A burnt-out Millennial and a ‘Let’s see if that is value it’ Gen Z go to Dopamine Land, Life-style Information

Two colleagues. Two generations – one Gen Z and one Millennial. One factor we have now in widespread? 2025 drained the life out of us.

We’ve tried train. We’ve tried the Calm app. We’ve tried changing screentime with an additional hour of daylight. But we’re each nonetheless drained. 

So after we acquired an invite to take a look at Dopamine Land, we had been intrigued. Could a 9-room sensory playground in Sentosa actually treatment our shared ennui? There was just one method to discover out.

After all, dopamine is commonly thrown round as a buzzword. It’s mainly the mind’s “reward” chemical, launched while you expertise pleasure, novelty, or anticipation. 

In principle, Dopamine Land promised all of that: color, play, nostalgia, and sensory stimulation designed to present your mind somewhat hit of happiness.

We went by Dopamine Land in the identical order, from the neon hit of Colourtopia all the best way to the quiet, cosmic calm of Cosmic Oasis, however what we seen, liked, and side-eyed alongside the best way…. was remarkably related, although one among us is 27, and the opposite is popping 40. 

Maybe age is only a quantity in spite of everything?

Let’s begin firstly: 

The Lobby

Kai: Overwhelming is the phrase. I used to be hit instantly with neon lights, vibrant pink and yellow partitions, and folks instinctively pulling out their telephones to start out filming the place. There are loads of spots for photograph ops – nearly too many, to the purpose the place I used to be nearly frozen in place as a result of I did not know which to discover first.

That stated, the spotlight on this room for me was not even the visuals; it was the VR cinema station. The expertise felt extremely life like, with vibrating seats and sudden bursts of air to imitate the woosh of a rollercoaster drop. And unusually sufficient, it was probably the most calming factor on this room as a result of my eyes might take a break with the VR headset shielding them from all the colors and lights haha.

Diane: Beanbags, neon indicators, a fridge filled with Gatorade – this was mainly my dream bed room in 2001. I might really feel my long-dormant pleasure rising already.

I could not resist. I plunged, butt-first, into a tub stuffed with plastic balls, a childlike delight overwhelming my senses as I fished out a few squeaky rubber geese. Only to understand, too late, that I could not pull myself out. Nothing drains feel-good hormones just like the crushing actuality that your core has been rendered ineffective by age and the ravages of an exercise-less life.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 4/5

Colourtopia

Diane: Greeted by a literal splash of color. This is how I really feel on the within after having one too many iced coffees. The cubic rainbow within the center seemed fairly alluring, however as soon as inside, I could not take care of the odor of latex and with the strips of – I feel it was rubber – obscuring my imaginative and prescient.

Kai: From my finish, Colourtopia was extra type than substance. It’s mainly neon paint on all 4 sides, with a trippy centre that left me barely disoriented as I walked by it.

Once the preliminary visuals wore off, not a lot was truly taking place. You’re not interacting with something – simply strolling, wanting, and taking photographs. Low-key, it jogged my memory of illumi run: placing at first, however then it turns into extra in regards to the vibes than any engagement.

Beyond the colors, there wasn’t something for me to latch onto.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 2/5

Scribblescape

Kai: In hindsight, Scribblescape in all probability would’ve labored higher on the finish of the expertise. It’s actually a clean canvas – white partitions, white flooring, white furnishings – the place you are free to attract no matter you need.

Creative freedom is nice in principle, however standing in a stark white room with marker pens someway gave off delicate prison-cell vibes? It’s a type of areas the place your enjoyment actually is determined by how imaginative you feel that day. If you are already creatively drained, the stress to “do something fun” right here can really feel oddly exhausting.

Diane: The very first thing I noticed was an enormous 67 scribbled close to the doorway as a result of, after all. Artwork apart, I’m probably not certain how this room is meant to set off a dopamine launch. Blame it on the dearth of home windows, however I agree that this felt a bit extra like I used to be in jail, or like in a cartoonish caricature of an asylum. 

🧠 Dopamine rating: 2.5/5

Neon Nebula

Kai: This one was fairly enjoyable, fairly simple. Neon balloons in all places, floating and bouncing in all instructions, creating that chaotic, childlike pleasure that immersive experiences like to faucet into.

It would not ask a lot of you; you do not have to suppose, pose, or carry out. You simply step in, let the colors hit you, and exist for a bit. Simple, sensory, and actually one of many simpler rooms to get pleasure from with out overthinking.

Diane: Call me a boomer, however now I lastly get why my toddler is so obsessive about balloons. Novelty apparently triggers a dopamine launch, so this positively labored, as a result of how typically does anybody over the age of 10 get to play in a balloon occasion?

🧠 Dopamine rating:5/5

Sunset Lagoon

Kai: I’ll be sincere, my first thought was: erm, germ central anybody?

It’s an enormous ball pit set in opposition to a dreamy sundown backdrop, and visually, it does look very fairly. But when you keep in mind that it is a shared house with plenty of individuals, the phantasm breaks somewhat. I discovered myself extra cautious than carefree, which type of defeats the aim of frolicking in a ball pit such as you’re 5 once more.

Diane: As a lot as I believed this might remind me of being a child, all it jogged my memory of was the time I caught hand-foot-mouth illness. Also, youngsters would for certain get trampled right here.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 5/5 for teenagers, in all probability 0/5 for folks

Chromodance

Kai: So. Much. Stimuli.

