If you’re already an avid fan of the cinema, escape rooms and quiz nights, or simply looking for a truly unique day out that feels part action movie, part competitive sport, and 100% thrilling, then it’s time to trade in your usual plans for a sentence at Prison Island London!
Located in the heart of London, this ultimate indoor team adventure is rapidly becoming the must-do activity for families, friends, and colleagues alike. But what awaits us all behind the bars? Let’s take a peek beyond the guard tower and find out…
An Action Movie, Made Real
Forget traditional escape rooms, where you’re often locked in a single themed space; Prison Island is an innovative action game set in a sprawling, interactive, prison-like environment where the concept is simple, but exhilarating.
Each team of 2–6 players are challenged at every turn to navigate a series of cells, containing a unique and often unexpected obstacle inside. Think less key-finding, and more skill-testing action. It’s the ultimate immersive, self-paced, indoor, all-weather adventure that puts your brain and physical abilities to the absolute test. And I’m still buzzing from our experience!
A Gauntlet Of 27+ Exciting Challenges
The experience itself is built around 27+ different prison cells, each demanding a unique combination of skills and abilities, which is where the real fun begins.
As a team, you enter a cell and have a limited time to complete the challenge inside, earning points for every successful attempt. Once you’ve completed it, or run out of time, you move on to the next cell. The freedom to choose your next challenge means that no two teams will ever have the exact same experience – so you can return time and time again, experiencing something new and exciting each time.
The challenges are categorised to test a variety of attributes from strategy, to agility and problem-solving. The strategy cells contain puzzles which require logic, pattern recognition and calm thinking when under pressure. The agility cells are physical tasks that involve activities like climbing, balancing, or quick reaction times. And the problem-solving cells have challenges that demand excellent communication and cooperative effort to succeed.
Regardless of which type of cell you choose to conquer, the clock is always ticking, the pressure is so real, and the points rack up fast, ensuring a constantly adrenaline-fuelled experience for all.
The Adrenaline Rush Of Immersive Action
If you’ve ever watched The Crystal Maze growing up, or wished that you could take part in the complex challenges of Fort Boyard, then Prison Island is your opportunity. The high-energy, industrial setting instantly transports you into a world of competitive action.
The genuine immersion comes from the sheer variety and tactile nature of the challenges. You are not just observing a screen or solving a maths problem; you are physically involved. One moment you might be carefully planning a sequence of button pushes, and the next you might be scrambling across an obstacle before the buzzer sounds.
This constant shift in demands makes this experience intensely thrilling. And the satisfaction of finally completing a tricky cell, or the rush of adrenaline as your team narrowly finishes a task with only one second left, is what makes Prison Island a truly unforgettable day out. The calories that I’ve burned from laughing and cheering my team on easily compare to the physical workout I’ve had because the challenges have been so much fun.
The Ideal Day Out For Family, Friends & Colleagues
Prison Island’s flexible nature and diverse challenges make it the perfect destination for any type of group. Families can enjoy challenges which are suitable for all ages 8yrs+, allowing children and adults to contribute equally, nurturing cooperation and fun away from screen time. Friends have the perfect competitive environment to challenge one another test group dynamics, and generate such hilarious and memorable moments.
For team building and colleagues, this is such an effective, high-energy way to observe and improve communication, strategic planning, and leadership skills in a low-stakes, high-fun setting. And what a conversation starter for every employee to smile fondly when thinking of the time their boss sent them to prison, and bonded with the accounts department and HR to escape.
Strategy Guide: Bring Your Best Skills To Escape
To conquer the 27+ cells and maximise your score, it’s helpful to have a diverse team where every player knows their own strength. Of course, it’s just as much fun arriving and being clueless, as you can find out what you’re best at as you go, so don’t sweat it if you’re unsure of your skillset. Success at Prison Island isn’t about having one hero; it’s about combined team competence which is truly beautiful.
We found it useful to categorise ourselves into four different roles to maximum our chances of success in each cell. Members of our team of sic identified with one or more of these skillsets, which you may also find helpful to determine before your visit:
The Strategist – having the skills of logic, pattern recognition and a calm demeanour. Taking charge of complex puzzles and calculation cells to ensure the team doesn’t waste time on hasty guesses.
-The Athlete – having the skills of agility, speed and coordination. Excelling in physical cells that require quick movement, climbing, or fast reactions. Saving vital seconds where physical prowess is key.
-The Communicator – having the skills of clear speech, active listening and leadership. Coordinating the team in multi-person tasks to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and acts as the point-person between the cell and the team.
-The Technician – having the skills of observation and detail orientation. Focusing on smaller mechanical or visual details, perhaps spotting a crucial, overlooked element that is key to solving the challenge.
We had the most fantastic time as a mixed team of adults and children, laughing, squealing, jumping, climbing and quizzing our way through the cells. Watching the points clock up on the screen with each challenge, and racing against the clock, made it such a thrilling adventure that the entire family could get involved with.
We had the most wonderful winters afternoon escaping prison, and left feeling on top of the world for our joint achievements and contributions. It’s so beneficial to step out of your comfort zone in life, try new things, discover new talents and enhance your skillset at all and every age.
My best advice for escaping prison is to not get stuck! If a cell proves to be too difficult then just leave and move on, as your time is so valuable, you can always come back to it later with a fresh perspective and new energy to reattempt it.
So, if you’re ready to experience this new wave of action entertainment, then team up, put your skills to the test, and see if you have what it takes to break out with the highest score. Your sentence awaits!
Use code “PRISONTRACY10” for 10% off at Prison Island!
www.prisonislandexperience.com
Facebook: /prisonisland.experience.uk
Instagram: @prisonisland.experience.uk
