Best for tweens and up moving room to room through scored, interactive games like Grid and Portals.

Birthday Parties
Facility accessIndoorBy appointmentYear-round
(817) 756-0192
2717 E Southlake Blvd #180, Southlake, TX 76092
Thu · 12PM – 10PM
Monday12PM – 10PM
Tuesday12PM – 10PM
Wednesday12PM – 10PM
Thursday12PM – 10PM
Friday10AM – 11PM
Saturday10AM – 11PM
Sunday10AM – 10PM
Pricing not published — contact the studio for current rates.
Our take

Activate is a different animal from the usual indoor-play options. Instead of one big open space, it's a series of self-contained game rooms — Grid, Hoops, Mega Laser, Strike, Portals and more — each wired with interactive tech that reacts to you in real time and keeps score. You move from room to room solving light puzzles, climbing, dodging a laser grid, or racing a timed challenge, competing for high scores. It's part video game, part obstacle course, built around an all-you-can-play visit rather than a ticket per ride, so a motivated group can cycle the rooms trying to beat their own scores for a solid stretch. The brand bills itself as the world's first active-gaming venue.

Who it's for matters more here than at a standard play space. This is a physical, competitive experience — you're moving the whole time, so wear athletic clothes you can move in. Adjustable difficulty lets a mixed-age group compete on the same games, which makes it a strong pick for tweens, teens, adults, and families with older kids, and a weak one for little ones or anyone after a low-key outing. It's very well-reviewed, and it's a natural fit for a birthday, a team outing, or a rainy-day plan for older kids with energy to burn.

Local Tips

Activate is at 2717 East Southlake Blvd, Suite 180 — an in-line suite, so go by the number. A few things to plan around:

  • It's an active, physical venue (you'll be jumping, climbing, and dodging), so dress for movement.
  • Visitors mention lockers on site for phones and bags.
  • You play on a tracked wristband that logs your points across the rooms.
  • The model is all-you-can-play, and you book a session online rather than walking up.
  • Gauge the age fit honestly: the games are built for tweens and up, so a younger child may find some rooms too physical.
Credentials

Activate Games is a purpose-built interactive-gaming venue rather than a coached program, so the relevant details are operational. The Southlake location is part of the Activate Games chain and is run locally in partnership with Sounds Fun Entertainment. It's a supervised, drop-in and group-booking venue — on-site staff run check-in and the games; there's no single named instructor.

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