There are a few things you always need to play laser tag. A spacious venue is essential, quality laser tag equipment is also important, and dark clothing usually helps.
But what about WiFi? Do you need a good internet connection to play laser tag?
The short answer is no, you don’t. Well, you don’t most of the time at least.
Traditional laser tag uses infrared lights to communicate with opponents’ chest plates or guns, so you can tag them. Each time a laser tag sensor picks up on one of these beams, it counts it as a shot.
Conventional laser tag is relatively simple, which is part of its appeal. After all, it would be inconvenient to try to play a tactical game of laser tag in the forest if everyone had to stay within a 20-foot radius of a router.
But not all laser tag is traditional. Some kinds of laser tag games do require WiFi to work.
Let’s dive into the absolute essentials of laser tag, then get into what kinds of laser tag needs WiFi!
Contents
What do you need to play laser tag?
Forget about the WiFi for a second, and let’s talk basics.
A Good Venue
There are a lot of great venue options out there.
You could let the professionals handle things and go to an indoor black-lit arena. These are typically well-designed, have elaborate props, and plenty of fun neon and great background music!
Outdoor laser tag venues are also a lot of fun, but for different reasons. They are spacious and let players get more tactical when it comes to strategizing and taking down opponents.
We also love to play at home. It’s easy and wholesome.
Long Range Laser Tag Guns
We think that a good laser tag gun should have a tagging range of about 200 feet, but we’re sure you’ll still have fun with less.
If you’re buying laser tag guns for home, make sure multiple sets are compatible with each other, that way the teams can grow with the game!
Appropriate Clothing
To start, you should be able to run in everything you wear for laser tag. Sneakers or boots are a must if the venue you’re playing at allows shoes.
We also recommend dark or camouflage clothing so you can blend in with your surroundings.
Great Teammates!
This is arguably the most important component for a good laser tag game.
Laser tag isn’t very fun all by itself. Get some enthusiastic friends together to play and have fun with it!
Laser tag sets that need WIFI
This is where Recoil enters the chat. Recoil is a game by Skyrocket that combines laser tag and WiFi for the ultimate playing experience.
The concept of Recoil is similar to that of Pokémon Go.
“We are trying to get a first-person shooter [game] to come to life,” explains Skyrocket senior director Craig Mitchell, “We saw the impact of Pokémon Go in the real world, and we thought about what would happen if Call of Duty met Pokémon Go.”
So there you have it. Recoil is a whenever, wherever laser tag game. The game comes with a hotspot, which connects all of the players to one another and syncs the toy guns to the players’ phones.
Up to 16 players can play at one time, it is completely wireless, and even has accurate body tracking.
The WiFi is set up in the middle of the playing field, and the hotspot tracks where all of the phones (and players) are in the arena to keep track of their tagging information.
The laser tag guns are also relatively realistic. They recoil when shot from, and of course, no laser tag game would be complete without complimentary sound effects every time someone shoots or gets shot.
The bonus feature of using this new laser tag technology is being able to see where all the players are from a map on your phone. You can also pick up different or upgraded weapons along the way since the WiFi hotspot is constantly tracking your location.
It’s the perfect combination of an arcade game and good old-fashioned laser tag. Recoil is the manifestation of every little kid who played first-person shooter games with quarters that dreamed they could jump into the game and really play.
There’s also a voice chat system so team members can coordinate their moves, positions, and make the most out of their time on the field. This may take a little getting used to since conventional laser tag doesn’t involve that much real-time communication, but players eventually get the hang of it.
“You need to use real-world tactics, and have a lot of skill and accuracy when you shoot,” says the executive producer at Sky Rocket, Cory Ledesma.
The WiFi hotspot has a 250-foot range, which feels like plenty of room to run around while still staying within reasonable boundaries.
You can buy the Recoil Laser Tag Starter Set below:
Does the Recoil laser tag require a phone?
Yes, you will need a smartphone to play recoil. What makes Recoil so interactive is that players can look at their ammo levels, the position of their players, and other states on the Recoil app.
Recoil works with iPhones generation 6 and up, and a few Android devices, mainly Samsungs. You should check to see if your phone is compatible with the game before investing in the set.
The main requirements of a Recoil compatible smartphone include GPS (turned on); Bluetooth (turned on); WiF (turned on); a front-facing camera, and a microphone. Without any of these features, the game will not work.
The phone connects to the laser tag gun, so without a phone, there isn’t really a game. This may be a good indication that Recoil isn’t for young children.
The game was designed for 12 year-olds and up, so teenagers and adults will probably appreciate the intricacies of Recoil’s design.
If you have a little one dying to get their hands on a laser tag gun, we recommend going for an affordable set like the one below:
Recoil Customer Reviews
Overall, people love playing with Recoil. It might take a while to get the hang of, but once you do, you’ll have a blast with it.
Like we mentioned, customers have said they wished they double-checked on their phones’ compatibility. That seems to be the only thing holding people back.
Customers loved how engaging the game was, and said it was way better than traditional toy guns or laser tag. They also noted this game is not suitable for young children, since it can be a little complicated to navigate the app, communicate with team players, and tag opponents simultaneously.
Many customers also pointed out that you will need a lot of batteries. They don’t come with the set, so be prepared!
WiFi or No WiFi?
Which kind of laser tag suits you and your team players best? Are you a conventional laser tag team? Or do you like the high-tech Recoil version?
There are a lot of ways to enjoy laser tag, and no way is worse or betters. It’s all about what makes the players comfortable and lets them have the most fun.
We’d love to hear what you think!
Have fun tagging!