Tom Lionetti-Maguire, co-creator of the upcoming Crystal Maze Experience, has revealed to Attractions Management exclusive details about the crowd-funded project which has captured the imaginations of nostalgic fans of the hit 90s game show across the UK.

Lionetti-Maguire, along with his partners Ben Hodges and Dean Rodgers, launched an ambitious IndieGoGo campaign in June last year to develop a full-scale replica of the show. The crowdfunding effort by far exceeded expectations, raising £930,000 (US$1.4m, €1.3m) – nearly half-a-million pounds more than the group’s original target goal.

“It’s grown exponentially already from what we initially conceived a few years ago,” said Lionetti-Maguire speaking exclusively to Attractions Management.

“We never expected it to get the reaction it did and you can’t really know until you take that leap of faith. It was a fantastic surprise to us and it was really encouraging to see that people loved the show as much as we did and that they are keen to relive it.”

Just like the show, the experience will see teams of eight people taken around four zones divided into Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic. Each of the teams will be led by an eccentric quizmaster, who will guide them around the maze as they take on a series of challenges themed around either intelligence, skill or physical ability. Failure to complete a task in a set time means contestants will be locked in, however, they can be released if their teammates complete a quiz.

“We’ve taken a lot of the old games you saw on the show and put in a couple of new ones as well,” continued Lionetti-Maguire. “The show will flow exactly as it used to, culminating in your own experience in the famous Crystal Dome.

“There’s even a prize for winning – a weekend in Bournemouth perhaps? The prizes in the original show were as cool as that, let’s say, so we won’t be differing from what you would have won on the original show, we want it all to be authentic.”

To reach a high level of realism, the team has drafted in a selection of Crystal Maze experts, calling on the knowledge of teams and people who worked on the original show, while also working with some of the top names in the design and television industries.

“We’ve created a fantastic team,” he continued. “Malcolm Heyworth who created the original show, is guiding us and speaking to us regularly. We’ve also involved a lot of people who built the original dome plus people who are film set designers and builders. We’re aiming to, and are going to, deliver something as good as the original.”

In addition to Heyworth, set creator Steve Scott, who has previously worked on films including Titanic, Hellboy and Die Another Day, is behind the attraction’s design, while prop and set specialists Artem, original Crystal Maze designers Cutting Edge, and MDM props are all working on the recreation.

“There’s no blueprint for The Crystal Maze,” said Lionetti-Maguire. “We’ve learned an incredible amount on the job. Making what you see on that show is an entirely different thing. They were making a TV show and the camera always lies. We need to build this thing for people to come and enjoy it every single day. That and being in central London has brought us a whole new set of questions you have to address.”

Lionetti-Maguire confirmed that the venue will cover 30,000sq ft (2,787sq m) and will be located in the King’s Cross area. The attraction will also include a bar and viewing platform offering various street foods.

“Finding a venue in London was a huge hurdle,” he said. “At times it was like tearing your own arm off. That was really tough because we kept getting gazumped by property developers who basically want to turn London into one big block of flats.

“Before finalising the King’s Cross location we found two properties that we were bullied out of by bigger, richer companies. We know young people are being forced out of London because of the cost of living here. Young creatives and startup companies who want to do interesting and creative stuff are equally being forced out. In the end it had a fairy tale ending because we found somewhere that was much better than both of the previous locations, right in the centre of London in King’s Cross. It’s a beautiful building, it’s incredible.”

In addition to the money raised through crowdfunding, Lionetti-Maguire confirmed there had been substantial private investment into the unique venture, which will continue to run “as long as there is demand for it”.

The attraction will run at its London location until at least March 2018, with advanced tickets already sold out. The Crystal Maze Experience will launch on 15 March 2016.