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Activate Games

4.7 (96 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

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Main hallway
Jodi S.

Very cool idea- kids had a blast. Not too expensive for the "every once in a while" outing. Find a way to have the games projected onto TVs so parents can watch!

Cheryl T.

Had an amazing experience my first time here, so decided to try it out as a family outing. It was really crowded for a Friday night. It b didn't look like people were actually keeping to their reservation times. Also it looked like where were a lot of younger kids that were going into rooms without any supervision. It is a much better time to go when it isn't crowded, it makes a world of difference for your overall experience. So crowded it is a 3 star activity, but less crowded makes it a 5 star... thus the 4 star rating. The games themselves are still very fun. I'd recommend wearing workout gear and then tossing your long sleeves / jackets in the free locker. The smaller game rooms can get pretty warm. Also make sure to carry some water bottles in your car for afterwards!

Try navigating through this in the 'LASER' room! Hint: army crawl underneath
Eric S.

TARGET: HEART RATE Getting in a cardio workout has never been this exciting. Activate Games is right off Route 83 & Butterfield Rd, across the street from Oak Brook Center near Blackberry Market. This gaming facility houses a series of mental and physical challenges that can be played in cooperative or competitive formats. You can enter 11 unique arenas, each requiring a combination of agility, accuracy, and endurance. Each arena has difficulty levels ranging from 1 (beginner) to 10 (expert+), with each round lasting between 1-3 minutes, or until you run out of lives. There's free lockers to use when you walk in, first time visitors will have to register and get their wristbands setup. The price is $25 Mon-Thurs and $30 on weekends; each booking gives you a 75 minute time slot. A silicone RFID wristband tracks your progress and unlocks each room. It's a convenient system, and you can even monitor your level progression online! I was excited to try their newest room, 'STRIKE', which is a dodgeball gauntlet with hi-def screens. One game variant involves blowing up asteroids, a fun but nerve-wracking mode. 'HOOPS' is a fairly straightforward basket shooting game, while 'PRESS' will test your visual acuity and pattern recognition. 'CLIMB' involves grabbing onto handholds, 'HIDE' sees you pushing buttons in sequence while avoiding detection, and 'LASER' has two unique modes where you can shoot guns at targets, or carefully navigate around laser beams like a superspy. That last room gets tricky in a hurry! Sometimes a button will stop working, or a ball will get lost (this happened to us in 'PORTALS', which relies on a single ball). The game technicians are quick to act, and they'll get rooms back in service without much delay. Staff are friendly and helpful. Water and rest breaks are 100% needed, you'll likely be winded after a couple rounds. This is especially true in 'GRID' where you'll be tip-toeing onto green tiles and avoiding red ones, while also deftly smacking actuators in the 'MEGA GRID' room. A word of advice: don't wear jeans. Dress as if you're going to the gym, i.e. T-shirts or underarmor, leggings or shorts, and a good pair of sneakers (they won't let you in with open-toed shoes). You will probably break a sweat and should expect to reach your target heart rate several times. After your first visit, they'll give you a keyfob that stores your saved game data. Activate has reward tiers--you can earn 'stars' for completing any room at a given level, which can be redeemed for swag like water bottles and even gift cards. I'm one (good) visit away from getting a basketball! * TL;DR * This interactive playroom in Oak Brook seamlessly blends interactive technology with physical exercise and teamwork to create a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. I've been here twice and can't wait to return a third time. I'm excited to see the Naperville location open soon, as it's much closer to our house and should have a different variety of rooms. I wish Activate were around when I was younger, hopefully they'll still be in business once my kids are old enough. So much freakin' fun. 11/10 would recommend.

Portals Game Room
Amanda C.

It was super fun the games were a blast! I took my 8 year old son but there were so many age groups here enjoying themselves. 10/10 will definitely be back very soon.

Kay P.

Activate is such a fun group game activity for any age - We went with a group of friends on a weekend and it was lots of fun. It's interactive and so much more fun & unique than a typical board game night! Perfect place for a kids birthday, adults group game night, family outing, etc.

Ambra R.

This place is such a blast!! I've been a few times now for celebrating birthdays. I read reviews before coming and this place definitely exceeded my expectations! Upon arriving, we parked in the parking lot where there's always plenty of space to park. They seem pretty busy on the weekends but the staff is always friendly. Once you check in and get a wristband, there are lockers to store personal belongings. Once started, you are activated for 90 mins of "play time". Heading into the game space, there are maybe 15-20 "mini game rooms". Even when the place is crowded, there is a considerate and timely flow of how the rooms are used. After choosing a room and a specific game, you put yourself in a queue to play inside. The rooms are voice operated and prompts you when to enter and exit through rooms. As you play these games physically with your body, it can be a nice workout or a cute interactive date. There are easy accessible bathrooms and staff always near. There are hand sanitizer stations available and water fountains. Overall, I love this place! I try to go whenever I get some free time to just do something fun...anddddd it's free for you if it's your birthday!

