Tiviachick Loves Laser Tag

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Packing a Lot of Fun Into a Little Time

I was playing beat the clock by the time I made my way to Owynn’s World of Adventure in Litchfield Park, AZ. I wanted to fit in one more laser tag experience before calling it a day and meeting up with friends for dinner. If I was going to be on time for our dinner gathering, I knew my time was tight. That’s why I especially appreciate that the team at Owynn’s got me into a game right away, playing Delta Strike Genesis for the third time in the last 24 hours.

This is a cute little arena. The theming is fairly simple, with a rocky atmosphere creating the setting of a mountaintop, with images of plains flying nearby.

The concept of bringing players into a higher elevation is augmented by having a raised center platform serve as an upper level, accessible by ramps.

This was the second time in two days that I was particularly aware of what seemed like a significant amount of extra targets in the arena. I found myself echoing my earlier sentiment that if I had gone in alone, I would still have had plenty of elements in this arena to tag. As I was playing a one V1 versus a staff member who does not play very often, I was trying deliberately not to go hard on player to player tags, so I focused more on finding all the smart targets scattered about.

I actually really like when I see lots of bonus targets in an arena. What I would like to see more of is the incorporation of these targets into arena props. However, I enjoyed seeing so many of them throughout this game. This was a lot of fun…and so far I was still right on schedule!

When I was done playing laser tag, I could have simply been on my way, however I noticed that this location also offers Verse Immersive holographic experiences and I was really interested in trying this “out in the wild”. I had sampled Verse during last year‘s IAAPA and, even though I was pressed for time, this seemed worth taking a few extra minutes out of my schedule to try it out.

Verse Immersive is a kind of VR, but unique in that you can see your environment through the headset, so you are not completely removed from having some real world vision. That is one of the things I like most about it. I have real trouble with traditional VR in general because I feel unsettled when my vision is cut off by the headset covering my eyes. This, however, is different. Once I had the Verse Immersive headset on, I could see the interactions in the game as well as the open floorplan of the black box style room where I played my experience right alongside other people having completely different experiences at the same time.

I have yet to try any VR where the experience has been flawless. I won’t pretend that this was a completely smooth encounter, but there are definitely enough positives to make this both enjoyable and unique. It actually worked out well because I had a chance to sample several of the experiences for a few minutes each. I started with “Primal Ranch” where the program began with me training a dinosaur. Well, we all know I’ve been there and done that before! (Any excuse to bring up my little lizard…aka my tiny dinosaur)

The dinosaur images in this one were truly stunning. However. I did encounter a small glitch and rather than starting fresh, I was offered the opportunity to sample a different experience, so I went into “The Unreal Garden”, which I had previously tried at IAAPA.

There are a lot of cool creatures portrayed in this one. I think the poetry and narrative may be especially appealing to younger players. The imagery, however, is once again stunning. I was quite impressed with the visuals. With five minutes before I had before I had to get back on the road I got a quick sample of the Art of the Future.

This one was right up my alley. It did not require anything but exploration and appreciation for the artistic images all throughout. In a way it was a bit like a self guided tour. Seeing how beautifully the images came to life in the headset was worth taking the extra time to experience Verse Immersive in a proper space. Trying something at a trade show is very different from experiencing it in a real world environment and this was worth taking the extra time to experience.

My thanks to the team at Owynn’s for packing so much into my very short visit to this location. Next time I am in Arizona, I would love to stay a bit longer. However, it was time for me to make my way to Phoenix for a very well needed time away to visit with my friends. What a great way to end the tag part of this trip!

Comments or Questions?

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Dragons and Castles and Phasers, Oh My!

I was seriously impressed with my experience laser tagging at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa, AZ.

This is probably the coolest arena in which I have ever played Lazer Runner. Yes, that is a very specific statement, but it is also incredibly accurate.

My impression of this center began to take shape as soon as I walked up to the entrance of this giant castle.

