Tiviachick Loves Laser Tag

Monday, November 18, 2024

Ready for Rift

Salem Fun Center in Salem, OH has been on my radar for a while, but timing is everything and this trip was my first opportunity to get there during open play hours for a game. I was looking forward to it, especially once I realized I could play some Rift for the second time this trip. :)

This arena is a single level, smaller space, but it has a very slightly raised platform in the center that was fun to tag in and around.

I joined a small group for a fairly light game, but everyone enjoyed. Neon accents glowed brightly under the black lights.

It’s always a good time getting to play tag. Maybe next time I’ll have a bit more time to skate, but at this point I had one more arena to visit before the evening was done, so I kept on powering through as with every arena I play I am inching closer to hitting my next milestone. I’m glad I got to experience this one along the way!

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A Delightful Confetti Storm

What a delightful experience it was to visit Confetti Fun Center in New Springfield, OH! This was not my typical arena visit, but it was certainly memorable and unique!

First, it needs to be noted that this is a business that caters largely to children’s parties and to providing a fun environment designed especially for kids and families. As such, this laser tag arena is a bit more youth oriented, which is perfectly suited to fit this kind of atmosphere. I’m sure it was a surprise for me to walk in requesting a game on this particular night, but the staff there was great and helped to make it happen. I want to extend my thanks to Corey and their team who made some cool memories happen for everyone in this photo!

I first became aware of this arena because my friend George had mentioned helping to install the Laser Storm system here. This is why I went out of my way to visit. However, in this case, in order to play a game I was going to have to find someone there who would be willing to join me. I introduced myself to a mom in the next room, explained my blog and offered to treat her child to a laser tag game in an effort to make this happen. It turns out I approached exactly the right person because she is a TikTok creator (so very supportive of a laser tag blog) and her daughter was a very enthusiastic young lady named Gisselle who, as luck would have it, really loves laser tag! Perfect!

I figured we’d do a light 1v1 game with the mom hanging out in the arena with us during the game. However, by the time I was done purchasing the game, Corey had managed to round up several more kids who wanted to experience laser tag for the first time. How awesome to watch all these young players catching the excitement of laser tag!

We went into the briefing room where Corey gave instructions and started passing out the Laser Storm packs. This is when I noticed something that I was really enthused about. This would be my very first experience using the Laser Storm pack version that features shoulder sensors instead of the headset!

Even though I enjoy the classic version of the packs with headsets, this was quite a novelty for me. I’ve been wanting to find a place to try this particular pack design for a while and here it was! We headed into the game where Corey led the teams over to their respective energizers.

Time to start the game!

With the permission of all the parents, Gisselle’s mother filmed the game and captured some awesome Laser Storm fun for all!

As you can see, this arena has a very cool comic book theme going on that glows brightly under the black lights.

I really liked this particular piece of artwork.

This game was probably a bit unexpected all around, but everyone had so much fun! It was truly a delight to play alongside these kids who were enjoying laser tag so much while also getting to see a really unique incorporation of Laser Storm being operated at Confetti Fun Center. When the next tournament rolls around I have dibs on this fierce team! :)

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Tilting at Something Different

In a laser tag landscape where I often see so much that has a “similar style” from one arena to the next, it is refreshing to find something a little more unique! That was my first impression of the arena at Tilt Studios in St. Clairesville, OH.

What immediately caught my attention was this huge animated projection video of an alien on the balcony wall. It’s really the first thing you see and VERY cool!

Now, although we were playing with CyberBlast gear, it should be noted that this was only a video projection and not an interactive game target (as I often look for). However, it was a well executed example of how projections in any form can really take a static arena and bring it to dazzling life!

There was a spacescape animated projection on the opposite side balcony wall that was also pretty impressive.

And if you are curious about my referencing two balcony walls, that is the direct result of a completely original build, quite unlike most arenas that I have played.

This arena runs lengthwise across two levels with very long ramps to access the top from different sides.

