Blazer Tag with a V7

Some arenas are a bit more intriguing because they are well known and appreciated within the laser tag community. There are a few locations that I have heard enough players talk about that the bar is set a little higher before I even walk through the door. Blazer Tag in Austin, TX is one such arena that I have heard about for years and definitely had on my radar to pay a visit to as soon as I found my way to Austin. Well, I finally had my opportunity. This past weekend I finally played Blazer Tag!

I walked in the door reasonably early on a Friday night and the place was already slammed! So many people came out to enjoy this classic stand-alone laser tag arena, proving that you don’t need to pack in every attraction and the kitchen sink to make your entertainment facility appealing. This crowd was definitely here to play laser tag!

Blazer Tag operates with Darklight equipment. On the wall I saw what I believe is a V3 phaser.

They had plenty of V5 packs on hand, but I was told they also feature V7 packs, so so inquired. One of the managers, Garrett, told me they have both styles available and at my request he logged me in on a V7 so I could have my first experience playing this version.

This was an interesting experience! The V7 phaser is VERY unusual in its design. It almost looks like you could use it to pump gasoline.

It has a wide screen on the back and slightly modified blob lights on the front.

And you must hold it a bit more vertical than most phasers. The angle is unusual and it definitely feels different to play with this model. However, that is exactly why I wanted to experience it for myself. And what better place to try it out than one of the largest arenas in the state of Texas!

This map shows just how elaborate the Blazer Tag maze is.

And the arena itself did not disappoint. Played across three stories, this arena is huge and a lot of fun to explore.

There are sporadic floor grates so you can tag between levels. I always enjoy finding this in an arena.

And the novelty of playing the Darklight system was a big part of the appeal for me.

At a time when stand-alone laser tag arenas are becoming more and more rare as giant FECs try to be all things to all people, it was gratifying to play at an arena that is still putting laser tag front and center and clearly doing it very well. It was obvious that a lot of people thoroughly enjoyed playing laser tag at Blazer Tag that night and I certainly did too!