If you’re like me, crippling anxiety would have stopped you from playing the real life televised Crystal Maze in the 90s. But you can’t deny that we all REALLY wanted a go.

Fortunately for us, there’s a place in Manchester that provides the experience without the peril of making yourself look like a dick in front of a TV audience.

*Harmonica sounds*

The Crystal Maze Live Experience is exactly what it says on the tin: from the theme music following you as you sprint (literally) between the four zones to the iconic “WILL YOU START THE FANS PLEASE” Crystal Dome moment. I won’t spoil anything, but there’s several classic games from the TV show, a video cameo from Richard O’ Brien and a big slide.

A BIG SLIDE. What’s not to love, I ask you.

Biggest non-surprise of the day: for all the time we spent screaming at the TV while watching competitors struggle with seemingly arbitrary tasks, it’s a lot harder than it looks in real life. Particularly when you’ve got a timer running and seven of your friends shouting instructions at you.

We did OK though. Team Level 14 Judge!

My one disappointment was that you’re not guaranteed a commemorative crystal. There’s a Wheel of Fortune style game that gives you a chance to win a free one if you fill in a feedback form (I failed). If you’re feeling particularly flush, you can buy one from the shop on the way out, along with t shirts, jackets and other assorted merch.

At £41 it has a reasonably steep entry fee, but you can live with that and are in Manchester with a bunch of pals, The Crystal Maze Live Experience is ridiculously good fun. Shout out to “Santa”, our hilarious guide for the experience, who I’m pretty sure has never met a bunch of people more chaotic and injury prone than us.

Speaking of which – my one tip is “watch the doors”. They’re quite low and one of my friends took the skin off his head, which resulted in him having a big dorky plaster on for the group photo at the end. Nice one Dan.

Victory!