If you're stuck indoors all day and need to escape, why not try doing so in a video game? Escape room games are a fun form of puzzle game where you have to use the tools given to you to escape a locked room. So, in this article, we explore the best escape room apps on Android and iPhone.
1. The Room Series
The Room is a highly popular escape room game for Android and iOS that was developed by Fireproof Games. The game enjoys very high review scores and an accolade of rewards, including a BAFTA award.
The Room is an excellent entry point for beginners. Not only is it a well-made game with excellent puzzles, but it also condenses the escape room game formula into a single contraption.
When you start the game, you're presented with a strange puzzle box on a table. You cannot leave the table, neither can you perform actions away from the puzzle box. The focus of the game is entirely around the contraption and your interactions with it.
Because of this, The Room doesn't require players to backtrack through places or dig through other puzzles to find a solution. If you're stuck, all it takes is a closer look at the device and some out-of-the-box thinking. It's likely the solution was staring at you the entire time.
If you really can't progress, the game has a hint system that helps guide you through the fiendish puzzles. As such, you're never "truly" stuck; you have help until the very end. As for how the contraption results in you "escaping the room"---you'll have to finish it to find out.
The Room is a series featuring four games, plus a special VR version for Oculus, Steam, and PlayStation VR. If you don't have a VR headset but you do have a powerful phone, why not turn your phone into a headset and play one of the best VR games for Android and iOS?
Download: The Room for Android (Free)
Download: The Room for iOS ($0.99)
2. The Birdcage Series
If you have played The Room and found it too mind-bending, give The Birdcage a try. It uses a similar formula than The Room, where you have a single contraption you have to explore. However, in this game, you're not the one escaping the room; rather, you're helping a bird escape its cage.
The Birdcage differs from The Room as it provides multiple cages as levels, instead of presenting one puzzle as the whole game. This means you'll only have a handful of puzzle modules to think about at any given time, which reduces the difficulty of each puzzle considerably.
While escape room experts will likely scoff at the easy puzzles in this game, the Birdcage series is the perfect app for someone who wants to play something less taxing. It's also the perfect app if you want to give your kids something cerebral to play. There is a small charge that unlocks more levels, removes ads, and gives you unlimited hints.
Download: The Birdcage for Android | iOS (Free, with in-app purchases available)
3. Rime
If you can complete easy escape room games with your eyes closed, it's time for a tougher challenge. Fans of difficult escape rooms will get mileage out of Rime, which proves to be a fun mind-bending experience for experts.
In Rime, you find yourself within a book world and have to escape a building. While there is only one level, the puzzles are fiendishly difficult and will have you kicking yourself after you figure out how to solve them.
Fortunately, the game comes with a hint system, where you watch an ad in exchange for a guiding tip. If all else fails, the game has its own walkthrough that lets you peek at the solution.
The game also has a few endings to explore, including a "true ending" for those who are especially observant.
Download: Rime for Android | iOS (Free, with in-app purchases available)
4. Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery
Tiny Room Stories has you play as a detective, called to a town by your father. The only problem is, when you turn up, everyone seems to have vanished into thin air. It's up to you to explore the town and figure out what happened.
Tiny Room Stories is a worthy mention due to its unique gameplay. While other games use a first-person perspective as if you're in the room, Tiny Room Stories instead takes an isometric viewpoint.
As such, it's not so much escaping a "room" as it is escaping a diorama. You can rotate the scene, find doors to enter, and zoom in on important parts to find all of the pieces of the puzzle.
It's worth noting that the game locks future chapters under a one-time season pass payment, so it's not an ideal game if you're looking for a totally free experience. However, the entry price is just $5 and also removes the ads, so it's worth it if you're enjoying the story.
Download: Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery for Android (Free, with in-app purchases available)
5. Monument Valley
Don't let the upfront price tag of Monumental Valley put you off; it's a small price to pay for such a beautiful and ingenious game. This game is unlike other escape room games, as there is no inventory or tapping around a room to find a single item. Instead, it takes a refreshing and more relaxed take on the genre.
The goal behind Monumental Valley is to get from one side of a scene to another. The problem is, the scenery is broken up and won't let you pass. You can move the geometry around by touching each part, thus building a path that lets you cross.
The interesting part about Monumental Valley is that it uses impossible spaces. Walkways that look like they wouldn't connect in real life end up doing so due to the forced perspective. If you've ever looked at an Escher painting and wanted to play a game based in its world, you'll love this app.
Download: Monument Valley for Android | iOS ($3.99)
More Escape Room Games to Play Online
Escape room games have been around for a while, and have even inspired real-life counterparts around the world. Fortunately, whether you're at home or traveling somewhere, you always have an escape room waiting for you on your phone.
Once you've played all of these, check out the best online escape the room games.