Let’s talk about Electric Gamebox – a family friendly, SAFE thing to do.
Our family was invited to game and experience Electric Gamebox.
I don’t know about the last 9 months with your family, but for ours – it’s been a LOT of together time AT HOME sharing funny memes and gaming – a whole lot of gaming.
With the cold weather of winter here, finding safe family activities in this pandemic has not been easy.
Safe Family Fun
We miss Dallas Summer Musicals and all of the other fun Dallas family activities that we did pre-pandemic. The movies, I miss those and I usually just sleep. Going out to eat inside an actual restaurant, nope – it’s now Uber Eats or to go.
So when Electric Gamebox reached out, I always side on leery because we have been so cautious during this crazy time. My husband has too many of those high risk things for us to chance even the mildest version of rona.
Let’s jump into what exactly this safe family fun activity is, what to expect and more.
What is Electric Gamebox?
This was my first question. WHAT IS ELECTRIC GAMEBOX?
You and your bubble go into a digital room, which is a gamebox. Your surroundings are filled with projection mapping, touch screens, motion tracking and surround sound for a full immersive gaming experience.
Think virtual reality and an escape room had a baby, but instead of a massive headset – you wear a gaming visor. The game is projected on to each wall via projectors on the ceiling.
Walls are touch sensitive (though the games we played, only required you touch the wall on a few rounds.) Full immersion with tracking cameras to capture your every gaming move!
What to Expect at Electric Gamebox
My biggest question was – so how exactly does Electric Gamebox work? Here is a brief overview of what to expect!
Reserve Your Tickets
You first buy gaming tickets online and reserve your time slot. You will choose a the interactive game you want to play (more on that, below!) Gaming tickets can be purchased at electricgamebox.com.
Show Up 15 Minutes Early
Electric Gamebox staggers arrival times and gaming times, so make sure to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment to get setup! Make sure you are wearing a mask. All staff is masked and you are required to as well until you enter your private gamebox.
CHOOSE A TEAM NAME BEFOREHAND!
Once you arrive, a masked staff member will go thru how everything works and will ask you what your team name is.
You will then be led to your smart room / game box. The staff will help you get setup with gaming head gear. Let’s talk about this funny gaming visor that you will wear while playing.
Gaming Head Gear
Each player will be wearing gaming head gear. It looks like a visor with antennas! This head gear is how the interactive gaming works! Instead of a remote control, you will be using your body – transmitted thru the head gear – to play each game! It’s wild, y’all but super fun.
The gaming head gear is a different color for each player. Make sure you remember what color you are as each game prompts you based on color!
Researching virtual reality gaming systems?
Read our Oculus Quest 2 review and bring VR home!
Interactive Gamebox
The staff will lead you to the interactive game box which is probably a 10×10 room. The ceiling features projectors that will project on the walls.
A few things to note about the game box rooms:
- We had 6 players. Between 2-3 players will play at each time. If you have a lot of players like us – have the players who are waiting for their turn stand against the wall to make sure you are not in the way of game play!
- Each interactive smart room has a CCTV system. This is a fancy way of saying cameras with an intercom. This is super helpful if you need anything from the staff – you just waive! We had a question about a game, staff was able to promptly answer over the intercom!
- The rooms are all have awesome air circulation. I don’t know about you, but I was thinking 6 of us in a small room for an hour – but nope – we had zero issues with feeling tight or anything like that. We honestly were having too much fun!
- The music is awesome! We loved the different popular tunes that played with each game.
- Each gaming session lasts between 30-60 minutes.
- Expect to move! Yes, this is interactive gaming! You will be shuffling and bobbing up and down to play the games projected on the wall. Don’t worry there are different rounds, so plenty of time to take a breather.
Group Gaming
Do you have gamers? Then they will LOVE Electric Gamebox!
With a vision to bring people together through shared play, we use best-in-class technology to create immersive team adventures in the world’s smartest room to share with friends and family.
Immersive team adventure in world’s smartest room. Yep. I think this describes best what we experienced! It’s group gaming, in a immersive experience.
This makes a great team building experience. Some of the games, while you will be given instructions by the video – they do take a little but of time to figure out how to best play it. Personally, our family thought this was part of the fun in figuring out how best to work together to win the game!
