I love getting an early look at a new laser tag center, so the timing couldn’t have been any better for me to be passing through the Chicago area over Labor Day. This provided me with an opportunity to visit the brand new Scene 75 Chicagoland in Romeoville, IL only two and a half weeks after this location first opened their doors. The grand opening had not even taken place yet, so this was a really early experience at a massive family entertainment center that has already pro

I’m jumping slightly out of order to tell you about my visit to Funway in Batavia, IL. This was a quick game with a quick story. When I arrived, there was nobody signed up for the game, so the girl at the counter told me it was too bad her coworker Chris wasn’t around because he calls himself “the laser tag sensei” and could give me some good competition. I agreed it was a shame because my codename is homage to the laser tag ninja princess and that could have been a fun pairi

I was heading towards my next laser tag destination when I passed by an attraction that caught my eye. I called over to Volcano Falls Adventure Park in Loves Park, IL and found out they also offer laser tag. Detour! I got there just in time to join in with a group of about a dozen players and join in on this team playing Lasertron on red. These guys assured me that this would be the winning team. I smiled to myself, quite certain they were right for reasons they didn’t even k

After an amazing few days in Minneapolis playing laser tag and hanging out with friends I haven’t seen since before the pandemic, it was time to head for home…almost. Actually, it was time to head for Chicago, as I would be flying home from O’Hare, but not until after I had a few more laser tag adventures on the road trip to get me back to the airport. My first stop while driving through Illinois was to Tilted 10 in Rockford. This is similar to a Tilt Studio, but with food, d

I was really looking forward to my visit to Tactical Urban Combat in Bloomington, MN for a few reasons. First, because I was eager to see what Minnesota’s largest Nerf and laser tag battlefield would look like and have to offer. I was also excited to check it out because this arena is located inside the Mall of America, which was on my list of places I wanted to see while I was in town. Laser tag and shopping? Yes, please! But first, time to check out the arena. When I arrive

I played three Bowlero locations during my time in Minnesota. Eden Prairie, Blaine and Brooklyn Park were the sites I was able to get to and I had a particularly good time being able to bring my friend Nicole along to a couple of them. My first of the three was on my own to the Eden Prairie Bowlero (as it was closest to my hotel that first night in town). Most Bowleros are very similar, so I was not surprised to find a few familiar characteristics, including the Urban Mission

The Burrow in Oakdale, MN was one site I wasn’t sure I would be able to get back to. I had stopped over and tried to play some laser tag earlier in the evening, but the arena was temporarily down for repairs. However, with thanks to the manager at their sister site, I was able to coordinate a return visit on Thursday evening, which was the only night that it would have been possible for me to make a second visit, given their hours. So, I made the trip back to Oakdale and can

I was incredibly impressed with PINZ in Oakdale, MN because they obviously put a lot into their laser tag arena. This was a complete 180 from the last PINZ location I played. This site has all the bells and whistles, which to my mind means all the gates and pick-up pads! Right from the entrance it looked like this site cared about making a good impression with their laser tag. I got to play against AB using Zone Helios Pro and I appreciated that he played full-out so that I c

I found an arena that shares the same name (though no other connection) with my former home arena in Albany, NY. When I learned about Zero Gravity Trampoline Park in Mounds View, MN I definitely wanted to again be able to say I played laser tag at Zero Gravity! Time for a little CyberBlast. Three of us went into a very light game just to experience the arena. It was a pretty typical one-level CW design with familiar walls. However, I did take notice of a few unique accents th

I visited one site where I had a strange experience, but in sharing it I think I can offer up both a useful solution and a beneficial takeaway for other laser tag operators. I’m not going to name the location. In a moment, the reason will be apparent. I walked through the entrance and looked around. The place was mostly empty except for a group of patrons socializing, but no staff appeared to be around at all. I tentatively walked around looking for an employee and eventually