Winnipeg Gaming Destinations At a Glance:

• Winnipeg has gaming options for every kind of group, from board game cafés and escape rooms to arcades and indoor karting.
• Some destinations focus on competition, while others lean into puzzles, teamwork or casual play.
• Many venues offer multiple activities under one roof, making it easy to turn one stop into a full evening out.
• Check age, height and booking requirements before heading out, especially for escape rooms, karting and physical attractions.

Board game night

Whether you want to learn a new table top game or just want to gather with friends to play good ol' Catan, board game cafes can make it happen. Across the Board is a gem of a cafe in Winnipeg's Exchange District, where you can choose from an insane amount of games while snacking on menu items like "The Dice Bowl" (a mix of pretzels, Ritz crackers, Smarties and cheerios baked with seasonings, tossed with popcorn and topped with gummy worms).

Escape the room

Escape rooms are definitely having a moment and continue to pop up across the city. The Real Escape are experts at creating immersive, multi-room escape challenges, from exploring abandoned mines to solving the chilling case of London 1888.

With three locations throughout Winnipeg, Enigma Escapes is another excellent option for making your escape. Rooms take participants to Paris in hopes of solving a murder mystery and to Voodoo island in hopes of rescuing an ambassador's granddaughter.

And there's more. Head to Time Lapse to escape the warlock's curse, Killer Noob Escapes for a two part escape experience featuring a creepy clown, GET OUT! to escape a bunker before oxygen runs out and MASK Escapes to pull off a museum heist.

Laser Tag

Go old school and new school

You don't have to go far for arcades in Winnipeg, in fact, both U-Puttz and Lasertopia have a plethora of old and new school arcade games.

While it may seem an unlikely choice, XSCAPE Entertainment Centre in St. Vital Centre Mall has all the latest arcade games, directly adjacent to the movie theatre. And if you ask me, movies + arcade games = the perfect first date.

The Rec Room is home to one of the widest selections of arcade games in Winnipeg. From hosting classic arcade games like Pac-Man to new state of the art racing simulators, you'll be in for a day fueled by fun.

At Flying Squirrel Sports, go freestyle on the courts or test your abilities on the Olympic-grade trampolines. Face off against your friends on the battle beams, dunkhoops or mini golf.
If you'd still like to test your strength and endurance further, try the slack line, the ninja course and the climbing walls.
Or do what I do, and just jump into the foam pit and admit defeat.

Race to the finish

Date night doesn’t always have to mean dinner and a movie. A little friendly competition, a puzzle to solve or a few rounds in the arcade can make for a much more memorable night out.

Choose your activities and see who walks away with the bragging rights.

*Original blog written by Breanne Sewards*