GUIDE · TEAMS
Teamwork tips from the lava floor
The short answer
Good teamwork comes down to talking early, keeping it short and giving everyone a clear job. On the lava floor, that means calling the blue tile you're taking before you jump, splitting the room into zones, letting one person read each new level, and regrouping on the green when it gets busy.
We run Lava Floor at Marina Square, so every example comes from our game. The office bits at the end are just our opinion.
Why the floor is a talking game
Every level lights up a new pattern. Blue tiles are the ones to clear, red tiles are lava, and green tiles are safe. Step on every blue and the level is done.
Sounds easy. Then four people spot the same blue tile at the same moment.
On Epic Lava, your squad shares 6 lives a level. Every step on red costs one. Lose all 6 and the level starts again, while your 25 minutes keep ticking. Most lives go the same way: two people, one tile, and nobody said a word.
Nine tips for talking as a team
Try them on the floor first. Then try them on Monday.
Call your tile before you jump
Say it out loud: "Mine, the blue by the door." A called tile is a claimed tile, so nobody else goes for it. Silent jumping is how two people end up on the same blue, and one of them on red.
Keep it to three words
"Blue. Left. Mine." Nobody listens to a speech mid-jump. Short calls cut through when everyone is shouting at once.
Use names
"You, go" sends three people. "Sam, go" sends one.
Give everyone a zone
Split the room before the level starts: front, back, left and right. Each room is 18 by 17 tiles, so nobody has to cover all of it. Your zone, your blues.
Pick one level reader
When a new level lights up, one person scans the pattern and calls the plan while everyone else waits on green. Swap the job every few levels, or the loudest person keeps it all game.
Regroup on the green
Green is safe. When it gets crowded, everybody back to green, look, then go again. Ten seconds of planning costs less than replaying a level.
Warn people about what's behind them
You can see the red tile behind your teammate. They can't. "Red behind you, step left" saves a life.
Shout "last blue"
When one blue tile is left, say so and send one person. Five people charging the final tile is a great way to lose a life right at the end.
Skip the blame
Someone will land on red. A quick "next one" keeps the squad moving. Save the trash talk for the leaderboard.
A phrasebook for the floor
Agree on these before you start, so every call means the same thing to everyone.
| Call | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| "Mine" | I'm taking that blue tile | Right before you jump |
| "Wait" | Stop, the reader is planning | A new level just lit up |
| "Green" | Everyone back to a safe tile | It's getting crowded |
| "Red behind" | Watch your step | A teammate is backing up |
| "Last blue" | One tile left, one person goes | The end of a level |
| "Next one" | Shake it off | Right after a lost life |
Take it back to the office
Watch a team play one level and you learn a lot. Who calls the plan? Who says sorry after every step?
The habits carry over. Calling your tile is saying which task you're taking. Regrouping on green is the quick check-in before the next push. And the level reader is whoever leads the project, which is why it's worth swapping that job around.
Want to test it? Bring the team for a session. Start on Epic Lava, then try Hell Lava once the calls are sharp.
Questions
What are some good teamwork tips?
Talk early, keep calls short, use names and give everyone a clear job. Agree on a few calls before you start, and regroup before the next push. On the lava floor, that's calling your tile, splitting the room into zones and stepping back onto green to plan.
Is floor is lava good for team communication?
Yes. Every level needs the whole team to agree who clears which blue tiles while avoiding the red, so talking is most of the game. Each session is 25 minutes, and there's a leaderboard for every game.
Which game should a new team start with?
Epic Lava. It has 6 lives a level and it's the usual first game. Move on to Hell Lava or 99 Lava once your calls are sharp.
Can we bring a big team?
Yes. We take everything from duos to big groups. Bigger teams split across our two rooms and can rotate with our partner Lockdown's escape rooms in the same unit. Send us your headcount and we'll plan it.
Test your team's calls
Send your headcount and we'll plan the session.