The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze

Playing The Crystal Maze game at CC2000, near Narbeth, Wales.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Challenge TV are showing repeats of The Crystal Maze every weekday evening at 6pm and I'm addicted to watching it. It was a staple of my childhood and teenage years, and it would've been brilliant to go on the show. Perhaps I should apply if and when a new series is made.

Rewatching the show has reminded me of our holiday around the Welsh coast in 2009 when we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!

At that time it was the last remaining Cyberdrome Crystal Maze game in the UK. Sadly it closed for good in June 2010. It would've been brilliant to return for a few more games there.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was absolutely awesome to play. More of them should have been built back in the day. There were a total of eight built - five in the UK, two in Japan, and one in Dubai.

Just like the TV show, games were played in four themed zones - Aztec, Futuristic Medieval, and Ocean. But unlike the TV, show players were guided around the maze by Merlin - a computerised Maze Master.

Being set a task by Merlin

Aztec Zone

Futuristic Zone

Medieval Zone

Ocean Zone

We managed to win six of the nine games we played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver 'tokens' for a grand total of 75. So we didn't win the the "super-duper" prize, but we were first on the leaderboard for the day and got 1st of 1 on our souvenir certificate!

Inside the Crystal Dome

At that time the Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was the closest you could get to playing the real Crystal Maze. Now you can play The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London and Manchester. We Manchester venue is so close, we really ought to get a team together for a game there.

Photos of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in Tenby

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Laser Maze at Weston-Super-Mare's Grand Pier - and 'The Crystal Maze'

While on Weston-Super-Mare's Grand Pier we had a chance to play our first ever Laser Maze!

As big fans of Laser Tag (and all manner of other amusements) we couldn't wait to give it a go.

It's quite like playing one of the dreaded 'Automatic Lock-In' games on The Crystal Maze, in that you have to reach a target at one end of the room and return to touch another button to complete the task, all in the fastest possible time, and without breaking any of the Laser Beams!

I managed to beat Emily with a score of 399.4 to 427.0.

The Grand Pier is also home to 'The Crystal Maze'! Unfortunately it only shares its name with the brilliant TV Show and is not the same as the 'Cyberdrome' Crystal Maze Games (such as the one we played in Narbeth, Wales in 2009).

The Crystal Maze at CC2000, near Narbeth

A visit to the last remaining Cyberdrome Crystal Maze.

On our holiday around the Welsh coast in 2009 we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!











Emily and I (playing as Team Squire) managed to win six of nine games played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver for a total of 75. So we didn't win the the "super-duper" prize, but we were first for the day!


Absolutely awesome, and such great fun. More of these should have been built. It's the closest you'll get to playing the real Crystal Maze.


I'm looking forward to returning again.

Some history on the Crystal Maze game from Wikipedia:
"The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was an attraction usually found in larger bowling alleys and video arcades in the UK. It allowed fans an opportunity to "play" the Crystal Maze for themselves in a computerised format. There were a few differences from the show itself, e.g. there is no player choice of game category, and there is no locking in (instead, failing to quit a game would immediately cost the team a crystal). Five of the first six locations were in Britain, while the sixth was in Japan. Most of the Cyberdrome Crystal Mazes have since closed, but one is still running near Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales"

Oakwood Theme Park Crazy Golf

Oakwood Theme Park, near Tenby, has a Crazy Golf course. However it is not open to the general public and the cost of the ticket (£17.95) each was too expensive to justify playing there.

Looking at the Oakwood Theme Park Leaflet, and seeing a story about the course in the Western Telegraph, showed the course was much like those at Pendine Sands and Saundersfoot.

Instead we decided to enter The Crystal Maze next door!

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
- Wales