TAG Adventures in Fargo

This past weekend I was ultimately heading to an event in South Dakota, but to get there I first had to fly into Fargo, ND and then make the three hour drive south. Well, fortunately that gave me just enough time to make a visit to Tactical Action Gaming in West Fargo, an indoor tactical laser tag site that had opened in the fall of 2019 and was new since my last visit to North Dakota, so I was excited to see what they had to offer.

When I arrived I was greeted by Nate from the staff who showed me to their vesting area to check out their Adventure Sports HQ tag gear and get ready for a game.

Owner Lloyd Hoffarth arrived while we were getting ready and joined in to accommodate a small game, just the three of us because I was there first thing in the morning before the groups were set to arrive later in the day. I really appreciate them making these accommodations so I could experience the arena, even knowing that proper tactical tag really requires more players.

I was handed a visor to wear my head sensor. This is an excellent method for wearing the gear because the plastic can be easily cleaned and it felt way more secure on my head. I placed it with the brim backwards over my Photon hat for what Nate called the “Sherlock Holmes” look. :)

Admittedly, I don’t play a lot of tactical tag compared to traditional laser tag, so I have not had very much experience with ASHQ, so that was one more reason I was glad to try things out here. Lloyd, Nate and I walked into the 5000 square foot arena and I was immediately impressed with the build of numerous “rooms”. This is one thing there seems to be a lot more of in tactical fields that have a permanent space.

Some local artists are responsible for the cool decor throughout the arena as well as the front entry. The walls have literally been “tagged!”

There are ample places to find cover, but an open enough flow where you can get a good distance shot if your aim is good. Unfortunately, I am not very good at aiming with the use of a scope, so my performance was lacking. Good thing Lloyd was backing me up!

I found myself making a few trips back to base to respawn.

Here there is a respawn box and all you need to do is hit the red button to be brought back into the game.

Ultimately, I had to concede this round to Nate, who has excellent aim (which is good to hear as he is getting military training and I want his aim to be top notch!) and I appreciated him giving me a good challenge to start my day. He also showed me that he has skill not just with tactical laser tag, but they also run standard nerf tag, nerf rival and jellyball. I had a few questions about jellyball.

I know many girls who call these Orbeez and use them for a sensory spa experience, but if you prefer another use…jellyball!

Lloyd told me that he started out as a mobile operator with a video game trailer, but opened the arena facility as a place that could operate year round, as an indoor site allows them to play during the winter as well. They are a party center and open on the weekends by reservation with the flexibility to play a variety of mission styles. I asked Lloyd what influenced his decision to go with Adventure Sports HQ and he told me that after getting some recommendations he was impressed with the equipment’s durability and ease of repair. He also emphasized that “it’s all about the experience.” I can tell you my experience was very positive and I can see the potential for this business to keep growing. They have a nice selection of activities to keep things interesting and the staff has a passion for the game too. He joked with Nate about whether he spends more time working or tagging!