Review: The Crystal Maze Live Manchester
Discover if you have what it takes to “Get the Crystal” at The Crystal Maze Live Manchester.
Inspired by the iconic 90s TV show, this immersive attraction offers the chance to work as a team in a thrilling game of wits and agility.
We were recently invited along to check out all the fun that The Crystal Maze Live has to offer for families and sent our On The Go reviewer Gemma, her husband and her two children aged 12 and 15 years.
Read on for everything you need to know and our review.
Please note – we were gifted tickets for the purpose of an honest review, and all opinions are those of our review team.
Review: The Crystal Maze Live Manchester
As a big fan of the 90s TV show and having tried out the experience a few years ago with friends, I was excited when I was invited to check out The Crystal Maze Live Experience with my husband and two kids.
Located at the Old Granada Studios in Manchester, near the Science and Industry Museum, there is no on-site parking; however, you will find parking at both Great Northern and Spinningfields, both of which are less than a 10-minute walk away. Or if travelling by public transport, the nearest tram stop is Castlefield-Deansgate, again only 10 minutes away.
It is recommended that you arrive 15 minutes before your time slot. On arrival, we were asked to complete a waiver for both the adults and the kids. There are also toilets next to the reception, which I would recommend using beforehand, as there are none once inside.
You are not allowed to take any food, drinks or your phone into the experience, and there are free lockers located just before you enter the maze.
(We were allowed to take in one phone to take pictures for the purpose of this review.)
What To Expect
Once all the admin was complete, we were shown to a green screen to take some pictures before being shown to a booth for a team talk.
Here we had a chance to talk tactics and nominate a team captain (which was me) and a deputy, which my son and husband voted for my 12-year-old daughter.
With everything decided, we moved on to the briefing area, where we were treated to a nostalgic video of clips of the original TV series. It was here that we also realised that we had failed as parents, with the kids saying that they didn’t realise it was an actual game show.
At the end of the video, our host Ricky appeared – be warned, it was a bit of a surprise. After a quick chat explaining what was in store, he said that there was only one rule, in that you ‘don’t walk in the Crystal Maze, but run’ before shooting off into the game with us in pursuit.
The maze is split into four themed zones—Medieval, Aztec, Industrial, and Futuristic and each is extremely immersive with props, lighting, and sound effects that echo the original show. Plus, as you dash between zones, the soundtrack is piped in, which adds to the sense of urgency to get to the next game.
The Crystal Maze Games
The games themselves are divided into Physical, Mental, Skill, and Mystery. Before each game, we were either told the type of game we would be playing or given a choice between two and then asked to assign one of us to it. Ricky did help slightly here by hinting when he thought the game might be slightly harder for my daughter and son.
Just like in the show, as one of us played, we were able to watch, help, and cheer them on by looking through the windows on the outside.
As I don’t want to drop any spoilers, I won’t go into the details of the games themselves. However, it will be no surprise to say that you do need to complete the game to release the Crystal in each room within a time limit.
If you didn’t exit the room before the limit was up, you were locked in. Although you may be tempted to leave your stroppy family member behind, Ricky made it clear that, unlike the game show, we had no choice but to trade in an already won crystal for release. To be honest, I was quite thankful for this, as I’m ashamed to say I did get locked in.
All in all, we played 16 games (our booking had us down as a team of eight, not our actual four, so smaller teams may play fewer games), of which we won eleven Crystals – but as the kids have constantly reminded me, we had to hand one over to get me released. Thankfully, Ricky told us most teams only gain seven, which appeased the guilt slightly.
The Crystal Dome
For those who have never seen the show, the climax of the experience is The Crystal Dome. Here you are tasked with grabbing as many shiny gold and silver foils as you can, which, once added together, give you your final score.
All the Crystals you win throughout the games are converted into time in The Dome. With 10 Crystals under our belt, we were awarded 50 seconds inside.
Before we started, there was time for a quick picture in front of the dome in the nostalgic game show jackets. The rules that there is no picking up foils from the floor or posting after the time is up (points will be deducted) were also explained.
It was then time for us to enter The Dome, and on the iconic words ” Will You Start The Fans Please” the fun began. We all scrambled to collect as many foils as we could. It is definitely a lot harder than it looks.
We managed to get a score of 116 and were told that anything over a score of 100 is great, especially for a team of four – the kids were over the moon.
The Crystal Maze Souvenirs
At the end of the experience, there is a chance to view all the pictures taken and to buy yourself a souvenir.
The photos cost from £15.00 for one or £35 for six with all digital copies. The souvenirs start at £2.50 for a gold-themed token, and yes, you can buy your own Crystal, which costs £12 each.
What We Thought
The Crystal Maze LIVE Manchester is a fantastic family experience that we all really enjoyed.
The maze was extremely immersive, and Ricky was great at channelling Richard O’Brien vibes with fun, sarcastic and witty comebacks that added to the nostalgia.
The kids loved all the games, especially the Physical ones, which they dominated, both coming away with crystals. They also thought it was great that they were told to run everywhere rather than the usual calls for them to walk.
Having taken part previously with friends and loved it, I had been concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy it as much this time around. I needn’t have worried, and if anything, through experiencing it with the kids, I had enjoyed it even more.
It was lovely to share a fun activity together that we all equally enjoyed. Plus, it was nice to see the kids working as a team, trying to help each other out with Mental and Mystery games. Sibling rivalry, however, was not forgotten when my 12-year-old won all four of her Crystals and my son only won three.
The Crystal Maze LIVE is suitable for kids aged nine years and over. Although I am sure younger children in this age bracket will enjoy it, I will say that, given that some of the challenges are on the difficult side, older children will get more out of it.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the original show or just looking for a unique day out with the kids, The Crystal Maze Live is a good choice.
To book >>> The Crystal Maze Live Manchester
