Zombie Escape Room Vs Mystery Escape Room: Which One to Choose For Your Next Birthday Party

Are you looking to raise the bar for this year's birthday party? Pictionary and drinks are fine... but no one will be talking about it at the office. The best way to instantly level-up your party mojo is to host a rip-roaring escape room party! But should you choose a mystery escape room party or a zombie escape room party? Tough decision. Don't worry, we'll give you the hints you need to host a party that your guests will never forget!

Everyone loves escape rooms, but it's likely that few of your friends have played an escape room party. (If you're still new to the whole 'escape room' concept, read this article for a full run-down). So, here's how at-home escape room parties are different. DIY escape rooms have all the fun of a "professional" escape room without the costs, travel, and devious gamemasters doling out hints with an eyedropper! In short, they'll love it, because you get all the pros without any of the usual hassle (which means everyone will be asking you to host another escape room party soon... so prepare for that).

The good news for you is, most of the setup work is done for you. Set up and tear down of your DIY escape game takes only a few minutes. Download the game, print it out, and set it up. It's that easy. Each game features customizable posters to use as decorations around the room, enhancing the "escape room" feel. You get to decide whether everyone plays at a table or whether you turn your room into a 1920s mansion or post-apocalyptic landscape.

The best part — you can play the game too! A spoiler-free setup and virtual gamemaster allow you to participate in the game alongside your friends. You could choose to be the gamemaster, but playing the game is so much more fun!

Now that you have decided to host an escape room party, you must pick your game. Will it be Envy, the 1920s murder mystery with the Great Gatsby feel? Or will it be Escape Room Z, where you try to keep the zombies from stealing your pizza?

Grab your invite list. Scan through it one by one. Do your friends solve puzzles like Nicholas Cage in National Treasure or do they immediately phone a friend?

Escape games walk a thin line. If they're too easy, the players don't feel fulfilled. If they're too complex, the players feel ripped off. Determining whether your players love challenges or would rather cruise through the game without too much work will help determine whether the mystery escape game or zombie escape game is right for your party.

Envy, the mystery escape game, presents a medium level of difficulty. If your friends only want a good time without deciphering the Rosetta Stone, Envy is your best choice. It's not an easy game, but hardcore escape room players may find it too easy. If you have beginners or newbies, this may be the game for you.

Escape Room Z is our most challenging game, duh! In Envy, you're only solving a murder mystery. Escape Room Z has you running for your life to get away from zombies desperately trying to steal your supreme pizza with extra anchovies!

Escape Room Z is not impossible, but it's a real challenge. You need to be more Brain than Pinky to escape alive. And there is a real possibility that you will not escape with the pizza intact. If you think your buddies can stand the humiliation of losing a pizza to the undead, Escape Room Z makes a great party game. Shooting the zombies is fun, whether you win or lose!

Does your group constantly tell "dad" jokes? Did they like Bad Grandpa 1-5? Is Caddyshack their idea of a serious movie? Escape Room Z is their game!

Envy creates a serious vibe. You're in a dark mansion. Someone's dead. You have to solve the murder mystery. It's more Sherlock Holmes than Lethal Weapon. Envy has a more urgent and suspenseful edge than Escape Room Z. Like recent Bill Murray movies, there are very few jokes.

Escape Room Z parodies the Zombie Apocalypse (because someone needs to make fun of that crazy idea!). It features cute little harmless zombies. The zombies don't want your brains (not enough nutritional value). But they do want your pizza! You escape by defeating the zombies and saving the pizza. After all, you need the energy to face the end of the world. (But be aware, the game itself is challenging. These tips will help you make it through the game alive.)

Of course, you can change the vibe by altering the room's setup. Both DIY games are fully customizable. You can take the edge off Envy or make Escape Room Z more serious. Maybe put two pizzas at stake instead of one!

Both DIY escape games can be printed as often as needed without extra fees. There is no limit. Therefore, you can plan a party for 5 people or 500. We recommend teams of 4-5 people. If you invite more than that, print out one copy of the game for every five people and race to see who finishes first!

Escape Room Z works better if you can scatter cards around the room for the players to spread out to find. At one point, players are actually shooting at zombies, meaning every team needs its own zombie range to complete the game. Putting 3-4 zombie escape games in one room might be a bit of a challenge and could lead to nerf gun wars endangering Aunt Mable's urn on the mantle.

Ideally, every Escape Room Z team should have their own room. If you're playing the game outside, which means that you are not in Miami in the summer or Duluth in the winter, it may be easier to fit multiple games in one space. You can set up Escape Room Z on a table with a zombie range, decreasing the room you need. If you're leaning towards the zombie escape game, remember how many guests you have and whether your space has enough room.

You can play Envy at a table because the shootings are done before the game starts. Scatter the cards across the table, set the timer, and they're off! While it's cool to have the posters and other period touches to set the mood, it is unnecessary. And still just as much fun. Just make sure the tables are far enough apart to prevent cheating, because players will eventually get stuck, it's just how escape games go. But here's what you can do to get unstuck.

Are you going all in? Will your space look less like a nice house and more like a college dorm or a set from the Walking Dead (we could never tell the two apart)? Are you going to the dollar store for extra props? Your guests will absolutely die for the mood-setting touches.

Both the zombie escape room and mystery escape room allow for upgrades and customizations. Trade the virtual locks for actual locks. Add lockboxes. Scatter props around the room to draw the players into the game. Having a Halloween Party? Decorate in the escape room theme rather than the tired pumpkins and skeletons.

Escape Room Z has more built-in upgrade capacity. It offers more virtual locks that can be turned into actual locks. The focus on scattering clues lends itself to converting your space to the feel of a "real" escape room game. It's a bit easier to give the zombie escape game a traditional escape room feel. With its whimsical theme, Escape Room Z allows for a fun and funny space.

Envy is more of a challenge to upgrade, but you can do it. It has fewer virtual locks that you can turn into actual locks. However, you can hide clues near props. Put the typewriter sheet near an actual typewriter (you have an actual typewriter?) or on a keyboard. Put a sign on the punch saying "Drink at Your Own Risk." You'll have to be a little more creative, but you can design a fabulous room for Envy with a little work.

Both games come with party invites. Start creating the mood from the invitation or save the date notice! Your friends will be intrigued and will clear their calendars for your party.

Envy includes a pack of impressive photo booth props for you to pose with. They create a great party atmosphere, and make for epically silly memories for you to cherish long after the party is over.

Did we mention you get to shoot zombies in Escape Room Z? The game comes with printable zombies that you can set up and shoot. We recommend a nerf gun, but you can also throw nerf balls, ping pong balls, or other similar objects at them. Keep the zombies for fun Halloween decorations!

Both the zombie escape room and the mystery escape room feature hot Spotify playlists. Turn on the music, start the timer, and let the game commence!

Whichever game you choose, your party will be a blast. Your friends will beg for another party soon. You may end up using both games!

The zombie escape room and mystery escape room provide unique new experiences for your friends. Make sure you leave lots of time after the party to brag, tease, and laugh about all the puzzles you missed and all the ones you solved! That's the best part!