As you guys might know if you actually read my blog or check out my social media posts, Nini and I threw a laser quest party at Tag Team Inc for our boyfriends for their birthday recently. We had a lot of fun, mainly because of the company, not really about the game, we wished the fun was longer and that someone had told us what to expect during the party. While it was a really interesting idea for a party, I thought a post on how to improve on it would help some of you if you are planning to throw a laser quest party for your loved ones. This post also includes a review on Tag Team Inc.
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GUIDE TO THROWING A LASER QUEST PARTY 101.
WHAT IS A LASER QUEST PARTY?
Wait! Do you not even watch 'How I Met Your Mother' or whattttttt?
It's the game that Barney Stinson likes to play so much.
Laser quest is something like paintball, excluding the bruises after the game. It uses infrared guns and vest and the whole purpose of the game is to carefully eliminate your rivals by shooting at them and avoid getting shot. Lives are usually unlimited, except that the less times you lose, the more points you get.
The guns and vest you might be using.
It is usually played in a dark room like the one you see above, but there are some laser quest venues that are located outdoors and are played in the day like this one :
WHEN SHOULD I THROW A LASER QUEST PARTY?
Erm. Anytime you like? But also, maybe you can be like me and throw it on special occasions like birthdays, team bonding, company day or a bachelor/ette party? The possibilities are endless. You can also throw a laser quest party as and when you like it, just make sure you have the money to pay for it. Heh.
WHY THROW A LASER QUEST PARTY?
1) It is a perfect icebreaker between your different group of friends.
2) Because hotel room party is common and boring and almost everyone you know seem to have had it once in their lifetime before.
3) Hotel room party gets messy and some guests will feel neglected. The birthday baby will have to run around to different part of the room trying to strike a conversation with every group, and also because sometimes not all of our friends are friends with each other, so it gets weird when there is no icebreaker.
4) Also, because why not?
WHO CAN PLAY LASER QUEST?
Usually, I use the term loosely here, try to get your participants be of age 7 and above. Most laser quest places will not allow you to run around, so you do not necessarily have to be physically fit to play this game. You can be pregnant and still shoot the lives out of somebody so yeah. Your father? Bring him! Your grandmother? Drag her!
WHERE CAN I HAVE A LASER QUEST PARTY?
Did you know that you can choose to have an indoor OR and outdoor laser quest party? You know how sometimes you have visited every indoor laser quest and you know the place inside out and could manoeuvre out of it even with your eyes closed, so you want another challenge? There are very limited places in Singapore at the moment that offers indoor laser quest, so you can also check out the outdoor laser quest venues, or if you have a venue in mind that you would like to bring the party to, just check it out with them! Here is a list:
Indoor :
2) LaserOps
3) Tag Team Inc
Outdoor and/or Mobile :
4) G Warfare
5) Battlestrike (opening in 2016)
As I have enquired a few companies for their party rates when I was booking for the party we had a few weeks ago, I thought I would share it with you guys what their rates are like and you may consider your options.
I was really just looking at indoor laser quest venues, as it was November and weather is usually wet during this time of the year. But I did enquire on some outdoor/mobile laser quest companies for their prices and requirements so I am just going to list it all here for those that I know of.
HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok
LaserOps
TagTeam Inc
Combat Skirmish
After comparing the rates between the four, you would see that the cheapest is actually HomeTeam NS for the Party Package A at $335 for HTNS members/off peak, it is only $16.75/pax for 3 customised mission for 20 pax, 2 hours of party room usage WITHOUT exclusive use of the arena.
If you choose their Party Package B, which is $575 for HTNS members/off peak, it is only $19.20/pax for 2 HOURS UNLIMITED mission (!!!) for 30 pax, 3 hours of party room usage AND exclusive use of the arena. The whole place belongs to you!! Plus they will also throw in a complimentary invitation cards and a mystery gift for the birthday baby!
HONESTLY SO DAMN WORTH IT.
The only drawback is that they are ALWAYS almost fully booked. So try to get your bookings early, like 6 months prior would be a good gauge.
If you still want a laser quest party, but could not get HomeTeamNS because they are fully booked, you may want to consider LaserOps.
They are on a much pricier side, but between LaserOps and TagTeam Inc, my best bet would be LaserOps. LaserOps is much more professional, in which you get to really experience a dark room with the lights, music and the works. Check out their video below :
Laser Ops provide the guns and vests like HomeTeamNS does with their basic package. It is $738 for 18 pax, which means it's about $41/pax. You get 3 missions per pax, exclusive gameplay in the arena, use of open party area for 2 hours, lockers, chillers to store the birthday cake, drinks for 18 pax, LaserOps souvenirs and a gift for the birthday baby! I know the price seems exorbitant compared to HomeTeamNS, but it is ways better than Tag Team Inc.
This is what Tag Team Inc's game play arena looked like :
This is at Tag Team Inc ECP Parkland.
And this is at Tag Team Inc Downtown East.
It is super mild and boring right? Plus if you book Tag Team Mystery Room (their dark room), it is $300 for 10 pax during their off peak period, which is about $30/pax, but you only get 4 missions to be played within 1 hour, and their 1 mission is only about 7 minutes or so? You pay that amount for that plus the use of their party table for 2 hours, exclusive use of their very small and uninteresting arena and souvenir for birthday babies (that we do not get actually but we could not be bothered to ask, because if it is a souvenir, it should be given without being asked, no?)
I am going to rant about TagTeamInc. If you dislike my rants but want to continue reading, just scroll until [End of Rant].
[START OF RANT]
TagTeam Inc don't have the full gear like the vest, cool guns or a big cool room like HomeTeamNS or LaserOps does, but beggars can't be choosers so we settled for them. Honestly though, I will never come back to TagTeamInc for laser quest or even anything. While their staff during our mission was superb, their backroom staff was less sophisticated. Even their receptionist gave us a black face when we came in. Zzz. Email replies were constant between me and them UNTIL I have made the payment, in which they did not reply or acknowledge receipt of payment or to confirm the party until 1 day before. While I admit that the booking I made was a little last minute, but their email did state that they will reply to all emails within 24 hours, and I did wait for 24 hours before I started calling their landline.
Even through calling, they did not pick up the phone. Tried their alternative number and I got rejected.
So I decided to drop them a whatsapp text instead, in which they took a few hours to reply me. I just wanted to confirm that they received the payment because it was quite a sum and with so many scams around, I just wanted to be sure the money was transferred to them safely. But they could not even acknowledge the payment within 24 hours. How like that.....
If I ever do plan another laser quest party, I am gonna make sure it will be at HomeTeamNS. I do not care if it will take me 6 months prior to book it, I will choose HomeTeamNS, if not at least Laser Ops instead. NEVERRRRR COMING BACK TO TAG TEAM INC URGHS.
[END OF RANT]
In conclusion, if you would like to throw a laser tag party, I highly recommend you to get the HomeTeamNS Party Package B! And if you can't, spend a little bit more on LaserOps to get a fantastic party instead of paying less for disappointment. Go book HTNS early to avoid disappointment!
Note : No, while I know it may sound like a paid post, this is not. I am not being paid to post about any of the companies mentioned in this post. It was all by research and a little bit of googling here and there plus a little bit of personal experience. All images are from Google Search.
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