The entrance
Brittany R.

What a COOL place!! We had a blast here - it's perfect for gorup activities and is DEFINITELY engaging. You check-in at the front desk and they give you a wristband that swipes you into the different game rooms they have. There is a VARIETY of game rooms, each lasting for about 3 minutes. If no one is waiting outside your game room, you can swipe your wrist band to keep playing. The band also keeps score of all of your games. The games range from shooting hoops, climbing along a wall, running through lasers, finding color blocks on the floor and so much more. Some games are physical and some are mental. It's fun to try them all, there's really nothing to lose. There's also a lot of color in the outside hallways before you enter the rooms. I had so much fun and plan to be back. I felt super engaged with each game and the time went by so fast. What a great idea and experience.

Christina L.

I recently visited activate to celebrate a friend's 34th birthday party. I am not an active person in general. I was a little nervous at first. I made sure to wear some leggings and tennis shoes. It turned out to be allot of fun with a ton of different levels and variety of games. My favorite had to be the color changing block floor, we could have played that game for much longer. My team was the perfect number of five, which most play rooms accommodated as the max. My team made the board and at the end we got key chains. I would go back.

Bailey M.

This place is sooo much fun! I'm addicted! It's $26 for 75 minutes per person. I think the price is reasonable. There are a bunch of game rooms with short games 90 seconds or so. You work your way through the levels. You can keep going through the levels unless another group is waiting. This makes it fair and it's no big deal because there are plenty of other games to try. Some of the games include climbing through lasers, memory games, trivia, shooting basketball hoops, and a rock wall. Each activity has various types of games you can play. For example, the laser room you can play a game where you are climbing through lasers or shooting lasers. You need a minimum of 2 people and groups can be up to 5 people. If your group is bigger, then you'll need to split into multiple groups. Booking is super easy and super flexible. Definitely give it a try!

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Really fun games. Very active. Kids are exhausted. Super friendly staff and very professional as well.

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3 years ago

Amazing Experience. Expect to walk, run, climb, and crawl your way around this place. Definitely a worthwhile workout gaming experience.

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3 years ago

Everyone had so much fun and got a little work out in at the same time. We can't wait to go back.

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Page 3 of 3

Ask the Community - Activate Games

Review Highlights - Activate Games

The room types are arena, climb, grid, hoops, mega laser, hide, control, mega grid, strike, portals, and press.

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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Galloping Ghost Arcade

Galloping Ghost Arcade

4.5
(387 reviews)
5.9 mi

I love video games. Always have. When I found out that the largest arcade in America was near…read moreChicago, I had to stop. Here is what I liked and didn't like about this place. Liked - Over 900+ games. I mean, just by sheer numbers, that is impressive as hell! Every game you can think of, and then some. So many games I had never heard of before. - Unlimited play with entry. - Its like an interactive video game museum, pretty much. Didn't Like - $25.00 to get in. Wish they had a "by the hour" type pricing. I was there for about 3 hours, and I probably just broke even, money wise, on the games I actually played. - Almost TOO MANY games if there is a such a thing. I spent half my time walking around looking at the different games instead of just sitting down playing them. - Hot inside. Little bit stuffy in there, and it wasn't even that crowded. Couldn't imagine if the place was packed during the Summer months. - Some broken/unplayable games. Most of them I tried worked, but there were a few where the controller was jacked, or certain buttons didn't respond/work well. Would I come back? Yeah, maybe. I'm glad I got to see it, and was impressed by the sheer number of games they have. I just didn't have as much "fun" as I thought I would for the $25.00 entry fee.

I would love to see the electric bill - I can only imagine what it must be for the largest arcade…read morein the world with over 850 playable arcade cabinets. Speaking of, how wonderful is it that this place exists? Far too many modern places are drink-focused enough that games have cup-holders, the games themselves have giant, modern LCD screens with the brightness and color turned way up, and all this for about $1.50-$2.00 a game that lasts a minute, 90 seconds at best, and does not require much skill (with alcohol, I suppose they want something winnable even while a little inebriated). This is to say nothing of the games where the goal is to win tickets to exchange for prizes - don't get me started on the shenanigans at play. Galloping Ghost has arcade games where a simple joystick and a couple buttons is all you need. There are some older shoot the screen games, and other retro games as well. Let's say that none have a modern, flat-screen, and all are old enough to use CRT (Tube) Screens. Given their age, the games are kept in very good shape! I also love that Galloping Ghost is about the love of the games, and not about the love of liquor with games being an excuse to drink. There are bottled sodas available for sale, but not cup-holders, alcohol, or food. Even gum is forbidden. This also has the effect of being a community icon! When I visited, there was a gathering of furries (not something I engage in, but power to you!) I haven't even gotten to the best part: $25 for all day, all-you-can-play access. Open from 11am to midnight (or 2am Friday & Saturday night). The ticket allows you access throughout the day, so you can come and go as you please. Better still, an extra $5 gets you access to all-you-can-play pinball a couple blocks down the street. Also a good selection of fun machines somewhere between retro and modern Stern. Final verdict: While Chicagoland has some arcades with free-play, and some even don't require an entrance fee, these, despite a modest selection revolve around booze. Galloping Ghost is a dying breed that exists to test your skills, maybe set a record if you're that good, and hang out. All this, for a very reasonable entrance fee.

