How to Win a Game of Laser Tag

• Wear dark clothes to help you evade your opponents, and tighten your vest to help you dodge their lasers.
• Move sideways to make yourself a smaller target, and pick off other players from the arena’s high ground.
• Fire constantly to help you land shots. If you’re in a team, split up to cover more ground and tag more enemies.

Before the Game

Wear dark clothing to make yourself harder to spot. Laser tag is almost always played in the dark, which means that you’ll stick out like a lighthouse if you’re wearing bright colors, making you an easy target. Wear black or dark blue to keep you hidden from your opponents. Especially avoid white, which will light up like a beacon under the arena’s blacklights. Also, wear something comfortable. You’re going to be running around indoors, so opt for something lightweight and breathable.

Tighten your tactical vest to make you harder to hit. Your vest contains the bulk of the laser sensors, and if someone snipes those sensors with their laser, you’ll take a hit. Tightening your vest keeps it closer to your body, which makes it easier to dodge your opponent’s fire. It also makes it much easier to quickly move around in the arena. If your vest is loose, it’ll be easier to hear it rattling around when you’re moving. You don’t want to give away your position! Loose vests might also malfunction or register phantom hits, so make sure to tighten your shoulder and waist straps. If you have trouble with your equipment, ask an employee at the venue for help.

Study the battlefield layout ahead of time to get an upper hand. If you can, take a look at the arena’s map before the game. Knowing the lay of the land will give you an advantage over an unprepared opponent. Look for areas with good cover, high ground, or easy routes to sneak around and flank the other team. If you can’t get your hands on a map, make your first game a recon mission to familiarize yourself with the arena, and use that knowledge in your next games. Some laser tag facilities have a brochure with their map in it. Pick one up when you get to the play area to see if it has a map!

Make a strategy plan with your team before you deploy. Playing as a team can give you a major leg up. But it might not be the best advantage if your team is disorganized. Before the game starts, give them a briefing about your strategy. Will you split up? Who’ll take the high ground? Do you need to move in pairs? Having a game plan beforehand makes you ready when you hit the arena. Consider using simple hand signals to indicate the location of an enemy, like pointing with 2 fingers, or ask for covering fire with an upheld fist. Split your team into two smaller teams and use one for offense and one for defense if you’re playing a game of base defense or capture the flag. Consider asking other players if they want to team up beforehand, as well.

Take a moment to let your eyes adjust to the dark. Laser tag arenas are often dark, and it takes several seconds for your eyes to catch up and things to come into focus after being in a brighter space. When the game starts, make a break for cover or for a less-crowded part of the arena, and stay there until you can see clearly in the dim space. Once you’ve got your bearings, start blasting! Most games of laser tag have a short period where players can move about the arena before the game begins. Use this time to scout the layout while your eyes adjust.

Tactical Decisions

Walk sideways to make yourself a slimmer target. On most laser tag vests, the largest sensors are at the front and back of the vest. So if you walk sideways down a corridor, those targets are much harder to hit, since they face away from your opponents. This is especially helpful if you find yourself in a faceoff with nowhere to take cover—just turn sideways!

Keep moving instead of staying in one place for too long. A moving target is a difficult target. Unless you’re intentionally defending a good position, stay on the run to make your opponents work harder to tag you. To level up your game, move erratically to make yourself a really tough target—jump, duck, and zigzag to dodge those lasers. Or, do what’s known as “camping.” If you find a great spot that lets you tag lots of people without being seen, hunker down and rack up your score. Just be sure you have an escape route if someone finds you.

Prioritize the easy targets, and lay off the slippery ones. If you’re looking to rack up a high score, it’s not the best idea to hound the more skilled players, who might outgun or outmaneuver you. Instead, choose other targets that are easier to hit, and who might not have the know-how to put up a strong defense. Know your place in the laser tag food chain, and take advantage of it. Many laser tag games include players of all ages and experience levels. Try not to pick on the especially young or less experienced players too much—give them a chance to have fun, too.

Pull the trigger constantly to improve your chances of hitting someone. If you’re not pulling the trigger, you’re not shooting, which means you’re not scoring points. Even if your aim is bad, firing your laser gun consistently increases the odds that at least one of your shots will land. When you round that corner and come face to face with an enemy, work that trigger finger! That said, your laser gun may make noises when fired, so only fire when you’ve got an opponent in your sights. Some laser tag weapons have “ammo” that you need to reload. Remember to reload whenever you run out!

Get to higher ground to gain the tactical advantage. Many laser tag arenas have ramps that lead up to a higher level, or even a new floor. When you’re up high, it’s easier to pick off opponents below you, and it's harder for them to shoot upward to hit you. You’ll also be able to keep track of your opponents’ movements, which can help you catch them by surprise. Just remember to watch your back as you're shooting downward—that’s the perfect chance for your opponents to catch you unaware.

Stay low behind cover to reduce your vulnerability. If you stand out in the open, you’re giving your opponent an easier shot. Try to keep the majority of your vest behind cover so that you’re harder to hit. And don’t just sprint around that corner—peek around it with your head, keeping your gun and vest concealed to avoid being ambushed. If you have to go out into the open, stay low while you’re moving. This will make you harder to aim at, and your opponent might not even see you coming.

Hide if you get shot and regain your composure. Often, a good offense is the best defense in laser tag. That said, most laser tag setups give you a “cooldown” period after you get tagged, where you’ll have a few seconds of invulnerability. Use this period to advantage to find cover or make a getaway to avoid getting immediately tagged again. Slow your breathing while you wait in order to relax. This will make sure that you’re alert and ready when you reenter combat.

Team Strategy

Split up to make your team harder to tag. In a team, your impulse might be to stick together, but that just makes you a larger target. Instead, spread out or even disperse through the arena. This not only makes each of you harder to hit, but it covers more ground and makes more opportunities for tagging your opponents. It’s also much easier for the opposing team to corner you if you’re all next to each other. You don’t want to get trapped as a team! Also, set up an ambush. Have one team member lead opponents to a spot where the rest of your team can fire away at your enemies.

Ambush the enemy in pairs. Try hiding near an enemy and using a teammate to lure them out. Once your opponent reveals their location, get into position and sneak up on them. While they’re distracted, jump out and surprise them.

Protect your teammates by shooting when they’re moving. In a team game, working together and having your teammates’ backs is critical. If you see your teammate making a dash for cover, help them out by shooting at any opponents you see trying to tag them. This wards off aggressive enemies and gives your team a fighting chance.

Watch your back and keep an eye out for your team. Being aware of your surroundings is essential to winning at laser tag. Always be looking left, right, and behind you to make sure you’re not being followed, or an opponent isn’t trying to get the jump on you. Then, note the features of the arena. Many arenas have mirrors that you can use to shoot opponents hiding behind cover. But be careful, they can do the same to you! If you’re playing as a team, have one player face forward and another keep watch behind you.