The Crystal Maze London: The Crystal Maze

By | April 27, 2019

by The Crystal Maze London (website)

22-32 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7EJ

Central London

1-32 players

60 minutes

different
Jump into The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience – the hit 90s TV show now brought to breathtakingly immersive, genuine 3D life. It’s where teams run around madly, shout themselves hoarse, complete all sorts of tricky challenges and finish up in some lovely satin bomber jackets. Honestly, this has everything.
show full description
Thank you for helping keep Escape the Review up to date!
Let us know what needs changing:




If you own or manage this company, you can also claim the listing and update it yourself

Overall rating

Rated between 4 and 5 out of 5

based on ratings from 40 users
combined with 7 pro reviews

Your review

Player reviews

Roory experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 06/04/2019, 27/04/2019 & 23/06/2019 Team size: 8 Time taken: Highest: 12 crystals, 122 tokens

Fantastic set design, excellent games masters & hosts, all of the nostalgia.

Puzzles were a little hit or miss, but mainly on the good side.  The one knock against is the cost, but worthwhile if you love the show! 

Anonymous experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
kman expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 07 Jul 2016 Outcome: Successful escape!
Rhea Eris experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
🏆Annagramma expert rated this:Rated between 30 and 30 out of 5
Played: 7 Aug 2022 Team size: 8 Time taken: 90 mins Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingepicquite difficult

The pre-event experience and things like merchandise have not improved since the version we did in Angel, but the maze itself and the Mazemaster we had made up for it. They've done really well dressing each zone and the games were fun if a little too difficult at times. We enjoyed our time in the maze itself but again with the tatty tokens in the maze! Could do with a slightly stronger material so they don't tear into little pieces 🙂 all in all a fun experience but glad we managed to get a really good offer on ticket price.

Steph Norchi experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting
🦡cipherdelic virtuoso rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Ellie Jay Ch rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 11 Oct 2023 Team size: 6 Time taken: 75 Outcome: Successful escape!
funnyimmersivegreat hosting

I did this in two teams of 6 from work.  We had a great guide with us Stacey Spacey. Overall it was hugely nostalgic of the show. Doing it with teams we knew and having a team we could compete against overall it felt really fun. The puzzles keep you engaged as a whole group and with tight timers it keeps you going fast. The different zones are realistic and look just like the original show, the transition between zones is very realistic too. The team building element was great. We came out buzzing. 

I think improvements could be made to the crystal  dome at the end, it needed far more of the tokens which just seemed to be shredded in a corner rather than in the middle to grab. I also would improve the waiting area. 

Overall though worth doing in a large group. It’s not cheap either. 

EmmaSmiley rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 9 Oct 2021 Team size: 4 Time taken: 60
immersivestory-drivenoverpricedquite easy

We did this for our mum's joint  birthday celebration! Was extra special as the both loved the crystal maze from the TV. The puzzle were good fun and well made, but a lot easier than a standard escape room so you can get through them quickly. We would of like the option to go round as a 4 but were teamed up with another group of 2. For the money it would be better to try a few more puzzles/challenges, as experience did feel a little rushed. 

Schteeeve experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 8 Outcome: Successful escape!
ratsontour expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 16 Jan 2022
great hostingepic
StaceyF expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 24/04/2019
kman expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 19 Mar 2016 Outcome: Successful escape!
Adam Bravery expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 14 Jul 2022 Team size: 2
originalgreat hosting

Never seen the original show so wasn't struck by nostalgia but we both had a fun time playing this. Our GM was fantastic and very enthusiastic. Puzzles were kinda easy but enjoyable; I think the experience is made more by the nostalgia and the group you play with. If we knew our whole team beforehand and they were enthusiastic then it would've been way better. If you are fans of the show and are willing to pay the steep price then you'll probably have great fun. 

Anonymous rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 2018 Team size: 8 Outcome: Successful escape!

It's worth every penny. I've been twice, every time with a new actor/host leading you through the different areas. It's perfect for a large number of players in comparison to traditional escape rooms. A blast!

🏆Annagramma expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 16/04/2016 Team size: 8 Time taken: 2 hours Outcome: Successful escape!

Bcked this on Indiegogo and played in its original Angel location. Absolutely brilliant recreation of the TV show, great games and brilliant maze master. Only negative was that the tokens in the dome were small flimsy bits of silver and gold foil that were torn and tatty, so hard to grab! Still an amazing experience and bought myself a crystal at the end as a memento. 

🦡cipherdelic virtuoso rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
shasha experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Joe Brown expert rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Played: 14/04/17 Team size: 2

Great theming and true to the game show. The format limits the amount you get to play and the cost is pretty steep unfortunately!

Rhea Eris experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Roory experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 20/03/2016 Team size: 8 Time taken: 16 crystals

Fantastic immersion - Aztec Zone is covered with sand and chirping birds, Medieval Zone a slightly chilly and haunted feel.

Excellent set design and games master truly captures the feel of the show.

Fantastic puzzles, some old from the show, some new - a must do for any Crystal Maze fans.

