Interactive Gaming Venue Prepares for West Hartford Launch
Visitors stepping into Level99’s sprawling 43,000-square-foot space will encounter 32 original pieces of artwork created by 25 selected artists from throughout the world, we-ha.com reported.
The immersive social gaming venue, located in The Corbin Collection at Corbin’s Corner, is scheduled to open to the public later this fall. In preparation for the launch, artists have spent time covering blank walls with murals designed to infuse the space with color, humor, and a distinct visual identity.
Boston-based artist Blind Fox constructed a 3D mural featuring a leopard. The piece relies on careful shadow placement and lighting to create the illusion that the animal is physically detaching itself from the surface.
Five of the selected artists hail from Connecticut. Michael Rice, a Parkville resident, contributed a piece depicting a magician breaking through the plane of a television screen.
“What’s really cool about [Level99] is that they actually give the artist complete creative freedom,” added Rice.
London-based artist WOSKERSKI spent time painting inside the venue. One piece features a giant surreal fried egg hanging by wooden pegs on a clothesline.
Interactive Scavenger Hunt Integrates Art into Gaming Experience
The visual installations serve a dual purpose beyond environmental aesthetics. Level99 has integrated the artwork into an interactive scavenger hunt called “Hunt Art.” Players locate specific objects within the murals known as Glyphs and input them at kiosks to earn Stars to climb the venue’s leaderboard.
The facility accommodates up to 600 players at a time across more than 50 physical and mental challenge rooms. Teams of two to six people play timed mini-games designed to test logic and physical agility.
Adjoining the gaming arena is the Two Roads Kitchen & Taproom, a 250-seat counter-service restaurant and bar operated in partnership with the Connecticut-based Two Roads Brewing.
Denver-based artist ILL.DES was assigned the space directly opposite Two Roads. Sophy Tuttle is among the artists contributing to the venue.
Operating hours are slated for 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends, staying open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and closing at 10 p.m. on other nights.
The company operates existing locations in Natick, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; Tysons Corner, Virginia; and Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, with expansions planned for Paramus, New Jersey; Raleigh, North Carolina; and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania in 2027.