I arrived just in time to join a group that was heading up the stairs to the second floor arena, where I encountered some interesting things. First, it was unique compared to many of the Lazer Runner experiences I have had in a couple of ways. This is the first time I can ever recall actually seeing a Lazer Runner briefing video. That may sound like a small thing, but what are the odds that it would have taken this long for me to see it?

Also, this was the first time I have ever had a code name assigned to a Runner pack. Clearly the capability is there and most arenas must simply not be putting in the extra effort. Meanwhile, this center is doing it right!

The equipment was clearly the newer gear and it played very well for a smooth and enjoyable game experience.

I joined up with the group and after vesting up in one designated corner of the room, we made our way into the arena space. It is a single level space with a lot of cool things going on…and a few surprises!

I was told the medieval themed artwork on the inner maze walls was done by their staff and the arena was fully redesigned about six months ago. They did an impressive job!

There is an unusual, freestanding staircase positioned on one side if you are inclined to want to get some height. I question whether there is much practicality for this, but it is definitely unique and not something I come across often.

The outer walls have beautifully done mural-style art reflecting the overall theme. One wall in particular caught my attention.

This wall literally pictures the king and queen of the castle, the owners of this facility. I absolutely LOVE personalized touches like this and I think the idea was incorporated really well!

The music was upbeat and really energized the game. And every now and again…WHOOSH!!!!! A loud blast of air would blow downward and hit you from above! This is a VERY surprising and effective way to give players an unexpected jolt periodically throughout the game. This was one of the most memorable takeaways for me that keeps the adrenaline pumping and it definitely made me jump every time!

The dragon is the real showpiece of this arena.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it he experience and we gathered for a group photo at the end.

The concession area had a nice variety of options (fried avocado…YUM!!!) and I ordered a combo so I could take home this cool souvenir cup.

This was a really memorable arena and I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this visit to Golfland Sunsplash and their festive castle!

Comments or Questions?

Making a BIG Impression

Andretti’s Indoor Karting and Games has a new location in Chandler, AZ and I raced on over (pun intended) to check out their laser tag arena. This location has only been open for about seven months, so it still has that “new arena” vibe going on in a BIG way!

When I say “big”, I’m mostly talking about the first impression I got, walking in and seeing this giant trophy statement structure in the middle of everything.

This is a breathtaker. Love it!

This arena has a unique racing theme that feels both contemporary and 90s retro-cool at the same time.

Two levels allow for a lot of space for the game to be played.

I got a bit more insight about Andretti’s from this customized briefing video that began with an overview of the Andretti legacy launching this chain of FECs.

Walls with plenty of smart targets, gates and video bases there were lots of attention-grabbing elements all throughout the arena.

Laser tag may not be their primary attraction (as you can imagine, they are known for their indoor three-story electric race cart track), but I am impressed with the attention to detail and the consistency of integrating the racing theme throughout everything they have to offer, including the laser tag.

I have been to a couple of Andretti’s locations previously, but the Chandler location really impressed me in a BIG way…from top to bottom!

Comments or Questions?

Starting My Day the Laser Tag Way

Nothing like starting the day with some laser tag! I arrived bright and early, technically before the Ak-Chin Circle Entertainment Center in Maricopa, AZ was officially open. However, with a jam packed day of tag travels throughout the vicinity around Phoenix, I had to get an early start.

Fortunately Tim was ready to take me on, playing some Helios Pro to get things going.

First, let me say that when I paid for my game I was blown away to learn that their pricing is only $5.00 per game, making this the best value in tag that I have enjoyed in quite some time!

Also, Tim was an excellent sparring partner and this game really got the adrenaline pumping.

This was an older style of CW arena, but had an excellent flow with good sight lines and pretty decent cover, which made it an enjoyable game, even as a 1v1. The arena spans across two levels with my favorite center structure (which I used to count each time I found this in the arenas as I went along, but I haven’t seen this guy in awhile).

To me it looks like a solid arena with good bones has been upgraded to newer equipment to keep the game fresh. Tim gave me some history about the place and this laser tag has had some longevity here!

This was so much fun and I appreciate the staff working with me to get me the first game of the day, which set the tone for a full day of fun ahead. :)

Comments or Questions?