What is Level99? A look at the 'adult playground' opening at Providence Place Mall

Maybe at this point you’ve seen the sign on the side of the Providence Place mall and thought to yourself, “What is Level99 and what do you do there?”

Maybe you’ve been to the Natick location and are wondering if the new Providence spot – opening next week – will have all the same puzzles and games.

Or maybe this is the first time you've heard about the 40,000-square-foot space opening in the former JCPenney at Providence Place.

Either way, here’s everything you need to know about the new recreational center.

What is Level99?

One way to describe it would be as an adult playground. Others have described it as being in a “real-life video game” or a “wonderland for adults.”

At its core, it's one part gaming space, one part bar and one part restaurant.

The games are a mix of physical, mental, skill and communication games. There are 43 distinct rooms – whittled down from a list of more than 2,000 ideas, according to founder and CEO Matt DuPlessie – each with a distinct game inside. In each room, you race against the clock, trying to earn stars, by jumping over lights or solving a puzzle or using oversized chopsticks to place kickballs on the proper perches.

“If you’re into mental puzzles, there’s a dozen games here for you,” DuPlessie said. “If you’d rather do something more physical, like jump, then there’s a dozen games here for you. There’s something for everyone.”

In addition to those games, there are also challenge games that are played out in public, such as running through the ax run (don’t get hit) or playing a giant-sized version of the classic 1980s video game “Snakes.”

And then there’s the food and bar, with a view that overlooks the river and a menu that DuPlessie is proud to say is better than you would expect from your average entertainment place.

“The goal is really that this is where we want people to come to dinner, not just to play,” he said.

Put it together, and you get Level99.

What’s the food like?

The bar has 20 beers on tap, half the options are from Night Shift Brewing, the Everett, Massachusetts-based partner brewery, and half are brews from other places, including many Rhode Island breweries. Plus, there’s a large cocktail, mocktail and craft-soda menu.

Night Shift Kitchen and Tap, which seats 300, has a made-from-scratch kitchen, with menu options like hand-cut purple sweet potato chips with a whipped feta dipping sauce seasoned with Berbere spices. Night Shift Brewing’s pizza recently earned a spot on Boston Magazine’s best pizza list.

You called Level99 an adult space. Is it kid friendly?

It’s not made for kids, DuPlessie said. Most of the games are too hard for them to do well.

The ideal age is over 21 – it is part bar – but an older kid might like it. Minors must be with an adult.

How big a group should you go with to play? Can you do Level99 with two people?

Two people is the minimum group size you want to go with, and the more the merrier. The games are meant to be played in groups of 2 to 6. If you’re in a bigger group, you can easily divide and conquer.

“We’re really about getting you off your couch, off your phone, to do something real with real people again in real life,” DuPlessie said.

For large parties or corporate team-building events, Level99 does have rooms available for rent.

How long do you spend at Level99 and what does it cost?

That depends on how into games you are. Are you going to want to repeat the games over and over again until you get the maximum of three stars? If so, budget more time. If you’re not that kind of person, you probably won’t want to stay as long.

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One way to look at it is through the packages available.

Two hours of play, which gets you access to all of the games, is $30 per person.

Four hours is $40, and an all-day pass is $50. On the weekends, there’s a premium of an extra $5 per person.

Do you have to buy game time to get dinner?

Nope. People can come just for the food or to grab a beer. If you do come just for that, you can also walk around to look at the many murals done by both local and international artists.

How does this compare to the Natick Level99 location?

The Providence Place mall Level99 is the company's second location. The flagship opened in 2021 in the Natick Mall, in a slightly larger 48,000-square-foot space, and has slightly more games to show for the extra square footage.

While the Providence Place Level99 is very similar to the Natick Mall space, it’s not a copycat. Yes, some crowd-favorite games are in both locations, but the Providence location has new games.

And at both locations, the game rooms get switched up on occasion, DuPlessie said, so there’s a reason to keep coming back.

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What are the hours?

From Sunday through Thursday, Level99 will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, it will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight.

There’s access from the third floor of the mall and the top level of the north garage.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What's Level99 at Providence Place mall? Here's what to know