104 FUN & GAMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 e e e B E S T O U T D O O R G U N R A N G E RIO SALADO SPORTSMAN’S CLUB 3960 N. USERY PASS ROAD, MESA 480-984-9610 RSSCAZ.COM This Arizona Game & Fish range has 48 covered shooting positions with benches and target stands among its complexes, some specifically designed for a certain type of firearm (shotgun, small bore, pistol) and 13 cart-accessible clay pigeon shooting runs. Numerous divisions and clubs operate at Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club, including Cowboy Fast Draw and Full Auto, so if competing in shooting matches is your thing, there’s a niche for you here. Range safety officers are ever- present, friendly and professional, making sure everyone stays safe. Perhaps best of all (especially in summer), there’s lots of shade, vending machines serving cold beverages and clean restrooms. e e e B E S T AT T R A C T I O N W E C A N ’ T WA I T T O E X P E R I E N C E MATTEL ADVENTURE PARK 9601 W. CARDINALS WAY, GLENDALE MATTELADVENTUREPARK.COM Frustration, thy name is Mattel Adventure Park. We’ve spent three-plus years ready to ride Hot Wheels, battle Skeletor and unleash our inner child at the 9-acre indoor theme park in Glendale, but there’s still no firm opening date, just hype, delays and a whole lot of waiting. Much like VAI Resort, the chronically delayed $1.2 billion hotel and entertainment complex next door, the park has been slammed with setbacks. First announced in 2021, Mattel Adventure Park was originally set to debut the following year. Then it got bumped to 2023. Then again to 2024. Now, it’s tentatively scheduled to finally open at the end of this year. Maybe. Like kids waiting to rip open our gifts on Christmas morning, we’re hoping time goes by faster until we can experience all the rides and attractions inspired by Mattel’s most iconic toys: a Masters of the Universe laser tag arena, complete with a Castle Grayskull mock-up; scream-worthy Hot Wheels roller coasters and a turbocharged go-kart track; and a three-story Barbie Beach House decked out with a flying theater and rooftop lounge. Here’s hoping the park opens before the only thing we’re riding in is a wheelchair. e e e B E S T P L A C E T O M A K E I T A B L O C K B U S T E R N I G H T PARANOIA QUEST: ESCAPE THE ROOM 1746 W. RUBY DRIVE, #112, TEMPE 480-588-3760 PARANOIAQUEST.COM Metro Phoenix is packed with dozens of escape rooms, each promising the wildest themes imaginable. To stand out as the best, you need more than shtick and mystery-box thrills. Enter Paranoia Quest in Tempe. The 6,000-square-foot attrac- tion boasts a setup unique among local escape rooms and has earned the place viral fame on TikTok by re-creating a late- ’90s/early-2000s rental store vibe in the Blockbuster Video mold. The entrance area bears a striking resemblance to one of the now-defunct chain’s locations: bright colors and patterned carpeting, shelves filled with retro VHS tapes and games and even a selection of snacks. It’s called Quest Video, but don’t bother trying to rent anything — it’s just a setup. After a warm welcome from a clerk and a brief intro chal- lenge, you select one of three “films,” each leading to a movie-like themed escape room. There’s “Diamond Quest,” an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt; “Escape Plan,” a tense prison break; and “Recon: The Final Hour,” a post-apocalyptic zombie hell-realm. Nostalgia never felt so thrilling. e e e B E S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L G A M E S LANE PARK 7232 E. FIRST ST. SCOTTSDALE 480-269-0388 LANEPARK.GAMES Adults like games as much as kids do. We don’t always want to play in a room full of blinking neon lights and clanging consoles, though. At Lane Park, you can get the gang together for duckpin bowling and axe throwing. There’s shuffleboard in summer and curling in winter. Lane Park also offers international games you may have never heard of before, pastimes such as sapo and carrom. Play and socialize while enjoying appetizers, pizzas and craft cocktails. Conveniently located in the middle of Old Town Scottsdale, Lane Park is a great first stop — or only stop — for a fun night out on the town. e e e B E S T P L A C E T O T H R O W A N A X E LUMBERJAXES BAR & GRILL 6751 N. SUNSET BLVD., SUITE E207, GLENDALE 602-429-9159 RECESS, 2000 E. RIO SALADO PARKWAY, #2105, TEMPE 480-256-8093 AXETHROWINGPHX.COM Drinking alcohol and throwing axes go together like texting your ex and hitting “send” — thrilling in the moment, but prob- ably not a great idea. Thankfully, there’s LumberjAxes Bar & Grill to act like that friend who keeps you in check. Yes, you can have pizza, wings, ale (or a cocktail) and an axe to throw, but first, you’ll be signing a waiver and learning some basic throwing techniques and safety standards. In Glen- dale, sessions are $33 for one hour or $44 for two hours, and in Tempe, it’s $30 per hour. Book a lane to start improving your skills. e e e B E S T R A G E R O O M SIMPLY SMASHING RAGE ROOM 1845 E. BROADWAY ROAD, #120, TEMPE 602-909-1996 SIMPLYSMASHING.COM If you find yourself mad at, well, everything these days, we have just the place to let your frustrations out. A rage room can easily turn into a junkyard of sorts, but at Tempe’s Simply Smashing, the customizable options ensure that your experience feels authentic to you. Smash a computer if work’s got you down, or opt for colorful bottles and trinkets, all to a soundtrack of your choosing. Simply Smashing is a safe space, not just in that your body will be shielded by white protective suits and face coverings, but also in that the establishment has strong stances against discrimination. You’ll find a Pride flag hung behind the front desk and framed signs that read “fuck body shaming” and “fuck the patriarchy,” because even their inclusivity is fueled with rage. Simply Smashing offers adult night specials with drinks, along with birthday bundles or even a neon paint room, if you’d rather create than destroy. Whatever stress you’re dealing with, this is the place to relieve it. e e e B E S T B O W L I N G A L L E Y BOWLERO 7300 E. THOMAS ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 480-946-5308 1919 W. BETHANY HOME ROAD 602-249-1715 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS BOWLERO.COM Bowlero bowling alleys are where the sport meets the party. At Bowlero’s Valley loca- tions, you can sip craft cocktails while aiming for strikes on sleek blacklight lanes. We’re partial to the location just south of Old Town Scottsdale; it’s the perfect spot for a date night or a group outing or just the first act before a night out at the clubs. Bowlero offers guests of all ages more than just lanes and balls; depending on the loca- tion, you may find pool tables and classic games such as Skee-Ball and “Pac-Man.” The crave-worthy menu is filled with shareable appetizers and classic bowling lane fare (pizza, nachos, tots), but if you can find a location that serves the street tacos, trust us and get the birria or crispy cauli- flower variety. Bowlero Old Town isn’t just bowling; it’s a full-on party.
