TRAPPED Mississauga Escape Room — Local services in Mississauga

We visited TRAPPED Mississauga last night. We were a group of 7 and have done a ton of escape rooms around Toronto. This was our first time at this one.

We arrived- had no issues. Started the escape room, everything was fine. We choose escape room 057. There was a computer in the room which wasn’t working- and I as meant to be used for a puzzle. The flashlights they provided which were also necessary to complete puzzles also were barely working. Sometimes they weren’t turning on. Other times they were blinking rapidly- so please avoid this room if you’re epileptic. We told them about the computer- They came and fixed it when we asked. It seems they know it doesn’t work half the time cause they told us “if it stops working again just turn the screen on and off”. We thought that was weird. We’re paying $28/person (in Mississauga of all places) and having to call staff members in throughout the experience to fix things which ultimately diminished the experience. More than halfway through we called for a hint for another puzzle. We had asked for 2-3 hints previously so I’m not sure if that’s what threw one of the staff members off but we’d been stuck on puzzle for so long. It was a screen we were meant to look at with 3D glasses and there were numbers on it. The staff member told us to take note of what colours the numbers were, but when we looked, there were no colours. So her instructions weren’t making sense. we asked for further clarification. We were kind about it. At most- we sounded very confused. we could hear her getting really agitated that we weren’t getting the hint. We said “we don’t see any colours”. She was huffing and puffing, being very aggressive and short and then she yells “well are you colourblind!?” All of us went silent. It was just the weirdest experience. Imagine you pay $140 + tax and the people who are meant to help you out- are yelling at you and asking inappropriate question. One of us said “why would you ask us that” and she tried to justify herself by claiming it was a genuine question. However- when you’re asking such a question you wouldn’t use such a derogatory tone in case someone was actually colour blind.

She got tired of us asking for clarification and barged into the room. Took the glasses and she seemed very excited to let us know how we were in the wrong. But of course- there were no colours. The screen was broken (just like half the room). We were right.

She said she didn’t know why it wasn’t working but apologized. Said we’d get a few extra minutes and because the screen wasn’t working right we’d get “15% off coupons” for next time.

Take note- every escape room gives everyone these coupons on the way out. It’s nothing special. So I think she thought we were fooled. My friend said “I’m not upset that the appliances and tech in this room don’t work- I’m upset that you would speak to us so offensively. We came to have fun and you’re yelling at us?”

The woman’s response didn’t help the situation and she disappeared.

The rest of the experience was just ruined. She left the room and everyone’s mood was off. What they should’ve done is given us a refund or let us play again, or given us a free room for next time. But they’d got their money. They didn’t care and weren’t interested in us having a good time

When we were leaving another employeee came over, said he didn’t know what happened but wanted to give us 15% off for next time. No accountability. And trying to make it look like they were trying to find a solution while handing out coupons they hand out to all customers like...

The staff were very nice and the game, Death Note, was okay at best. Pros for the game were the nice setup of the room and atmosphere, and the game master was really nice before and during the game.

A few points that detracted from the experience:

The store prompted me for a tip (ranging from 10% to 20% of the remaining payment...on top of HST) when I was asked to pay for the remainder of the reservation, which was within a minute of me entering the storefront (so not even having played the game yet). This took me aback, as this was not disclosed on the website booking page, and led me to wonder whether if a person didn’t tip or didn’t tip a “good amount” whether the staff would treat them differently this time around or next time around (as repeat customers). I tipped 10% and the staff member then kindly got me a cup of water when I requested one. But if I hadn’t tipped, would the staff have insisted I buy the bottles of water for sale instead? Without wading into the debate or whether a tip or not is warranted, why put any potential/perceived pressure on the customer to tip BEFORE the game has even started (when the staff haven't rendered any service yet besides asking me to pay)? Do the tips even go to the staff? Why am I being asked to tip on HST when HST is presumably being remitted to the government?

I agree with the critical reviews here of Death Note. I have done a number of escape rooms in Toronto and other cities, and this one was below average to me for the following reasons: This one has a minimalistic feel, which is fine but then every clue should count. However, there were a number of red herrings which proceeded to take up unwanted brain space (and time), including some objects that came out of another item which were not required to be used (even though they seemed like they would be needed at some point). Some of the reasoning was obtuse / farfetched and required great attention to detail not seen in typical escape rooms (if your eyesight in darkened rooms isn't great, for example, one of the solutions will not be obvious without getting a hint from the game master). One of the clues necessary to finish the game was apparently obvious if we took a certain action, but if that’s the case, they should disclose that prior to the game. The only options to hold up “failed” or “succeed” signs at the end of the game for the team photo are rather stark. Why not have other fun signs like “I tried” or “Teamwork FTW” for example…something that focuses on the effort and experience, and not just the outcome. Especially given the low success rate for the Death Note room (reportedly around 7-20% from what I gather).

I do not know if I would return to try the other games. I recommend Looking Glass Adventures if you’re in the Toronto area - that to me is still the king of universally appealing escape rooms that successfully balance challenging your mind with reasoning that makes sense, plus super kind staff and no tip prompting (love Walden's Wizarding Shop). I also enjoyed The Lost Treasure at Enigma Escape rooms for two people who are just dipping their toes into escape rooms - great staff and no tip prompting. The pricing is a bit higher at both places, but it’s also...

Disappointing Experience at Trapped Mississauga

I recently visited Trapped Mississauga during a snowstorm, and my experience was far from satisfactory. Upon arriving, we spent 20 minutes searching for parking in their poorly maintained lot, which was completely filled with no available spots. This was incredibly frustrating, especially considering the weather conditions.

To make matters worse, when we finally entered the escape room, Maria informed us that our timer would start immediately, despite us being nine minutes late due to the parking situation. I believe that a key aspect of running a business is being considerate of your clients and the circumstances they may face, particularly in adverse weather conditions.

Additionally, when we asked for hints during the game, Maria responded in a snarky tone with “Did you say something?” instead of offering an apology for the delay. This felt very inconsiderate, especially since we were already pressed for time.

As a regular escape room enthusiast and a member of various escape room communities, I cannot recommend this establishment. Unfortunately, my experience at Trapped Mississauga has led me to suggest that others stay away. I hope they can improve their customer service and parking situation in the future.

Edit:

It’s disappointing to hear that our concerns were met with a response that feels dismissive rather than understanding. While we acknowledge the challenges of a shared parking lot and the impact of a snowstorm, it’s still the responsibility of businesses to ensure that their premises are as accessible as possible. At the time of our visit, the lot was only about 60% cleared, making parking unnecessarily difficult. If parking is crucial to your operations, then ensuring its proper maintenance should be a priority.

Additionally, while we understand that schedules must be followed, our experience with the game master came off as impatient and, at times, even petty. We arrived ready to enjoy our visit but were met with what felt like a lack of consideration, making the experience less enjoyable.

Rather than just placing responsibility on guests to plan accordingly, perhaps more could be done on your end to accommodate unexpected challenges. We hope you take this feedback seriously and use it to improve future customer...