Getting axed will take on a more literal yet more enjoyable meaning in Tysons next week with the arrival of Level99.
Ax Run, where players race along a narrow beam while dodging swinging foam axes, is one of 53 games that will test patrons’ physical and mental agility when the unique entertainment venue opens at Tysons Corner Center on Monday (Aug. 25).
Located on the second floor of the mall’s east wing, where Barnes & Noble previously stood, Level99 combines interactive challenges geared toward adults — from a Ninja Swing that requires using ropes to navigate platforms to more escape room-like puzzles — with a full-service restaurant and bar operated, in this case, by Victory Brewing Company.
“We’re thrilled to bring Level99 to the DMV and introduce a fresh kind of social destination experience to Tysons,” Level99 founder and CEO Matt DuPlessie said in a press release. “This area is packed with curious, social, mentally and physically active communities — and we’ve built Level99 for exactly that kind of guest.”
Backed by board chair Ron Shaich, an investor and entrepreneur whose past work includes founding Au Bon Pain and Panera Bread, Level99 first opened at Natick Mall in Massachusetts in 2021 and added a second location last year in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Tysons location is the first step in an expansion plan that will also encompass West Hartford, Connecticut and Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where sites are currently under construction.
When looking at potential sites in the D.C. region, Level99 felt Tysons Corner Center would be “an excellent fit” given the presence in the area of both the company’s core demographic — younger adults generally aged 21 to 39 — and major companies that could book space for events or team-building exercises, according to DuPlessie.
“This is a top mall in the U.S. There’s great traffic here, [a] good reputation builder for us, so I think it’s going to be a great fit,” he told FFXnow during a preview tour yesterday (Tuesday) that covered just a portion of the 40,000-square-foot space.
Though construction was still ongoing, DuPlessie offered a look at a few of the games, including Axe Run, a candy-themed Sugar Crush obstacle course, and a skill game called Nebula where players try to roll balls up a slope so that they catch in holes. Mansion Banquet, a puzzle game, involves matching dinner party guests to their correct seats and dishes before time runs out.
Guests can buy tickets for two hours ($29.99), four hours ($39.99) or unlimited all-day play ($49.99). Upon arriving, they’re checked in and given a wristband that they can use to access different challenge rooms, where they typically have four to six minutes to complete the game either individually or with a team of up to six people.
Depending on how well they do, players accumulate stars that can be redeemed for various rewards, such as snacks, swag and customizations for their personal emblem. Through the wristband, Level99 can track players’ progress across multiple visits, enabling them to pick up where they left upon returning.
According to DuPlessie, who likens the concept to an “open-world video game,” it would take even the best players about 30 hours to finish every challenge, making it impossible to see everything in one visit. New games are also periodically swapped in, all of them conceived, designed and developed in-house by a creative team of about 50 people.
“There’s no charges for different games. You’re not getting nickeled and dimed like you would at an arcade,” DuPlessie said. “Just have fun. Some people want to really master a challenge, and they’ll play the same game again and again and get really good at it. Other people love to explore and discover, and they’ll do a dozen different games. They can use their time however they’d like.”
Players can also take a pause to patronize Victory Brewing, which has an adjacent dining room with a bar and separate event spaces. The restaurant has its own entrance as well, so mall visitors don’t need a Level99 ticket to grab a meal or drink.
At its Natick, Massachusetts, and Providence locations, Level99 partnered with Boston’s Night Shift Brewing. Since that brand isn’t as well-known in the D.C. area, the team conducted a search of breweries in the Mid-Atlantic market and was ultimately impressed by “quality and innovation of Victory,” DuPlessie says.
Boasting 275 seats, including a patio with a view of the mall, the Tysons restaurant will be the first location in Virginia for Victory Brewing, which is based in Pennsylvania with one taproom in North Carolina. A variety of craft beers, wines and cocktails will be served alongside a food menu with Detroit-style pizza, burgers, tacos, salads, chicken wings, and other “elevated bar fare,” per the press release.
“Our fans in this region have supported us from the very beginning, and we’re excited to welcome both longtime supporters and new guests to experience Victory — paired with the unforgettable energy only Level99 can deliver,” Victory Brewing co-founder Bill Covaleski said in the release. “To the Tysons Corner community and the broader DMV: we look forward to raising a pint with you.”
Now open for reservations, Level99 will follow different operating hours depending on the day:
- Monday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Catering to adults, Level99 has no official age restriction, but kids 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. For people aged 11 to 15, an adult has to be present somewhere in the venue and reachable by phone.
With just a few more days to go until opening, DuPlessie says the Tysons location has already been attracting more early interest than the first two sites did based on online ticket sales and inquiries from groups, suggesting it might “get busy very quickly.” He’s looking forward to greeting the first customers as they come in and seeing people’s faces light up as they explore.
“This is about getting off the couch, right?” DuPlessie said. “Putting down your phone, doing something real and social with real people in a real space, that’s what people come to us for.”
