Parents' Guide to

The Crystal Maze

By Mandie Caroll, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Fun, family-friendly game show based on Brit classic.

TV Nickelodeon Game Shows 2020
The Crystal Maze Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • The Crystal Maze TV show: Host Adam Conover standing in front of the Crystal Dome, with right arm across body, left hand cupping his chin.
  • The Crystal Maze TV show: A family grabbing as many foil tokens as they can in the Crystal Dome.
  • The Crystal Maze TV show: The outside edifice of the "Aztec Zone," one of the challenges contestants must pass through.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

Theo D.
Theo D. Adult
March 6, 2020
age 5+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

THE CRYSTAL MAZE is a game show that challenges a team made up of family members to complete various challenges within time limits. Maze Master Adam Conover guides one family team through the 8 physical and mental challenges (2 in each zone) such as crossing a pond on a narrow beam while foam boulders swing across the path, collaboratively guiding a team member through an invisible path, or solving letter or color puzzles. The family earns time for each completed challenge to spend in the Crystal Dome, a geodesic dome fed by a wind tunnel. In the Dome, the wind swirls foil tokens around the contestants, who collect them to win up to $25,000.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This game show, shot with American families in Bristol on the same set used by the UK version, is an exciting show with lots of kid appeal. The youngest child in the family is made captain, and they decide who will participate in each escape room-esque challenge. The tasks can be quite hard, so teams must be strategic and supportive in their advice. The Crystal Maze is detailed and immersive, bringing viewers into each zone with both décor and the nature of the challenges (futuristic tasks are high-tech, for example). Conover brings his signature wit to this series and the vibrantly colored suits he dons add whimsy to the plotting Maze Master persona.

The Crystal Maze can help kids learn about teamwork, identifying strengths, and how to be good winners and graceful losers. Sadly, the show doesn't feature the families negotiating their strategies or processing their failures, which are often important to effective teamwork. However, it seems that the Aztec and Eastern zones represent ancient Aztec and Asian cultures simply for an interesting setting for the challenges. It's unfortunate that Nickelodeon chose not to update these zones, because it's otherwise an enjoyable show, with suspense, laughs and positive messages for the whole family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the families overcome a setback, like not completing a challenge, in the game show. How do the parents respond to the kids in The Crystal Maze? How do the kids handle it when a family member can't get the crystal in time? Is winning always the most important thing in a competition? How does being on a supportive team make failing/mistakes different?

  • How might you strategize differently than the contestants do in the challenges? How does the pressure of being up against a clock affect your ability to complete a task? Do you find situations like this stressful, or do you like the challenge?

  • Is a prize always necessary for you to do your best, or do you give it your all regardless of what's at stake? Do you believe in getting participation prizes? In what way does the idea of everyone getting a prize affect your appreciation of a prize?

TV Details

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