An interactive gaming venue known for life-sized puzzle rooms and competitive duels is set to land at Westfield Garden State Plaza in 2027, marking the brand's first foray into New Jersey. Level99 plans to take over space at the Paramus mall previously occupied by Forever 21, bringing a concept that blends physical and mental challenges with group gameplay to Bergen County.
According to einpresswire.com, the 2027 opening will mark Level99's first location with mall operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and its debut in the Garden State. The Paramus venue is planned to span approximately 38,000 square feet, per the same report. Boozy Burbs, which later covered the project for local readers, reported that the concept would bring arena-style competitions and scavenger hunt-style experiences to the mall.
Boozy Burbs reports that the Paramus venue will include more than 50 challenge rooms. The venue will also feature player-versus-player duels, according to einpresswire.com's report. It will occupy space that previously housed Forever 21 before the fashion retailer's bankruptcy, according to njbiz.com. That outlet also reports a full-service bar and restaurant will complement the gaming experience once the location opens.
How the Games Actually Work
Level99 describes its format as one that combines interactive, real-world challenges and social mini-games under one roof, per einpresswire.com. The company's own site, Level99.com, details the mechanics at its Tysons, Virginia location: teams of two to six players work together to beat a themed physical, mental or skill challenge, aiming to earn three stars, with each challenge lasting one to four minutes.
Beyond cooperative puzzle-solving, the venue structure includes three distinct ways to play. A PR Newswire release about the company's Disney Springs announcement describes cooperative Challenge Rooms, competitive Player-vs-Player Duels and an interactive art scavenger hunt as the three core formats guests can expect. That same release counts Natick, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island, and Tysons, Virginia as Level99's current locations, with Paramus joining the roster as part of a wider build-out.
A Fast-Growing Footprint
Paramus is far from an isolated project. The PR Newswire release lists Paramus among four locations currently under construction, alongside sites in West Hartford, Connecticut, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Einpresswire.com's report frames the Garden State Plaza opening as part of a broader expansion that also includes forthcoming venues in Disney Springs, West Hartford and Greater Philadelphia.
The company's growth has been steady since its debut. Worcester Business Journal reports that Level99's first location opened in the Natick Mall in 2021, with a Providence Place venue following in January 2024. The same outlet notes the company was planning to open at least three additional locations, with sites previously announced for Tysons Corner Center in Virginia and The Corbin Collection in West Hartford.
What the Paramus Venue Might Look Like
While specifics for the Paramus build haven't all been confirmed, Level99's existing venues offer some clues. Worcester Business Journal reports that company locations typically include a full kitchen and bar featuring craft beer and cocktails, with individual challenge rooms generally taking one to four minutes to complete. The outlet's reporting on Level99's planned Disney Springs venue — described as having more than 60 games across 46,800 square feet on two floors, with the most games of any Level99 location to date — gives a sense of the scale the brand is capable of building when it goes all-in on a location.
Njbiz.com also notes that Level99 has launches planned in Florida, Connecticut and Pennsylvania as it works to establish a presence across the Northeast and beyond. For Bergen County shoppers accustomed to Garden State Plaza's retail and dining mix, the 2027 opening would add a new kind of destination to the mall — one built around teamwork, timed puzzles and a bar tab at the end of the night.