Photos
Two rare 3D games - Hologram and Holossium!
Two rare 3D games - Hologram and Holossium!
Galloping Ghost Arcade
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Enchanted Castle

Enchanted Castle

3.4
(215 reviews)
3.0 mi

ONCE UPON A TIME.......IN LOMBARD…read more This beloved indoor entertainment center is still hanging in there after 40+ years. I'll admit, I didn't have "attend a work outing at Enchanted Castle" on my 2025 bingo card, yet here we are. I found myself reminiscing about birthdays from the past, how many tokens I spent here as a preteen, and what on earth I was doing at a kids entertainment center with a group of engineers. As they've been since 1983, Enchanted Castle on Roosevelt Rd in Lombard is a one-stop shop for fun.  They have party rooms, a large arcade with ticket counter and 7-8 different attractions.  It's like a bigger version of Chuck E Cheese with a medieval theme, a Dave & Busters aimed at kiddos. You can pay for things a la carte, or get a $40 "max pack" that gets you a $15 game card and access to any 3 attractions.  Our large group hit up the arcade, mini golf, laser tag, and go karts.  One staffer helped us out during our time here, and kudos to her for being patient when we couldn't make up our minds on what to do next. I'll start with the best: the go karts ($9/pp).  Although the track itself is small and not terribly exciting, these go karts were peppy and handled well.  You get a decent number of laps, too, and it must be popular enough to warrant having its own dedicated entrance off to the right - Castle Karts. Next came laser tag ($9/pp).  The packs seemed heavy, but the guns were very accurate IMO.  It was a 'capture the flag' objective and despite a small arena, there was just enough space to move around.  They also have Route 66 mini bowling ($5/pp), bumper cars ($5/pp), a scaled down 'Scrambler' type ride ($5/pp), and a playground area with slides ($5/kid). The glow in the dark Black Knight's "Adventure" Golf ($7/pp) was the weak link of the bunch.  9 holes of poorly lit, uninspired putt putt with odd scenery choices - they couldn't decide between skeletons or squires - and lazy hole design led to several in our group bailing partway through.  One girl even twisted her ankle walking around an obstacle!  This is an area that could definitely benefit from a facelift or new attraction. Back in the 90's and early 2000's, Enchanted Castle had a 3D motion theater that played several iWerks films like Dino Island, Alpha One Cowboy, and Red Rock Run.  This wild motion simulator was always the highlight of my visit, but I can't find ANY record of it in web archives..... was this a fever dream?? Their arcade has a mix of new and old, lots of ticket redemption games with flashy shoot-em-ups sprinkled in.  They had Beat Saber VR (for a whopping 24 credits) as well as some vintage games like the one where you use an air cannon to shoot out the clown's teeth.  Many years ago, they had a dedicated area for pinball machines....now they have none.  *sigh* I expected very little from the food and was pleasantly surprised.  The italian beef ($12) was pretty good, no complaints about the fries.  The large appetizer platter ($40) had a little bit of everything: 7 mozza stix, 7 wings, 7 tenders, 12 mini tacos, and 8 pretzel sticks with dipping sauces.  They also had beer on tap @ $6.50 per pint, not too bad. * TL;DR * Enchanted Castle is supposed to be for young'ins, but if you have fun here as a grown-up I won't tell anyone. Being in business for 43 years is no small feat, especially when you consider the sweeping effect COVID had on the realm of indoor entertainment.  I'm amazed (and relieved) that Enchanted Castle's drawbridge has stayed open despite so much volatility in the world.  I don't imagine that the handful of folks we saw on a Thursday afternoon is representative of how much foot traffic EC actually gets. Here's to hoping they have many more years ahead of them, making joyful memories for scores of kids in the western Chicago suburbs.  I'd hate to see an indelible part of my childhood be gone for good. "The handsome prince raced his mighty steed around the go kart track, while the beautiful princess enjoyed several games of Skee-Ball.  And they played happily ever after!"

