**I’d like to start and say that this isn’t a paid endorsement. I’m just explaining my experience with an escape room I went to.**
The game of Laser Tag gained its prominence in the 1980’s. The premise is simple yet can be physically and mentally challenging. Players of the game are given a laser beam gun and usually wear a vest with infrared sensors. Teams or individuals fire infrared beams of light on infrared targets either worn by opposing players or in the arena where the game is being played at. Laser tag can be played anywhere, is popular with all ages, and promotes teamwork or be a competitive free for all. I’ve always been a fan of Laser Tag. I feel it’s the closest that I can get into for believing myself in a Tron like world or a cyber sci-fi battle. It really appeals to the gamer in me and it’s almost like a first person shooter video game. Only, in real life and a lot better.
Lehigh Valley Laser Tag in Allentown, PA is a bit hard to find on your first trip or visit, but becomes familiar once you’ve been here before. There isn’t a standout sign to get your attention when you go there for the first time. When we got inside, it felt like a standard lobby, there were some arcade games around and had an area to purchase snack type food and to sit and eat. Computer terminals are lined up in front to register and chose your name. They have different events being held like a laser tag lock in, for example. Where you play laser tag games over night for a set price.
Some photos that I took when we went of the facility.
We got three games for our session. Lehigh Valley Laser Tag can accommodate up to 36 people per session. We were fortunate the night we went we were the only people in that arena and place. It does help have to other people, since with no one else to play with, we had to play against each other. But despite not all being on the same team, I see it that it can lead to bonding with each other through playing, or lead to find out if we have a hidden hatred that lies dormant and subliminally within with who we tagged the most. It could even show who was the weakest in our group with the amount of tags that they received. Plus, as one of my friend had pointed out, we could scope out the area and arena for the next time that we play there. Each session was 8 minutes long. This place has a variety games. They ranged from the standard two team battles to a free for all. Some of the themed games we played the last time; base tagging were to win you had to tag the opponents base the most times. Another game had a theme involving a player that was the healer. Where if you were the healer, you had to recharge your teammates on the floor as the base recharge was disabled while they were fighting. If the opposing team would hit the healer, then the shot reflected back at the opponent shooting the healer. This game was a bit confusing, as there was no real way to tell if you were the healer unless through the audio of your vest or gun and only for a limited time.
Once we are inside, the atmosphere felt like other Laser Tags places that I’ve been to before; Black lit, fogged, neon painted room with cover strategically placed around the arena. We are given a laser gun and the sensors to hit your opponent were located on your chest, back, laser gun and shoulders. The laser tag vest would vibrate if you had gotten tagged. The is no running or physical contact, which are usually the standard rules of most Laser tags I’ve been to. The techno music fits the atmosphere of the arena, although I wish that we had some Djent metal playing while we the matches went on. I felt it could make the match more intense, but the music was fine. All of the barriers and cover are very strategically placed. This location is also two stories which can change how and who you decide to go after either solo or in a team and make the ground or 1st floor cover unless and have people keep moving. The first game that we played is a free for all. It was every man and woman for themselves. After we were hit, we had a shield for 3 seconds to hide and regroup, Hi score wins. After that game, we broke up into two teams. It seemed that they placed us based on how we scored the first game. It was a fair way to separate us. The second and third game were team battles and the same rules with the exception being the second game we didn’t have any shield for a buffer and the third game we got our 3 second shield back after one of us got tagged. Our last game also had all of the strobe and the laser effects going.
After the session we got a score card of how we did. It shows your score, accuracy, how many times you were tagged, and how many time others tagged you and where you we tagged. My accuracy count is very low. I don’t see a reason to have a high accuracy since most of the games go for a high score or total team score. I have my score card with images below.
CLICK HERE for the website and more information on Lehigh Valley Laser Tag. Do you have any recommendations for laser tag places anywhere? My friends and I are willing to check out and try a new place within reason. Please let me know and thank you for reading.
Tom Moscato's Blog 