Came to Activate for a date and arrived a little early. The front desk associate suggested we wait until our selected time so we'd have more room and space while playing the games, which I appreciated. Once we were checked in, we were given a locker to store our belongings, which was convenient. The only thing I didn't like--and was a bit disappointed by--was that I had to seek someone out to let them know it was our first time so they could explain how to utilize the rooms, gain access, and understand exactly what needed to be done. A brief intro or automatic walkthrough for first-timers would have made the experience smoother. That said, the games themselves were extremely fun. Some were a bit complicated at first, but I loved that you can either verse the person you're with or work together as a team, which made it perfect for a date. Overall, a fun and unique experience with just a little room for improvement on first-time guidance. read more

Right in the American Dream mall, easiest if you park in parking level A on the ground or first floor. We went on a Saturday, and it was quite busy. I suggest coming on a weekday if you do not want to wait a minute or two for each game! You have 45 minutes for unlimited game access, with about 9-10 games to choose from. Each game only lasts 2-4 minutes tho, depending on the game. When entering, they provide a locker for any bags or items you want to place. They give you two wristbands (one for game access and the other for a locker of your belongings). The staff was so friendly. I was running out of breath and trying to rush to get our last game in and he told me to relax and have fun! The staff also takes the time to explain each game in the beginning and although it was busy, they definitely made the experience so much more fun. Some of the games are a bit complicated, and hard to understand even after the game explains it to you! My favorite was the grid. Me and my boyfriend made a tiktok about activate and it went viral! At the end, you can redeem your points earned for a prize. Me and my boyfriend got the keychain that also provides 10% off your next visit within the next 30 days. Definitely can NOT wait to come again! read more

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What a fun date activity. I did not expect to be running around but I did. They have multiple rooms with different challenges. I definitely enjoyed the one when we threw balls to incoming astroids. They give you a locker to put your stuff in which is convenient. The 45 mins is definitely enough to try all the rooms. Would come back to beat our previous score. read more

Activate Games - Arcades Near Me - East Rutherford, New Jersey

Located in American Dream. Parking is free the 1st 1/2 hour then $5 for the rest of the stay. I thought we could just decide to sign up for Activate when already there but I called before and was advised to book online to make sure we get a timeslot. Weekdays $24.99pp, weekends $29.99pp. Up to 5 people can play at the same time. We booked for the following week on a Sunday morning - better bec. less people have gone in. It's a place with physical games/challenges (mental too) so when my sons/extended family were there a month ago and I went by the entrance, I got a whiff of sweat odor. But none when we went this time. We got wristbands - has our info which we entered on ipads after checking-in. Also a locker wristband for an assigned locker per group, just enough for smaller items/sweaters but not enough for jackets (we left ours in the car). An employee welcomed us and talked about the rooms. There was a variety, each labeled with one word (basically describing what the room is about). Each room has a wristband scanner and small screen which shows the games, with different levels that can be unlocked, and mini-tutorials. Each member scans their band and then instructed to enter when the room is free. Can continue playing the different levels of that game, unless prompted to leave when another group is waiting outside. Can always return to that room anyway. We all enjoyed, good family fun. I liked the physical challenges. We checked our individual standing on a scoreboard and with our band (also can check how many games left to play). After our 45 min session was done, we each got a keychain, which has our record, and told about 10% off the next visit. read more

Activate Games - Arcades Near Me - East Rutherford, New Jersey

We had an absolute blast here! For $30, you get a total of 45 minutes of game time. Upon entering, you will receive a bracelet that will track your progress. There's a locker near the entrance where you can store your personal belongings. Each game lasts about 1-3 minutes and you can continue playing through the next level as long as there are no other people waiting for the same game. There are so many games to choose from and each has multiple levels with increasingly levels of difficulty. My favorites were the laser and the grids. I'd recommend wearing comfortable clothes as we were all sweating by the end. read more

Activate Games - Arcades Near Me - East Rutherford, New Jersey

So much fun!! Friends and I have seen it on tiktok and it looked like fun. The most common video is the mega tile floor game (I forget the name). We're all in our mid-late 20s and had a blast!! We all broke a sweat so who needs a gym! Each room has a different activity such as lights, lasers, climbing, basketball hoops, etc which different game modes! Teams can be cooperative or competitive. We all picked the easiest cooperative options but there are fun options for people who want to think more than us. Each game is only a minute or so which doesn't sound like a long time, but one you're inside the game, it is plenty of time! Locker storage was easy! We got wrist bands to unlock the locker. Each locker was deep. Other positive things to note: helpful staff, fun leaderboard, engaging games, and hand sanitizer available! read more

