A Different Kind of Tag

I heard through the grapevine that Spy Ninjas HQ in Las Vegas had ZTAG available to play in their Ninja Tag arena, so I had to check this out!

I had never played ZTAG before (other than trying demos at the trade shows), so I was intrigued to see what this game was really about. Originally it was marketed as a phaser-free laser tag game, but to my mind this is better described as “proximity tag”. It works and “tags” when wrist units are in close proximity to one another.

I looked forward to having a unique experience. ZTAG is not always utilized, but by request or with larger groups it is an available option. This gear is a new addition in the last few months, easily brought in and out of the Ninja Tag course as needed with this portable tech box.

My thanks to Izzy, the Spy Ninjas HQ manager who facilitated a game for me to play with staff members Sam and Jimmie.

Kam set us up to play a Zombie game where my wrist unit turned red (identifying me as the zombie) and my goal was to get close enough to the other players’ green wrist units to turn them red in this infection-style format. This was more intense than I expected!

We chased each other around in and out of tunnels, foam ramps…

…and while traversing plexiglass-bottom walkways to see the activities below…

And from the highest peaks of the soft-play obstacle space.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video has got to be worth even more!

Suffice it to say, I have never played a game of tag quite like this! It may not be a traditional kind of laser tag, but it definitely provides a unique kind of tag entertainment that elevated my experience here.

According to ZTAG inventor Quan Gan, this game is not only entertainment at its core, but the units are also being used in schools and educational environments that “align with our mission of promoting physical activity, social interaction, and learning through fun and creativity.” Well, all three of those objectives were definitely met during this game.