9 of the best escape room games for teenagers to outsmart, outwit and break free

A collage of escape room games for teenagers

(Image credit: Future)

published 23 February 2024

If you're on the hunt for an exhilarating adventure that'll get the whole family together, including your teen, this round-up of the best escape room games for teenagers has you covered.

One of the many challenges of parenting teens is grappling with them to put down their phone and be a little more present with the family, especially if you think they're always on social media. While you might already have one of the best board games for teenagers, if you want something a little different, but still right up your teen's alley, then an escape room game could be the answer.

Escape room games aren't just about solving puzzles and cracking codes. They're about teamwork, communication and bonding with your family in a whole new way – without having to fork out the cost of going to one in real life. So, get everyone together and get ready for a fun family night in with our round up of the best escape room games for teenagers. Competitive hats on!

1. Cluedo Escape

Players: 1-6 | Age: 10+

The legendary cast returns for Cluedo Escape – one of them tries to steal Boddy's blackmail files! Players work together to guess who it was by cracking puzzles that unlock new clues. Piece together the clues to figure out 'whodunit', why and with what. A fun way to introduce your teen to the world of classic Cluedo if they've never played before!

2. Race to Escape

Players: 1-6 | Age: 8+

Competing to be the first to escape from a series of challenging scenarios, the goal of Race to Escape is to be the first player to reach the end of the escape route by successfully navigating through a series of obstacles and challenges. This may involve answering riddles, solving puzzles and making strategic decisions, helping your teen get their thinking cap on.

3. The Haunted Roller Coaster

Players: 1-4 | Age: 12+

Theme parks are a teenage dream, but give your clan a chance to test themselves to see if they have the ingenuity to escape a haunted one! Shuffle the cards and pick a character. Take turns drawing cards, describing the rooms and solving puzzles. If you escape before time runs out, you win!

4. Host Your Own Egyptian Pyramid Escape

Players: 2+ | Age: 9+

The mighty pharaoh has been stirred from his eternal slumber and holds you responsible! Get the family together and pick characters. You have to search for clues and solve puzzles to escape and race against time to escape before it's too late. For added atmosphere, teens can scan the playlist QR code on their phones for an Egyptian mix to groove to as they work.

5. The Balthazar Stone

Players: 1+ | Age: 14+

To solve the mystery, you must solve the many clues hidden in an ancient treasure chest to find Balthazar’s Stone and break its ancient curse. Your teen will need to use all their powers of deduction and logic to solve a baffling, mind mangling sequence of clues to crack combination locks, piece together the information discover the truth about the stone.

6. Mystery at The Stargazer's Manor

Players: 3-8 | Age: 13+

This immersive and challenging escape room game involves team work, problem-solving and creativity, and it's challenging enough for teens. Players explore the rooms of Stargazer's Manor, searching for clues and investigating objects to uncover the truth. Throughout the game, your teen will encounter puzzles and challenges that must be solved to progress and escape.

7. Talking Tables Escape Room Home

Players: 2+ | Age: 16+

Perfect for a game night with teens, this Tokyo cinema-themed escape room will get the whole family moving about the house. The host sets up the clue file, props and clues around their own house. Players need to solve the sequence of riddles, clues and conundrums to crack codes and escape the room before time runs out. There's a time limit of 60 minutes, so the pressure is on!

8. Art Heist Escape Room in a Box

Players: 2-6 | Age: 8+

This game also turns your own house into an escape room. Gather the whole family and embark on an adventure into the world of high-stakes crime. Players take on different roles such as thieves, detectives, or museum curators, so it's perfect for those with a creative streak. The ultimate goal is to solve the art heist mystery and escape with the stolen artwork as quickly as you can!

9. Ghost in the Attic

Players: 1+ | Age: 14+

Themed around a haunted board game from the 1950s, the box itself has been chained and padlocked, so your teen will have to work out the combination just to get started! To solve Ghost in the Attic, players need to launch an investigation across the many pieces of evidence supplied in the box as well as discover secret websites that are hiding important clues.

What are the benefits of escape room games for teenagers?

Escape room games provide a fun and interactive way for teenagers to develop a wide range of skills that are valuable both in and out of school.

Teamwork and collaboration: Escape room games require players to work together to solve puzzles and escape within a set time limit, helping to promote teamwork, communication and collaboration skills among teenagers.
Critical thinking and problem-solving: They also present a series of puzzles and challenges that require logical thinking and problem-solving skills to overcome. Teenagers can develop their critical thinking abilities while having fun.
Decision-making: Players must make quick decisions under pressure to progress through the game, which could help teenagers improve decision-making skills and use their initiative.
Creativity and innovation: Escape room games often feature unique themes and puzzles that encourage creativity and innovation. Teenagers have the opportunity to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions to challenges.
Time management: With a limited amount of time to escape, teenagers must learn to manage their time effectively and prioritise tasks. This can be a valuable skill that translates to other areas of their lives, such as school work and job prospects.
Adaptability and resilience: Not every puzzle will be easy to solve, and teenagers may encounter setbacks along the way. Escape rooms teach them to adapt to new situations, learn from failures and persevere until they succeed.

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From building healthy family relationships to self-care tips for mums and parenting trends - Daniella also covers postnatal workouts and exercises for kids. After gaining a Print Journalism BA Hons degree and NCTJ Diploma in Journalism at Nottingham Trent University, Daniella started writing for Health & Wellbeing and co-hosted the Walk to Wellbeing podcast. She has also written for Stylist, Natural Health, The Sun UK and Fit & Well. In her free time, Daniella loves to travel, try out new fitness classes and cook for family and friends.