Break out of Alcatraz, survive the jungle, and defeat a dragon - all in 20 minutes. 

notice

This is the shortest review you'll ever read on our website.

Boda Borg is best played when you know absolutely nothing going in.

So we won't be telling you anything. 

However, here are some quick stats, and we'll also explain what Boda Borg even is. 

quick stats

gameplay time: 2 hours or all day (we recommend 2 hours)

games: 20+

recommended team size: 3-5 players

difficulty: 5/5

scare level: Boda Borg is not eligible for a scare level as it has 20+ different Quests, some scarier than others. 

location: Malden, MA

website: www.bodaborg.com 

considerations: -extreme physical activity required in some quests, some physical activity required in most -claustrophobic in quite a few quests, especially the physical ones -fog effects used in some quests -low lighting conditions in some quests

what is boda borg?

short answer: Boda Borg is Level99 but with multiple rooms. 

long answer:

Boda Borg has about twenty given "Quests" at any given time. These Quests are a series of 2 to 4 rooms connected by a theme. Each room contains a challenge that can only be solved by 3 or more people. The challenge could be physical, mental, or a mix. To get to the next room, you must win the challenge without failing. If you fail in any room (and there are multiple ways you could fail that are unclear until you figure them out), you must go back to the start. Thus, if you don't beat a challenge in the 2 hours you're there, you won't see the rooms you didn't get to. Unlike Level99, there are no clues to help you out. It's just you and the Quest. You win or you lose. That's how Boda Borg works. 

Boda Borg is also a step up from Level99 in that it's extremely challenging. To win a Quest, you must get to the final room and beat its challenge. To give you a sense of how hard Boda Borg is, out of 21 rooms we played at Level99 we beat about 10 on our first visit, whereas at Boda Borg, out of about 21 rooms as well, we beat about 6 or 7. And not on one visit. We beat only 6 or 7 rooms EVER. Out of like 8 visits. That's how hard Boda Borg is. 

what stuff means

A green Quest means an entirely mental Quest. It's all brain and no brawn for this one. You should be able to complete every green Quest standing on your feet the whole time. 

A red Quest means it will be a mix of mental and physical. You'll still have to puzzle some things out, but you'll also probably do some mild crawling or climbing. It's as simple as it sounds - a little of both. 

A black Quest means it's entirely physical. Be warned - some of these challenges could belong on American Ninja Warrior. Your goal will almost always be to cross the room, but if it's not, it should be extremely obvious what you have to do. You won't need to puzzle anything. 

What To Bring

• Water bottle. Although Boda Borg has cups and dispensers in the lobby, trust me, bring your own. 

• Sneakers. Any other kind of shoe and you'll have trouble. 

• Athletic clothes (literally any clothes you can run, climb, jump, and crawl in). Don't be that one guy who thinks he can handle the Quests in his suit. 

• Knee pads. This is more of an optional thing. I tend not to, but my knees and pants are often displeased, and I know a lot of people who do bring them. 

The Rooms

• First and foremost, I cannot stress this enough: YOU WILL GET SLIGHTLY HURT. You can't avoid it. I've seen many people believe they could walk away without an injury. Usually it's only a bruise, a cut, or a roughed up knee, and I'm gonna be honest, you can barely feel it while you're so busy Questing. It's still 100% worth it to go. Just be prepared!

• The exit doors are always unlocked, if you need to leave a room for any reason. They are always easily accessible...

• ...with the exception of Alcatraz and Platoon. You should be warned for these Quests, there is, in both of them, a very dark tunnel that you must climb up, and the exit door is at the top. It's similar to a ladder, but it's very dark and slightly claustrophobic. If the door shuts behind you as you enter the tunnel, the only way out is up. If you're nervous about these tunnels, you can simply open the door to the next room, and if the tunnel looks like too much, just shut the door and don't go in. Don't worry, you can handle it!

EDIT: Platoon has fixed its lighting situation. Not sure about Alcatraz, as it was closed at the time of our most recent visit. 

• Do whatever it takes to make sure you have fun. Move Quests if you ever want to, or if you're ever getting bored. There's over 20 here, so if you ever stop having fun at one, try another! If you want to keep trying a Quest over and over, go for it! This is a time for you and your enjoyment!

• I'm going to rephrase what I said above - you will finish approximately 10% of the venue's offerings of challenges (not Quests), unless you are making a return visit, in which you may finish more. You're not gonna complete a ton of Quests. 

Where to Begin

• Farm

• Sphinx

• Superbanan (or really any black Quest)

• Jungle

What Stuff Means

• Solid green triangle: the room is ready for you to play! You can open the door at any time and start playing. 

• Blinking green triangle: someone is in that room! You will have to wait for them to progress or fail before you can go in. 

• Red circle: you have failed! That was to be predicted. Exit out a side door and try again from the start, or choose a new Quest to attempt. 

• Blank: you haven't figured out the trick to this room yet! There's something more in here that you have to do before you can move on to the next room. 

overall

As mentioned above, it's best to go into Boda Borg completely blind. It's how it was designed to play, and you'll get the full experience that way. I can't say much more without spoiling, but if you're a fan of physical activities, this is worth a trip across the country for. It's a revolutionary, one-of-a-kind experience, and it fully deserves highest marks. 

rating

9/10