Safe Bubble Fun
Electric Gamebox is committed to offering safe bubble fun for those in your inner circle. As mentioned, we have been super cautious the last 9 months. Our experience was everything we had hoped for in regards to fun and safety.
Your interaction with staff is minimal. The times we did talk to staff, it was socially distanced, staff was masked (as were we!) If you need anything while you are playing the game, each gamebox has a CCTV – so you just waive and they will contact you thru an intercom!
Here are a few of the measures that they are taking to ensure your groups safety:
- Online check-in – you will receive an email the day before your experience with details.
- All start times are staggered – this minimizes mixing groups entering or leaving the building.
- Gameboxes, visors, lockers and toilets are fully cleaned between each group’s session. Hand sanitizer is available throughout the venue, as well.
- Electric Gamebox employees will maintain social distance (6 feet) and wear a face covering.
- While in all public areas, you will need to wear a mask and social distance from any other groups that you may come in contact with.
- Hand sanitizer placed thru-out the facility.
Choose Your Adventure
When purchasing Electric Gamebox tickets, you will need to choose your adventure! There are 2 options.
Social Challenge
With the social challenge, these are made for the whole group to enjoy. Here are the current social challenges available to choose from:
- Alien Aptitude Test: London ’84 – The year is 1984 and aliens have invaded. Prove you’re worth sparing by showing your value to their new society.
- Tickets to Mars – Give humanity a fresh start by gathering the right minerals to start a colony on Mars!
- Alien Aptitude Test: New York ’87 – Aliens have now set their sights on late-80’s New York. Does your team have the brains to impress them?
We chose the Alien Aptitude Test: New York ’87 game. It was around 60 minutes of NON-STOP fun. There were a series of games that we played as a team.
Arcade Battle
Get ready for arcade battles! These are quick fire, 30 minute throwbacks that channel the very best arcade games.
- Temple of Coins Christmas – Test your dexterity, speed and vigilance as you dodge ghosts, pick up power ups and collect coins.
Awesome Group Activity
For now, I would say take your family or social bubble and enjoy some immersive fun.
Once this whole pandemic thing goes away, this would be an amazing work group outing. This also would be great for youth groups, or any other group that is needing a fun team building activity.
The thing we loved is having to work together to figure out how best to play the different games. It made the whole experience a great team building (or family building – in our case) activity!
About Electric Gamebox
I know going in, with this being a NEW concept I had a ton of questions. The team answered several before (especially about the safety pre-cautions). Let’s answer some questions about Electric Gamebox that you may have:
Where is Electric Gamebox located?
We are in the Dallas metroplex. Electric Gamebox’s newest location opens December 24 in the Colony, TX at the Grandscape (next to Nebraska Furniture Mart.)
Park in from of Andretti’s at the Grandscape. You will want to walk behind the large Grandscape sign, pass the movie theater, behind Andretti’s – keep walking! It is located right across from the Liberation Coffee. If you end up at the amphitheater, or Scheel’s you have gone too far!
This is the first US location for Electric Gamebox. There are currently 3 locations in the UK – if that is your part of the world.
How long do we get to play?
Each experience at Electric Gamebox is between 30-60 minutes, depending on which game your team selects. Be ready to move!
What ages can play?
The games are suitable for 8 and up. Kids that are younger than 16-years-old will need to be present. Our kids are 9, 10, 15 and 17-years-old. They all LOVED THIS. I’m already getting questions on when we can go back to play.
How much are Electric Gamebox tickets?
Electric Gamebox tickets for adults range from $19.95-$29.95 per adult and for children from $14.95-$24.95 per child.
How many players can play in a Gamebox?
Groups of 2-6 players can play in a gamebox.
How old for a child ticket?
At Electric Gamebox, a child is considered anyone who is 15 years old or younger.
For ages 16 and up, an adult ticket should be purchased.
Do I have to wear a mask in the Gamebox?
While in public spaces, a mask and social distancing is required. In the actual gamebox – masks are not required. Gameboxes are intended to be used by your bubble as social distancing isn’t an option.
Electric Gamebox Review
Well, there you have it. I hope our Electric Gamebox review includes everything you want to know about this safe Dallas family activity that is fun for everyone (8 and up!)
Electric Gamebox
in the Grandscape Mall
5752 Grandscape Blvd
The Colony, TX 75056
(approximately 35 minutes from downtown Dallas, TX)
electricgamebox.com