected.” If that’s not a ringing endorsement from a teenager then I don’t know what is.

Can you make it out of The Escape Game? 

With the close proximity of the two games, we booked a double-header for the day. My teen companions and I headed next door for our turn at The Escape Game, which shares the same storefront at Westfield Southcenter. While my teens may have somewhat politely smiled their way through the game show, they loved The Escape Game.

Read the room 

We took on a room called Ruins Forbidden Treasure, which started in an airplane that had just crashed in the jungle. Our challenge began when a wall-mounted TV sprang to life, airing a video from our “pilot,” who explained the situation and gave us our mission: to unlock the forbidden treasure. The video stopped, a timer started and we were left to figure out what to do next. (There is a button you can push if you need a hint, and suggestions for things to try would periodically pop up on the screen. Plus, a staff member is always watching and there to help if needed.)

This was my first experience in an escape room, and although I thought it was pretty tricky, it was a lot of fun! My 15-year-old son did an incredible job figuring out clues and we all had to work together to solve each puzzle. As we solved puzzles and moved from room to room, our timer kept ticking and we knew we were getting close to being out of time. In a somewhat contained frenzy we managed to solve the final puzzle. When the staff member entered the room to congratulate us, she said we had only four seconds left on our timer. Talk about down to the wire! The hour flew by, and no one looked at or even thought about their phones once. A total win!

In that particular room, up to eight people can participate at once. While I think our small group of three could have benefited from a few more hands and minds, eight would have felt like a crowd. I think four or five participants is probably the sweet spot.

Who should play? Everyone! 

While we all had fun at Great Big Game Show, I think those 10 and younger enjoyed it the most. But, having mixed ages on a team is beneficial since some of the puzzles and trivia might be challenging for younger kids. This experience is recommended for kids ages 6 and older; a paying adult, age 18 or older, must participate if there are players younger than 14. 

The Escape Game is recommended for kids ages 13 and older, but younger kids are welcome to participate. The rooms are family-friendly, however some of the situations (like the one where players try to break out of prison) might feel too intense for young kids. But, there are plenty of options that younger players would like, and while having an adult along to help out is smart (and required if kids younger than 14 are participating), I bet you’ll be amazed at your kids’ problem-solving skills!

Whether you have out-of-town visitors, or are just looking for a fun family activity around Seattle, these live-action, interactive experiences are sure to offer an afternoon of fun for everyone.