Squarena — Attraction in New York

Very enjoyable way to spend an hour near Times Square. Took my 3 children (2 teens and a tween) on a Friday afternoon in the summer. We arrived an hour earlier than our reservation and were able to take the room at that time because it was not busy. (Two or three other groups arrived after we got started). We chose Blue’s Arena, which said it was designed for beginners.

The room reservation was for about 50 minutes, which included two 20-minute sessions and a 10-minute break. Objective is to step on all blue squares, while the floor changes to red at varying speeds and intervals and patterns. Green spots (which are stationary) are safe zones and usually large enough to house 1 or 2 people. One point is gained for each blue square stepped on, and one “life” lost for each red (you start with 25 lives per round). A screen shows your score and remaining lives and time elapsed.

There is no comparison to room averages and no leaderboard, so you aren’t really there to compete per se. But the game is dynamic and challenging enough that you get an aerobic workout while also doing your best to complete the level, feeling accomplished when you succeed and frustrated when you fail. After 2 or 3 failures of the same round, the game moves you to a new round; success gives you a new round immediately.

Each room has a one-way mirror so you can watch the other rooms’ participants while you are on break; amusing to watch as you know what they are going through. There is a small but comfortable seating area outside the rooms.

Most importantly for a summer day, they keep the air conditioning at a very low temperature, and sell ice cold water at $1 per 16-oz bottle, which is an amazing deal considering the proximity to Times Square (other drinks such as Gatorade were available at a max price of $3). The staff was friendly and did not rush us out after our session, which allowed us to cool off before heading out to lunch.

The one-hour session cost $130 for the four of us. Definitely a fun way to spend an hour near Times Square, even...

It was a swelteringly hot week in July, and The Team™️ gathered in real life for an inaugural onsite. Having never convened before, The Team™️ needed an activity that would unite them across space and time. What's a Team™️ to do? There were the usual yet trite suspects—escape rooms, mini golf, and other corporate rites of passage. However, this Team™️ craved something different and found themselves at Squarena.

After trekking through 1.5 miles in the relentless heat, The Team™️ found sanctuary at Squarena. Nestled in a nondescript office building off 7th, Ray, the mysterious owner, buzzed The Team™️ in. Once inside, Ray greeted everyone with plenty of fans and patiently encouraged everyone to cool off. He provided hydrating refreshments and gave a demonstration of what to expect. The Team™️ counted off into two groups and entered their respective rooms.

What happens at Squarena stays at Squarena. However, a brief window into the adventure: a Hong Konger leapt like his life depended on it, an Australian yielded many a point due to his delicate step, a leader was monikered 'Professor X' due to the sweat on his back that resembled an X, engineers deftly danced across the tiles, dramatic jumping pictures were taken, and more! Certain engineers were so enthralled that they started interviewing Ray about the mechanics behind the technology.

Squarena is more than a game, it brings people together. The Team™️ walked away feeling bonded like the blue...

2 person DUO! A lot of these reviews seem to mention going with a larger group bigger than 2, so I was definitely unsure at first, but I went with one other person and the two of us had a great experience. Upon arrival, the staff was very friendly and welcoming. The rules of the game are simple and they were explained in a simple manner too. The facility is elite , reminds me of the ambiance from Black Mirror’s San Junipero episode. For 2 people, the best option seems to be “Blue’s Arena”, which was a lot of intense fun. It’s a 45 minute session (seems short right? Think again) and I don’t think I’ve sweat like that in a long time. Bring a change of clothes for after , or don’t. The game is the perfect amount of challenge , it’s not too easy and it’s not too difficult. The game makes you run , jump , hop, everything. While there is an indirect fitness element to the game, you are more concentrated on the vibes/ challenge/ teamwork. So don’t think of it as a “workout” per se, but you’ll definitely get a workout from it. I’m so happy I found this gem and will return soon someday. A developer told me that new updates are soon to come, featuring new game modes etc. But, after ruminating on that idea, I wondered what is next to come? When the foundation was that fun, I can only imagine what’s next. I’m excited to see the future of this arena. And I’ll be coming back for part...