As an advanced player myself (I am at 240 games), I have learned that you have to start changing your approach. You are going to start to notice the same puzzles again and again and you might start feeling a little burnt out. Not to worry, I have few tricks that have helped me along the way.

#3 Don’t bring too many people

Having a lot of people in an escape room can be a lot of fun. More minds mean more ideas, which can be super helpful if you are stumped on a puzzle. However, often times the larger the group means the faster you will escape and the less you get to do yourself. If you are an experienced player, you may not want to bring too large of a group with you.

Playing escape rooms is definitely more fun with friends, but if you are an experienced player, try not to max out a room. We usually recommend half of what the maximum says. If a game can hold up to 10 players, you may want to play with 5.

#2 Look for an escape room that offers a new twist

Even if the theme is different, sometimes escape rooms can feel repetitive. Especially if you have played over 50 games. I recommend looking for an escape room with a new challenge or objective.

At Cross Roads, The Hex Room splits your team into 6 individual rooms, but you still have to work as a team to escape.  People love the added challenge of the physical barrier keeping you from your team while also figuring out how to work with them.

The Psych Ward is another example of an escape room with a twist. The Psych Ward has normal escape room challenges and puzzles to solve, but there is an added element of strategy. You are solving puzzles to gain points for your team, but there are members of your team who are trying to steal those points! You have to choose who to trust and who to betray.

#1 Have fun

Seems obvious, right? Surprisingly, advanced players can often become so puzzle crazed or determined to make a leader board that they forget that they are here to have fun! Take a moment to enjoy the company of your friends and make memories that will last.

One of my favorite experiences was when I played a game with my 7-year-old nephew. I stood back and took the extra time to let him open the locks or explain a puzzle to him so he could help me solve it, even if I already knew the answer. Playing with him made the game so much fun, but I also could have easily been distracted and missed all his wonderful (and very cute) ideas.

If you have done a lot of escape rooms, you have likely already had a chance to experience the thrill of escaping, so it’s fun to take a step back and watch your friends or family have the same thrill. Take a moment to enjoy the scenery, or how cool a prop or moment is, instead of blasting though the room. Trust me, you will have a much better time.