A new form of live-action entertainment has popped up on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa. Who's the center of the action? You!
Escape Countdown joins downtown Tampa's
Great Escape Room and Town N' Country's
Can You Escape? as the latest in a series of puzzle and adventure games for groups.
Inside Escape Countdown and the sistering Sarasota location, visitors will have to use their wits to escape from an interactive room in 60 minutes or less.
Room themes are immersive, ranging from fantasy -- Alice in Wonderland -- to sci-fi -- it's up to your team to save the world! Other adventure themes include Paris and Jail Break. Finding and solving clues and puzzles, while working together with your team, will help players "escape" the room in the allotted time.
Room escape games, which gained popularity in Asia before making their way through Europe to the United States, have gained traction even in Florida in recent months.
“We are excited to see how the public will respond to this unique concept that is taking the world by storm,” explains Houdini Partner Group CEO Brent Alexander.
Escape Countdown has locations in Tampa and Sarasota, with a third location opening in Atlanta in 2016.
“Our goal is to make this a premium experience," Alexander said. "We want to be more like the Disney of escape room attractions.”
Alexander and Escape Countdown plan to keep the experience fresh for visitors by adding new themes to the attraction during the upcoming summer months.
While participants are not actually locked into rooms during the one hour of gameplay, exiting the room and not returning before the end of the game will mean disqualification.
Games are $29.99 per player, and teams of 2-8 can register to play. Parties and corporate outings are encouraged.
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