The manager on duty told me that this was designed by someone within the company and that incorporating the laser tag was part of the plans when they went from a simpler Tilt arcade to the more elaborate Tilt Studios in 2018.

Also rather unique is the fact that both bases were on the upper level.

And the airbrushed artwork throughout the space has a slightly retro vibe that I like.

I love experiencing something different. I joined a game in progress because there was a group there when I arrived. This was fun…especially watching the reactions when the three guys who had been dominating up until that point realized I was there. :) Their focus shifted over to me pretty quickly and made for some fun competition!

I truly enjoyed this experience at Tilt Studios.

I have been to quite a few of them at this point and each one is different from the next, but they all have seem to have something memorable in the mix. You never know what you’ll find!

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Tagging in the 814

There are now two locations for 814 Lanes and Games in Pennsylvania, so of course I wanted to visit them both. It was also great that Logan was able to meet up with me at one of them during my recent trip through PA.

I started my morning with a visit to the first location in Johnstown, PA. When I walk into a bowling alley first thing in the morning I understand it can be hit or miss whether I’m able to get into a laser tag game, so I appreciate them freeing up a team member to play against me. I said a short, light game would be fine with me because (as it was explained to me “he didn’t want to get sweaty”, but once in the arena when he realized I was not new to this I think the competitive mindset started to override that. Although (to be fair) if you look at what I was wearing, I wasn’t keeping it a secret, lol!

Now, I want to take a moment to point out a little detail that this site has implemented that is VERY smart. Look carefully at the vesting rack, particularly at the double metal tubes just to the side of it.

These are positioned to neatly hold the phaser when the vests are on the rack. Brilliant! So many times, particularly with CyberBlast, I see the phasers dangling from the vest or (even worse) just laying on the floor. It’s an incredibly common issue because even when there is a clip (or the manufacturer’s added super-strong magnet) the general public is just careless with the equipment. This addition to the vesting rack is a very clear, simple and efficient solution to the problem of “what to do with the phaser”. I’m impressed with that little touch of ingenuity!

Now, as for the game…

The arena was a nicely done 1 1/2 level space (ie single level with a nicely raised center platform accessible by ramps for the added height).

There were some familiar elements, but well done with cool props including a helicopter and a car appearing to “crash” through the walls overhead.

And I like the fence barricades that create “windows” to tag through on the lower level.

However, my favorite moment of the game came while I was over by this projection target.

You see, when I played a new arena I like to explore it a bit, so I paced myself at the start and began tagging the base. The staff member “explained” to me that I should not be tagging the base, but should be coming after him and I could tell that at this moment he thought he had the upper hand. I proceeded with playing it out my own way and circled back around to do a selfie by the helicopter projection (good choice for this theme).

The guy came up from the side, thinking I was distracted by the pretty lights :) and was surprised when I flipped my phaser and tagged him without even looking his way. His response… ”damn, how did you do that!”

From there it became “game on” and I started playing for real. Kudos to him, he did put up a challenge. However, in this game “Smurfette” did beat “SpongeBob” by a solid 5000 point margin and I was glad to get a real game experience this early in the morning. However, I worked up a sweat, so I assume he did too.

Next I was off to visit their newest arena (less than a year old) in Greensburg, PA where Logan and I met up.

This arena took their theming in a completely different direction. After an instructional briefing video we were asked to turn around to be immersed in a video introduction to the experience that provided some storyline exposition for a “crash landing” on another planet (aka the arena) via monitors designed to look like the windshield of a spacecraft.

This was cool. It’s the kind of thing that, although it has no bearing on the game itself, adds something memorable that really elevates the entire experience. Well done!

From here Logan and I explored and tagged through a nice looking, single level arena.

The most interesting element for me when playing CyberBlast now is finding a video projection target…which I did!

The game was enjoyable and a completely different experience from the company’s other arena. Overall I had a great time tagging in the 814 at both 814 Lanes and Games locations.

Comments or Questions?