Laser tag still exists. How awesome is that?
Zap! Zap zap ziggity zap!
I'm talking about Laser Tag, of course. Remember Laser Tag? The game where you had guns and tried to hit other people with beams of light?
It's back. En masse.
Sun reporter Chris Kaltenbach has all the details in this story, which ran in today's paper. Check this part out:
Nationwide, there are some 760 facilities that offer laser tag, either exclusively or as part of a larger facility; that's up from about 560 in 2004, according to figures provided by the International Laser Tag Association.
The International Laser Tag Association? Baaaaahahahaha!!! ...
According to Chris' story, two new Laser Tag centers have recently opened in the Baltimore area. And Laser Tag is flush:
The group estimates they account for about $217 million in revenue a year in North America, based on an average of 2.75 million laser tag "experiences" every month.
Wow. Where do I sign up?
I was a kid back when Laser Tag took the world by storm.
Since we lived in the boonies, far away from any signs of civilization, let alone Laser Tag, Mom and Pops bought us this home Laser Tag setup. Everybody wore a laser-sensitive badge on their chest, and your opponents tried to zap it. Oh, the fun we had.
Just wait -- 30 years from now I'll have some terrible brain tumor from all the lasers beamed into my body.
Guess I better make the most of the time I've got left ... by playing Laser Tag!
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Home laser tag sets were always ruined by the kids who realized they could just put their hand over their chest sensor and become invincible.
But Photon down on route 1 in Laurel, now that place claimed far too many hours and far too many dollars from me in my middle school years.
Posted by: AK | March 26, 2010 12:07 PM
is there a bar and maybe we can eventually have a Midnight Sun party there.
"I must destroy Sam Sessa"
Posted by: jason z | March 26, 2010 12:18 PM
Bring the heat, Jason Z. You'll see why they call me the Laser Master.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | March 26, 2010 1:40 PM
We need to take the Midnight Sun band of reprobates to the laser tag at Eastpoint Mall.
And you're going down, Sessa.
Posted by: bryanintowson | March 26, 2010 1:58 PM
Last time I played was at Ultrazone Eastpoint Mall for one of my friends' bachelor parties. For our first game they put like 8 of us against a team consisting of a birthday party of 9 year old boys and 3 teenage girls.
Needless to say we destroyed them. It turns out 9 year olds don't understand the concepts of cover, spreading out, or moving. Neither do girls. Or Bryanintowson.
On the way in one of the little kids goes "I can't believe they're making us go against them. They're... dudes, and we're just kids!"
Posted by: Mike Gumpinski | March 26, 2010 4:00 PM
Sam,
As you know we had no Laser Tag in Dover growing up, so all the kids in my neighborhood had the home version. I saw them in my parents attic last weekend and it reminded me of some epic battles.
You ever try the laser tag drive by on YOUR Huffy?
Posted by: Tyler | March 26, 2010 4:59 PM
one question: Why are we not having the Midnight Sun "Situation" at a laser tag venue?
Posted by: Allan | March 29, 2010 9:03 AM