What is an escape room and how the game actually works

People usually ask what is an escape room right before their first booking: the name is familiar, but it is not clear whether this is a phone game, a piece of theatre with actors, or something closer to a haunted house. An escape room is a game played inside a real, built set: within a set time limit a group works through a chain of tasks that leads to the end of the story. At Wawel Escape Room it has its own format: in most of our games the puzzles are hidden in boxes and mechanisms (a quest box), and a game lasts 50 to 90 minutes. Below we describe the game from the inside: what happens once you arrive, what puzzles you will meet and what you do not need to worry about. At the end we suggest how to choose a first game: six games are at Grodzka 31 and three at Plac Wszystkich Świętych 8.

A puzzle room, defined plainly

The English name suggests escaping, but the point is not to force a door. Your group solves a series of connected tasks, and each solution opens the next stage: a lock, a mechanism or a code panel. The scenario arranges those steps into a story, so the game has an opening, a turn and a finale. In most of our games the puzzles are hidden in boxes and mechanisms and the room builds the mood of the story, so this is not a classic escape room where you search the whole space.

The second feature that separates an escape room from doing puzzles at home is time pressure and cooperation. In our games the puzzles are linear: the stages unlock one after another, so the whole team works on them together. Somebody says out loud what they found, somebody keeps track of the codes already settled, somebody watches the clock. That is why the same game feels different with two players and with five, since most of our games take 2 to 5 people. We cover playing as a pair separately in the post on escape room for 2 people in Krakow, where we compare game length and difficulty.

What a visit looks like from arrival to the finale

Most of the worry before a first game comes from nobody explaining what actually happens on site. The sequence is much the same every time and needs no preparation.

The briefing before the start

Before the start the staff introduce you to the story and explain the rules of the game. It is an introduction, not training. Then the countdown begins, and the doors stay open: you can walk out at any moment.

Hints and the role of the staff

The staff watch over the game throughout: operators monitor it and can help at any moment. In Treasure Island, Galactic Mission, USSR Bunker, The Madman’s House and Chernobyl Corridor the screen shows a hint on its own after 3 minutes without progress. In any game you can also ask for a hint that points at the trail rather than giving away the solution. If the game is not finished in the set time, the staff go through how it went and, if you wish, reveal the solutions to the remaining puzzles.

What kind of puzzles you will meet

A good scenario mixes task types, because only then does everyone in the group have something to do. What counts is a sharp mind rather than physical fitness: mostly attention and a willingness to say out loud what you are looking at. Four kinds of task recur across our games:

• Codes and ciphers - for example Morse code in Treasure Island, the constellation code in Galactic Mission, or colour codes and a UV cipher in The Madman’s House.
• Logic tasks - several pieces of found information combine into a code or an order of actions, for example zodiac calendars and crosswords in The Madman’s House or navigation on the galaxy map in Galactic Mission.
• Mechanical puzzles - something has to be assembled, set or fitted, for example 3D assembly in Treasure Island or radio frequency tuning and mechanical manipulators in Chernobyl Corridor.
• Electronic and sound elements - panels, buttons and indicator lights answer with light or sound, for example sound sequences and RGB planets in Galactic Mission or the eight electronic locks in The Madman’s House.

The tasks form a chain, and it is a linear one: the stages unlock one after another, so the whole team works on the same task.

How an escape room differs from other entertainment

Unlike a board game, the puzzles work physically: boxes, locks, panels and buttons respond to what you do. Unlike sightseeing, you do not look at exhibits but solve the tasks yourselves. Unlike a haunted house, the goal is to solve tasks rather than to frighten you, and the pages of many of our games state it outright: no jump scares. The mood depends on the scenario you pick, from pirate to outer space.

There is also a practical difference that decides a lot of Krakow itineraries: the game runs indoors at a fixed hour, whatever the weather and the queues at the monuments are doing. With two venues in the centre it slots into a day of sightseeing without crossing town.

Common worries before a first game

The first one is the locked door. The doors in our games are not locked, so you can walk out at any moment and stop the game - just tell the staff. People who worry about tight interiors can ask the staff about a chosen game before booking.

The second worry is inexperience. Games differ in difficulty from 4/10 to 10/10, so a first game is best chosen from the lower part of the scale; our guide to choosing an escape room compares three games from Grodzka 31 side by side. The third concerns age and fitness: we play from the age of 10 with an adult guardian (The Madman’s House from 12), and what counts is a sharp mind, not physical fitness.

Choosing your first puzzle room in Krakow

For a group playing for the first time, the safest bet is a game of lower difficulty with a clear, simple story. Treasure Island (4/10) is a pirate tale that reads easily for children too, Multicolored Cube is rated 5/10, and Galactic Mission (6/10) plays with light effects, sound and vibrations. All last 50 minutes and are at Grodzka 31. Quarantine, Virus, Game of Thrones and USSR Bunker are rated 8/10, The Madman’s House 9/10 (from 12), and Chernobyl Corridor is rated 10/10 and available in English only, so it is better to save them for later visits. The page for Treasure Island shows, for example, what the story description and the photos of a game look like.

Group composition is worth a thought too, since it shapes the experience more than the stated difficulty does. A family with children from 10 would start with Treasure Island or Multicolored Cube. A group of friends looking for a challenge can go straight to an 8/10 game. Playing as a pair, you can book any of the nine games, because each one takes bookings from two players.

The second decision is the address, but it follows from the game you pick. Grodzka 31 sits on the walk from the Main Square towards Wawel, so it fits into an Old Town stroll, and Plac Wszystkich Świętych 8 is a short walk from it. A group larger than five splits across several games at once: in the group packages up to 25 people play at the same time, five per game, and then you compare results.

What to settle before you book

Fix the number of players first and check that everyone can reach the venue for the same hour, since the game starts for the whole group at once. Then pick a game and a slot in the booking panel, where every game shows its length, the recommended number of players and its difficulty, and the free hours and rates once you choose a date. The address follows from the game. If the game is meant as a gift, a voucher beats a fixed date, because the person you give it to picks the day themselves.

Arrive with a few minutes to spare, in comfortable clothes and flat-soled shoes. The rest the staff will explain, introducing you to the story and the rules of the game.

Frequently asked questions

What should I wear to an escape room?

Something comfortable: what counts is a sharp mind rather than physical fitness. Comfortable clothes and flat-soled shoes are a good choice. You can take your phone along, but we ask you not to use it during the game, so as not to spoil the mood for other players.

Do I need to speak Polish to play?

Not for several of the games. Chernobyl Corridor is available in English only (all texts, hints and audio), and The Madman’s House, Galactic Mission, Treasure Island and USSR Bunker offer hints in Polish and English (USSR Bunker also in Russian). For the other games, check the language on the game’s page or ask us before booking.

What happens if someone in the group is late?

The game starts at the booked hour, so if you can see that somebody will not make it, contact us before the start; our phone number and e-mail address are on the website. An individual booking can be cancelled with a full refund up to 24 hours before the game (a group booking up to 72 hours), and the rules are on the Returns and complaints page.

Does an escape room work as a gift?

Yes, and a voucher usually works better than a fixed slot. A voucher carries an amount and arrives by e-mail, and the person receiving it chooses the game, the date and the number of players.