MAZED & CONFUSED

M.E.N. staff take on adventure-style game experience based on 90s TV show Crystal Maze and its more recent revivals

- By LUDWIK LIPIEC & OWEN HOWARD

FOR a certain generation, all you need to do to spark nostalgia is utter a few simple words: Crystal Dome, Aztec Zone, Richard O'Brien, Thursday nights on Channel 4 in the 90s... you get the gist.

Since 2017, people in Manchester have been able to recreate such fond memories for themselves thanks to the Crystal Maze Live Experience.

Fans of the 90s adventure-style game show will already know of the Live Experience tucked away in Deansgate but, when we heard that the venue had introduced two brand new games this year, we jumped at the opportunity to try them out.

A visit promises 'over 60 minutes of frantic, frenetic, silly team fun' where the aim is to score points and get as much time in the endgame dome by taking part in a series of challenges.

Heading there on a midweek afternoon, I already had a little understanding of how the experience went, having visited a few times before. It was a smooth arrival, with speedy waivers and verbal confirmation that we were both, indeed, over the age of nine.

A glimpse at framed photographs in the hall revealed the site’s cast of ‘maze masters, who will be hosting proceedings for our session. We weren't left wondering long which of these kooky characters would be our guide.

The maze master directs your team through a trail of ten scattered mini games.

With over 30 in total, and only some being question and answer based, the experience lends itself to being highly re-playable, especially when shared with new groups of people.