Between the flashing lights, loud music, mirrored partitions, and glowing flooring tiles, Chromodance felt like sensory overload turned as much as max. I initially thought the tiles would mild up primarily based on the place you stepped, which might’ve made it extra interactive. Instead, they observe a preset sample synced to every monitor on the jukebox.

It’s nonetheless enjoyable when you’re able to let free, however when you walked in anticipating a reactive, game-like expertise, it’d fall somewhat brief.

Diane: The wonderful thing about being a 39-year-old millennial is that you simply at all times have painkillers in your purse. I actually wanted them after this. I’d’ve favored this room much more if the tiles had been responsive or gamified, as a result of no less than that may’ve triggered my mind’s reward response.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 1/5

Cushion Clash

Kai: I imply, having a pillow battle in an inflatable enviornment is objectively fairly enjoyable. There’s one thing very primal about simply whacking your folks with cushions and never considering too onerous about it.

This additionally felt like one of many extra parent-friendly areas; youngsters can go completely ham whereas adults stand on the facet, supervise, or actually, take a fast psychological break. It’s chaotic, however in a approach that feels deliberately foolish quite than overwhelming.

Diane: I briefly felt the enjoyment kids really feel on a bouncy fortress. Until I noticed the signal saying that leaping is not truly allowed. I assume I might see myself mendacity down right here whereas scrolling by TikTok? Which is not a wholesome method to set off dopamine, however effectively, a stimulant is a stimulant.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 3/5

Cave of Tactility

Kai: Not a fan.

I get what they had been going for, a tactile, immersive house that encourages exploration by contact, however the foam pit part made me really feel weirdly claustrophobic. Digging myself out felt much less “sensory wonder” and extra “why am I trapped here?”.

If you are somebody who loves enclosed, touch-heavy experiences, this would possibly be just right for you. For me, it was the room I wished to exit the quickest.

Diane: This is the closest I’ll ever really feel to being trapped within the Upside Down, or maybe in the stomach of a whale. Maybe it was the stark orange lighting or the tight house, however I noped out after about 0.3 seconds right here.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 0/5

Euphoria Grove

Kai: This was simply one of many calmer, extra restorative rooms, and actually, I might completely see myself taking a noon nap right here.

Soft lighting, nature-inspired visuals, mild sounds, it felt just like the antidote to every part that got here earlier than it. After all the color, noise, and motion, Euphoria Grove was the place my nervous system lastly unclenched somewhat.

Diane: Nothing like an Avatar-esque liminal house to assist me regulate after my panic-filled foray into the Cave of Tactility. NGL I thought of redownloading the Calm app simply because it would be so shiok to make use of it on this room.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 5/5

Cosmic Oasis

Kai: This room instantly jogged my memory of that gallery on the ArtScience Museum (iykyk).

Mirrors, infinite reflections, glowing lights, it is visually gorgeous and designed to make you decelerate and lookup. It’s much less playful and extra contemplative, which made it a becoming method to finish the expertise. After all of the chasing of dopamine, Cosmic Oasis felt like a quiet exhale.

Diane: Romantic attraction and flirting set off dopamine, so if something, you can use this room to admit your love? Or maintain arms for the primary time? Okay, I’m type of reaching right here, however as a burnt-out millennial who hasn’t exercised in two years, I REALLY need to consider in Dopamine Land.

🧠 Dopamine rating: 3/5

Post-dopamine excessive ideas: 

Kai: When, and if, I’m craving dopamine, I’ll persist with my stress-free jogs with my noise-cancelling AirPods. That hour inside Dopamine Land was sufficient to ship me dwelling popping two tablets of Panadol ActivFast to take care of the headache that began halfway by the walkthrough.

Tickets begin from $14, and you may spend about 45–50 minutes inside. At that worth level, it is not outrageously costly, but it surely actually is determined by what sort of pleasure you are chasing.

If you like sensory overload, vivid colors, and high-energy play areas, you will in all probability have an excellent time. If you are already burnt out and on the lookout for one thing restorative, this won’t be it.

For me, one go to was sufficient. Fun in elements, overwhelming in others, and a really clear reminder that dopamine would not at all times come from extra.

Diane: While Dopamine Land certainly qualifies as a novel expertise, I’m unsure how a lot it’s going to do for me within the long-term in comparison with the thrills of activity completion or fixing my every day Wordle. As a father or mother, I’d additionally suggest Dopamine Land just for older youngsters, because the flashing lights and surprisingly deep ball pits would possibly scare anybody who’s beneath hip top.

Our remaining score:

We went into Dopamine Land Singapore considering it might be one other “nice for photos” immersive expertise. Bright lights, pastel rooms, perhaps one or two areas that look nice on Instagram after which finished.

What we did not count on was to stroll out nursing the start of a headache (we had been SO overstimulated at sure factors), and questioning if this was a symptom of dopamine overload, or if we’re simply too outdated for strobe lights and foam pits.

🧠 Overall dopamine rating: We’ll give Dopamine Land 2/5, akin to three hours’ value of doomscrolling compressed into 50 minutes. But eh, youngsters will prefer it.

Dopamine Land is open Wednesdays to Mondays, 11am to 9pm (closed on Tuesdays), at Level 2, WEAVE, Resorts World Sentosa. Find out extra about ticketing here

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This article was first printed in Wonderwall.sg.