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So much fun! I've seen IG reels before, and always wanted to try the grid games. Upon discovering that Activate was inside American Dream Mall, I came for a double date with my bestie. It's around $30 per person for 45 mins of play time, and lockers are provided. The game time seems to start only when you scan in for your first game. The concept behind Activate is great - games are usually 2 mins long. If someone's waiting outside, the room will tell you to leave. If not, the group can keep playing and progressing through the levels. This system worked so well, because we never had to wait too long for a game room! 45 minutes goes by QUICK, and that's saying something considering unathletic is a understatement for me. My favorite rooms by far were the grid rooms, which were challenging but super fun. Games are perfect for friends, family, or even smaller work gatherings. I would say groups of 4-5 are probably best! Definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

My introduced me to this place as she had been here before but somewhere else. It's located in the Mall and it's close to where the Aquarium and new arcade are. You need tickets before hand and its timed entry since there's a time limit to how long you can stay. Once you check in, you get interactive wristbands for each person and one for a small locker as well. You also have to create a profile and sign a waiver, as well using the wrist band at a kioks before you start. Once that's done, if you've never been there, there's someone to explain and show you what to do if you've never been there before. Basically there are probably 10 or so rooms each with a different game involved. You can keep score againest each other or as a group and you compete againest everyone else playing as far as total points. One room is basket ball themed, so you shoot to answer trivia questions. Another room, you threw rubber balls at the wall similar to a memory game. There are probably 10 rooms, each with a different game. Each game is quick, under 2 to 5 mins if that so you play multiple ones and build your score up. A little but of running around so where comfortable clothes. Fun time though! read more

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Activate was so much fun! I went with my friends because we wanted a day to feel like kids again, and it did not disappoint. This was my second time going, and I had just as much fun as the first time. Such a great experience! read more

It is so fun for all ages. The staff is especially wonderful, helpful and friendly. We loved our Activate experience. We highly recommend for others to come to this amazing gaming tech experience. Be sure to ask Naomi or Sam any questions regarding any room that you may have. They bent over backwards to enhance our experience. Thanks so much Naomi and Sam! Judy Lazarus read more

There's around 8 different rooms with games that involve physical activity. Pretty fun for a small group or a date. They keep track of your scores, and you unlock harder levels as you play. Your old scores are saved, so the next time you visit, you can just pick up where you left off! It's $32 for 45 minutes, which is expensive imo. The time went by quickly, and half of it was spent waiting for rooms. I'd recommend going on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Although it's pricey, there's nothing else like this in the area. Definitely worth trying at American Dream! read more

Family had a lot of fun here. We were looking to an alternative to an escape room because there were just 4 of us, one of which was 8yrs old. This ended up being a great option. There are a bunch of different rooms that you can select from, each with multiple options. There were some really cool activities like dodging lasers, etc. We seriously felt like we were characters in a movie or game show for some of them. They do provide free locker service. Also I was able to get in for free because it was my bday, although I think they mentioned that they are discontinuing that promo. It did get fairly crowded towards the end, but because the games are so fast (and basically start almost as soon as you enter each room), we barely had to wait at all. Only complaint is that its in American dream so you need to pay for parking. read more

My cousins and I went to Activate at American Dream on a weeknight. It's a place with a bunch of different rooms with different games inside. It costs $25 for 45 minutes of play time. Play time and points are tracked on a wristband they give you at the start. You can create a player profile in case you wanna go again. The rooms are each setup differently, and there are a few variations of games for each room. One room had lasers to dodge, another had basketball hoops, and my favorite had a colored grid where you had to step on specified colors based on instructions. Some of the games weren't as straightforward as others. And the instructions are sometimes unclear. It seems pretty rushed sometimes, but once you do the room a few times, it gets clear enough. Most games last less than 5 minutes, so 45 minutes is plenty of time to try each room at least once. read more

It's better to reserve this place ahead of time as it gets sold out the day of. This is really fun, and the place has very fast-paced games. A unique gaming experience. I would definitely come back with a larger group. But not too large as you can't fit too many in one room or you can get split up. Try to do as many interactive cooperative or competitive games with your team within 45 minutes. read more

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A unique and fun way to experience arcade games- highly recommend for either couples or up to groups of 5. Try to book ahead online especially if it's during more popular times, but they do take walk ins. For $25/person ($20 on weekdays), you get 45 min to play the arcade games. There's ~8-10 rooms you can go into, each with a different set of games that last 2-3 min. They give you a wristband to enter the rooms and keep track of game levels and points (that accumulate with each visit!). There's also small prizes you can win at the end of your session (key chain, water bottle, basketball, etc). Such a cool concept & game set ups were very efficient despite going during a busier time. Will definitely be coming back! read more

