Laser tag is undoubtedly fun, especially if you have lots of friends to play with. What’s great is that you’re not limited to a particular version of the game with a fixed set of rules. You and your friends can pick a different type pf laser tag game each time you play, and adjust the rules according to everyone’s preferences.
That opens up a lot of possibilities! Here are some versions of laser tag that might be new to you, and may later become one of your favorites!
Capture the King
This is a great twist on a classic “Capture the Flag” game. You have 2 teams of players, but this time you don’t just have a flag or banner to protect or capture. You still have that flag, but this time you also need to appoint one of your players as the King. The King should wear something distinctive, like a bib or maybe a helmet when no one else is wearing a helmet.
In the classic Capture the Flag Game, your team has to capture the enemy’s flag and return it to your base. Or, you can just kill off every member of the opposing team (while they try to capture your flag).
But in Capture the King, you have to guide your King towards the base so that the King herself (or himself) can get the flag.
The first team who manages to kill off the enemy King wins!
Capture the Medic
This time, you appoint one teammate as the Medic. The basic goal is still the same, as you’re still trying to “kill” all your opponents. But you really need to focus on killing the enemy Medic, while you your best to protect your own medic.
The Medic’s job is crucial, as they’re able to “heal” their teammates. If you’re tagged, then all you have to do is to get to your Medic to get healed (a tap on the shoulder can signify the healing). Then you can get back in the game.
Of course, once you kill of the enemy Medic, they won’t be able to heal their teammates!
Every Man for Himself
This game has to be renamed in this “woke” age, but the general idea remains the same. You go alone solo, a 1-person team. Your job is simple—kill everyone else.
Of course, this won’t be as much fun if you’re killed early in the game. That’s why some versions of the game allow for respawning, so you can get back into the action. You and your friends, however, may place a cap on home many lives each player has, so that you still have to be a bit careful so you don’t get too easily.
This is a game that serves as a warmup, and it’s especially great for newbies. Beginners learn through experience how to aim and kill opponents, while also learning how to avoid getting killed too quickly.
With this version, players may also form their own alliances to kill off solo players more efficiently. But there’s always a risk that an ally can suddenly shoot you when you don’t expect it. That risk of treachery is part of the fun!
Simple Team Matchup
This is another simple game that can also warm things up. You have 2 teams, and each team tries to kill off the opposing team members. Again, you can agree on respawning rules while limiting the number of lives for each player.
This helps beginners learn about team play, and using tactics like laying covering fire for moving teammates and trying to flank opposing team members.
3-Team Matchups
This can be a rather chaotic game, since there are 3 teams trying to fight against one another. You can set up your own rules, though in general it’s allowed to let 2 teams gang up on the 3rd team. This is often a good strategy when the 3rd team has lots of better players, or when they’re occupying a crucial position in the game.
The main problem with this game is that it can lead to resentment when 2 teams keep on ganging up on the 3rd team. But it’s great for cunning players, especially when supposed allied teams suddenly turn against each other.
You can have as many teams as you want, actually. The same rules of alliances are allowed. Teams can ally with other teams, but betrayal is always a possibility.
Predator and Prey
This has many names, and sometimes it’s also called Rabbit Hunt or Rabbitoid. In this game, you have one Rabbit, while the rest of the players are the Hunters or Predators. The game is simple—the hunters have to kill the rabbit o rabbit has to kill off all the other hunters.
If you have maybe 5 to 7 players, then a single rabbit can act the part. But for larger groups, you can have more rabbits who may then act together as well.
To make things fair, in some versions of the game the Hunters only have 1 life each. They then have to be very careful. The Rabbits, meanwhile, can have more lives.
The usual version here is that the Rabbit has as many lives as the Hunters. So, if there are 7 players, there may be 6 Hunters with 1 life each, while the Rabbit has 6 lives. But you can designate the best player as the rabbit and limit the rabbit’s number of lives, to make things fair.
Conclusion
The more imaginative you and your friends are, the more fun you’ll have with laser tag. There are countless laser tag versions you can try. You and your friends can decide how many teams there are, how many lives each player has, and what particular objectives you may want for the game.
Just make sure that when you play a game, everyone knows all the rules. It’s not much fun when people argue about the rules. The point of laser tag, after all, is to have as much fun as you can!