WinglessArchangel experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 21 Aug 2022 Team size: 6
beautifulgreat hostingepic

Oh my gosh this is so much fun! We went along as a group of 6 and were put into a team with 2 other people. From the very beginning every single team member at the venue (right from lovely Glynn in the foyer, through Isaac - or shall we call you Mumsie?! - to our wonderful Gamemaster Eve) did an incredible job, making sure that our team gelled properly and got really jazzed up and involved. The whole experience was such a brilliant recreation of the TV show (as it used to be in the 90s), complete with the pumping theme music, the running down corridors and up and down stairs, crawling, sliding and jumping to get from one beautifully themed zone to the next. The games were varied and all well-realised, with no obvious corners cut. In fact, it felt as if we could have been playing on the actual set of the TV show! There was a good variety of types of game and difficulties, and every person’s needs and preferences were taken into account by the hosts. There were always ways to avoid the physical parts of the experience if you were unable to manage them. Even though not everyone plays every game, we all felt thoroughly involved and integral to the team and experience and we got to the famous Crystal Dome with adrenaline pumping and blood rushing. The dome itself was great fun - although, and this is our only tiny criticism, we felt there were not enough tokens inside for us to have a chance of getting a good score. But this didn’t detract at all from our fantastic experience, which we felt was well worth the money and we were glad we’d travelled to experience it. Thanks to everyone involved in making our day great - especially for the special victory medal for the birthday boy! We will be back!!

A Blacksmith expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingfamily friendly
jakea256 expert rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 28 Aug 2022 Team size: 6 Time taken: 12 Crystals, 170 Tokens Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingoverpriced

For fans of the show this is a must do experience. Our maze guide would've fit in perfectly with the TV show and interjected the same kind of weird humour throughout our time in the maze. Most of the challenges are adapted from the show (expect to see all the classics without the water ones). We got to play 18 games so 3 each and won 12 crystals + 170 tokens in the final dome. I think for what you get to do and individual game play time that the experience is quite expensive (£50+ each), however the set design and immersion do warrant something. I was a little annoyed to not get a free team photo at the end like more traditional escape room style businesses but I can tell this is being marketed very differently.

Farmergeddon Outta Here rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 22 Jul 2022 Team size: 8 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting
This is a truly fantastic experience and one that I'd recommend to everyone, especially those who enjoy the 90s classic Crystal Maze. The actor who hosted was extraordinarily believable, it really felt like we were playing the game show. This was for my stag do, and couldn't have asked for a better experience. 
samsham experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 9 Sep 2023 Team size: 2 Outcome: Successful escape!
beautifulimmersivegreat hosting
hologramtale rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
immersivegreat hosting
roberts0502 experienced rated this:Rated between 30 and 30 out of 5
Played: 14 Jan 2024 Team size: 8 Time taken: 164 pts Outcome: Successful escape!
immersivegreat hostingoverpriced
Crystal Maze Manchester throws 16 challenges at up to 8 players, translating to at least 2 challenges per person when everyone joins in. The puzzles, inspired by the iconic TV show, are a blast for the 2-3 minutes it takes to tackle each one. They range from brain-teasing puzzles to physical feats involving wacky contraptions, in immersive settings with a great host who leads your game for the whole journey. However, the overall experience feels rushed, especially considering the £40+ average price tag per player. Considering this, you don't get a lot of playtime for your money. While a traditional escape room might offer better value, the Crystal Maze is still undeniably a unique experience worth trying at least once, especially if you're curious and have a solid team to conquer it with.
🔐SpontaneousIllusion expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
originalimmersiveintense
🤘The Pick of Destiny expert rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 5 Jan 2024
funnyimmersiveintense
The Kate Escapes rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5

Fantastic Experience, highly recommend! 

PuzzleParagon rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
simsi747 experienced rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 9 Mar 2024 Team size: 8
originalimmersivegreat hosting
oliviaxx rated this:Rated between 35 and 35 out of 5
Team size: 6 Outcome: Successful escape!
hi-techimmersivegreat hosting
StaceyF expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 06/09/2018 Outcome: Successful escape!
Speedy Sloth expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
funnygreat hostingnostalgic

Just brilliant team fun

LockAndMe experienced rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Played: 8 Jun 2019 Team size: 7
value for moneyfunnygreat hosting

Yeah, this is amazing. 

Did it for my stag do. Cannot complain about this, the themeing was JUST out of the tv show, the host was so entertaining and very funny, and just kept us hyped throughout (it was the Spice Girl - whoever you are madam, thank you for making our visit great). The puzzles were fun, and we all laughed at each other constantly, some took it WAAAAAY too seriously, others not seriously enough, but still, amazing time from beginning to end. 

Although I dont think this should count as an escape room, it does deffo have that feel to it all. 

Mighty Oaks experienced rated this:Rated between 45 and 45 out of 5
Played: 6 Sep 2020 Team size: 8
cleverimmersivegreat hosting
MerseyMarauders expert rated this:Rated between 50 and 50 out of 5
Team size: 3 Outcome: Successful escape!
clevergreat hostingfamily friendly
SpookyEm rated this:Rated between 40 and 40 out of 5
Played: 8 Jul 2017 Team size: 5 Outcome: Successful escape!
cleverimmersivegreat hosting

I really enjoyed this experience. Bought back lots of memories from watching the show. 

Reviews by escape room review sites

The remake of the classic 90s TV series of the same name. With a million pound kickstarter, bookings stretching out a year in advance and media praising them left, right and centre they had a lot to live up to. How did they fare?
A fantastic experience that perfectly clones the TV show. It really does feel like you’re in an episode of The Crystal Maze. 
Simply brilliant. An hour of pure, unadulterated fun. I had been waiting 25 years for the time I got to actually play the Crystal Maze for myself — and it was everything it was billed to be.
I’ve been starting to get good-natured mocking from friends and colleagues over my general obsession with the Crystal Maze Live Experience. I crowdfunded them back before they opened their first London venue, played four times in Angel with different sets of people, and was starting to know the games better than the staff. I couldn’t go to Manchester and not try that maze out, could I?

See also

Other copies of this game in other locations:(Different copies of the same game sometimes have significant differences.)