I've been to Activate at American Dream Mall twice and I've had such a great time both times. I had made a reservation ahead of time and arrived 10 minutes early. We had checked in and they gave us our bracelets for the games and one for a locker for our belongings. We then registered our bracelets on the tablets and also if you have been there before it continue adding points from where you last left off from your previous visit. The points are good for prizes for certain levels. Once we were registered, we put our stuff in our lockers and began scanning our bracelets for games. When you scan your bracelet you can pick which game you want to play and the difficulty level. On the screen you can also see how much time is left that you to play-- you get 45 minutes of play time. There are different types of games and many levels to choose from. We enjoyed basketball, the giant grid, and the asteroid game. The wait time for games wasn't too bad at first but it did get more crowded. When it got more crowded we noticed that there was less chances to continue playing the same game more than once. It was fine as I know they need to accommodate more people. It's really fun and we had a great time playing all the games! You can also see a scoreboard in the hallway and see where you stand amongst everyone playing. With the points and levels, you can get prizes. I was supposed to get a keychain but they ran out and was told to ask for one next time. I will definitely go back but recommend going on a weekday as there will be a shorter wait for games. read more

Activate Games - Arcades Near Me - East Rutherford, New Jersey

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Great experience with a group of colleagues. You run, jump, sweat and laugh trying to figure things out and work as a team. Games are quick, wish they'd allow you to stay until you fail - but thats how they rotate and make sure everyone gets a turn. Its fun! read more

It was super fun!! I went twice in a span of a month. I definitely recommend going when it isn't too crowded.

hadn't even made it inside yet. I arrived late (my daughter had already paid for me and told a worker) The chick at the register acted like she was mad she had to work tonight. poor customer service. refund issued read more

Of all the entertainment options in American Dream, Activate is my favorite so far. It is pretty pricey ($30 per person for 45 minutes of game play), but it's a unique experience with floor-to-ceiling interactive games. Definitely book ahead of time, since it sells out quickly! read more

I have to give credit where credit is due! we went today with my 17 yo son, 10 yr old, and my nieces 15 snd 18 yo. we had no idea about the huge event going on at same time for Dream Food Fest. The traffic was so heavy and crawling for parking so we were late. we called from the lot and let them know we were late and asked for our reservation to be updated to a late time and they were able to accommodate and were really kind and sooo nice to me and the kids. The kids had so much fun and can't wait to go again! Thank you to your absolutely lovely staff! You guys made this mom's day and you rock! read more

A friend had prebooked for an hour at Activate on a Saturday night and check in was super easy. We had gotten 2 lockers and that was able to fit 9 people's worth of stuff. They give you a little bracelet that's essentially your username and you tap to join rooms. It's 4-5 people per room at a time, we we ended up swapping teams every once in a while. I think we played almost all of the games - some that we did again and again. Each room will have several different modes, so even though there are about 10 rooms, each room has several options. Sometimes the instructions aren't super clear until you get into the room, but you can always just go outside and re-tap to try again. The fact that all the games really only last 45 seconds each means that if you're waiting outside for a room, it's pretty quick to go in. If you did good and there's no one waiting outside to play the game, the room will let you keep going. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. The employees and manager are liars. They say you don't need a reservation but will mislead you and not take accountability. I would not recommend anyone going here. It is a waste of money and disappointing. read more

activate was so fun. 45 minutes may not be a lot and the holiday pricing was a bit steeper than most but i still think i got my utility per dollar today. there's so many fun rooms and games to play with friends. this is definitely a birthday or date location for a group of 2 or more. highly recommend playing the strike, climb, hoops, and mega grid games!! read more

So much fun! Found Activate online and so glad we went. We only paid for an hour's time which was more than enough time- got to play so many different games. Great for a date or for kids, overall perfect for everyone. Would definitely go back l! read more

We went here on a weekday and paid $25 each for 45 min. The time flew by - it was so much fun!!! I will say, some of the games were sort of confusing so I wish they would break down the games before your time starts. It also gets sort of crowded so you have to wait for games which is frustrating for the short period of time you're given. I would definitely come back because it was so fun, I just wish they would take these things into consideration :) read more

Awesome place! The games were fun and there was a decent variety. My kids had a blast. The manager was great and went above and beyond to accommodate us. Look forward to going back again soon! read more

Loads of fun! Entertaining for a group of up to 5, but we did two groups and then got into new groupings as we went.