The heart and soul of the Escape Game genre has, and perhaps always will, be in Small Businesses. These “mom & pop shops” may not always have multi-million dollar budgets, but they more than make up for it – and sometimes even surpass it – with their passion and pride of ownership. By their very nature, many Small Business venues do everything in house – from game design to construction to scenic painting and more. Small Businesses also tend to be the first to support their neighbors and industry piers, in turn spreading word and excitement for our industry, inspiring new players every single day. And while today we can only officially recognize three, we ask you all to take a moment to think about – and thank – your local Small Business Escape Games for their important contributions to this industry we all love.
Escape Authority is honored to announce our 2019 Keys To Greatness – Best Small Business winners:
Palace Games
Ask anyone for a list of must-see games in the San Francisco market and unquestionably the first brands to come up each and every time is Palace Games. This stellar Small Business venue has created such a solid reputation for itself that you might be surprised to learn it isn’t some giant corporate run brand. The team at Palace Games is hands on with everything they create, and as exhibited by their much-talked-about original outing, The Great Houdini Escape Room, and their award-winning sequel game, The Roosevelt Escape Room. It’s clear that being a small company will never prevent this brand from redefining the boundaries of what an Escape Game can be.
Be sure to read our full reviews of The Great Houdini Escape Room and The Roosevelt Escape Room.
Evil Genius Escape Rooms
From the outside, Evil Genius Escape Rooms may appear a bit modest – but never judge a book by its cover. Once inside any of their three games, guests leave reality behind as they become instantly drawn into some of the best story-driven adventures we’ve ever seen. With a unique option to play them all back to back, Evil Genius Escape Rooms has created a true world’s first, adding a layer of immersion few bigger chains could ever even dream of. Proof that you don’t need massive budgets to create magic, Evil Genius Escape Rooms stands toe to toe with some of the industry’s biggest heavy-hitters, and in many cases, come out on top.
Be sure to read our full reviews of Occam’s Apartment and Norcross Art Gallery.
Imagine Escape Games
It’s clear from the moment before you even step foot inside Imagine Escape Games that their dedication to quality is something special. A custom-mixed background music loop outside the venue creates a sense of excitement while the color-changing glow of their branded marque acts as the perfect entry statement. Once inside, the momentum only continues to roll, with a flowing – and compelling – story that interlinks from one game to the next. Imagine Escape Games is one of those venues that’s easy to recommend, because simply put they do not have a single lesser quality offering. Every game is worth the visit on its own, but when played back to back, will create a story-driven narrative that leaves guests on the edge of their seat eager to see what’s next. And best of all, with each new chapter, Imagine Escape Games gets a bit more ambitious, constantly upping both the tech and the ‘wow!‘ factor through their Story, Scenic and Puzzles, always leaving us excited for more.
Be sure to read our full reviews of The Alleyway Vigilantes, Jungle Gem, reSEArch and DreamWeaver.
Congratulations to our winners of the first ever Keys To Greatness – Best Small Business award!
With nearly 1,000 games played across the site, being picked as one of the best three in the country is a well-earned honor to truly be proud of!
With so many deserving games worthy of recognition, our goal is to ensure these Keys To Greatness awards are attainable to all – not just those with blockbuster budgets that might be otherwise out of reach. As such, it’s important to note that with just one exception, a given game can only win in a single category – but every game will still be qualified to win the coveted Keys To Greatness – Best Game award on June 2, 2019.
*Although the games I’ve personally designed are consistently very highly rated by both enthusiasts and newer players alike, I cannot in good conscience nominate an attraction I created. As such, those games and the venues that call them home have been intentionally omitted from consideration for any Keys To Greatness award.
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