The prizes are too kiddie.I have all these points and can't find anything to buy that's not for a…read morelittle kid

Photos
Picture of the backdrop
Picture of the backdrop
Miniature golf
Miniature golf
Enchanted Castle

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Puttshack - Oakbrook

Puttshack - Oakbrook

3.6
(316 reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

We visited Puttshack Oakbrook for a company team-building event and had such a great time! We had a…read moregroup of eight and split into two teams, playing on the Sapphire Course. The tech-enhanced mini golf made it easy to keep score and added a fun competitive element without taking itself too seriously. We played nine holes, which ended up being the perfect amount of time that was long enough to have fun and get a little friendly competition going, but not so long that it felt like a commitment. We grabbed dinner beforehand, and I highly recommend the salmon. We laughed a lot, got a little competitive, and everyone had a great time. I'd definitely go back!

Fun for corporate events or very casual putt putt enthusiasts…read more I visited recently for a corporate event, and the best part of the experience was honestly the food! We all loved the mini bites and appetizers served. Everything was delicious! I especially loved the coconut shrimp and mini sliders! There were a lot of great options for vegetarians, GF and dairy free eaters. The papa itself is a fun time but is pretty quick. It's a fun take on classic mini golf where you're actually trying to get more points and have a higher score versus a low score. The putt putt holes are super short and I can't imagine someone could possibly get over 3 or 4 on a hole unless they were really not trying. I think this worked well for a corporate event because we were enjoying making small talk and being casual about the experience, but I don't know that I would come here on a first date or with a group of friends because we would just move through the mini golf course so quickly. But if you are looking for just a little activity to do before enjoying the food and bar at this location then give it a try!

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Safari Land

Safari Land

3.3
(118 reviews)
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Now this has something to be excited about as for an indoor amusement park they sure do pack a ton…read moreof fun in a small place! Like you know those places that you'd want to have your party at back in the day because it's what the cool kids did yeah that's what u get coming here was that vibe but then again I wasn't cool I just wanted to go to the park and ride rides! Hahahaha Pretty much they have a ton of party rooms some flat rides a roller coaster and a ton of video games like how can you go wrong? Their roller coaster is super fun as it's perfect for all ages to enjoy as it's not too intense but just enough to give a good ride and who doesn't love riding a coaster inside! Overall super cool place if I lived in the area I would totally come here just for the coaster alone!

Brought my 7 yr old for a visit during spring break. I went with the AYCR wristband for $35 plus…read more$20 game card. We got lucky and met another little girl with grandparents so they rode rides & played games together which was awesome. I kept a tally to see if it was worth it for the wristband. Which I think it was but if there's a next time I think I would opt for the 10 attractions for $25. Roller coaster was ridden 6 times, tilt a whirl was ridden 5 times, and bumper cars 2 times. They were too big for the monkey jumper or Carousel and weren't interested in the bouncy house. There's also a climbing area they were 2 inches too tall for. They have an affordable food area. Icees were $3.20 which was a great price compared to slick city where 2 icees was $13. They have nachos. Pizza and I'm not sure what else. They have a bowling area which we didn't do but it looked fun. There's also a bar and gambling area for adults. Overall it was a fun couple hours and well worth the $50 spent.

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Store Front
Store Front
Safari Land
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Game of Irons

Game of Irons

4.3
(58 reviews)
2.0 mi

This place is great! Very friendly employees and clean encouragement. They have food and drinks…read moreavailable. A great place to golf no matter the weather and something fun to do in oakbrook. If you aren't super into golfing I highly recommend to book a bay where you can do the golf arcade games. It makes it so much more fun and engaging! The more people you have for the bay you book the cheaper it will end up being per person. This is a great activity to do with a group of friends. Golf, drink, eat, socialize!

Really look forward to the days booked here. We typically have 6 of us play a scramble and everyone…read morehas a good time. We'll grab coffee next door and maybe a couple of drinks from the bar. They tend to have a deal like buckets or bloody mary's. I've tried the food and not blown away but for having the option while you're there... not bad. As far as golfing, I think the simulator is great. The leveling platform is a fun element. It's fairly intuitive as far as tee height, changing your putt lineup, etc. I'm a beginner and have felt comfortable golfing horribly here. The putting green is a nice way to end the day on the way out or if you're not able to be seated immediately- take the chance to practice! Their staff is often busy but I would say reasonably so considering they're serving and helping with the simulators. Super kind and have seem them go the extra mile a few times now. Order early and I'm sure you'll get your fill Unless you're Joe, the guy who left that review sucks.

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Pebble Beach Course!
Pebble Beach Course!
Game of Irons
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Activate Games - arcades - Updated July 2026

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