As teenagers we all admit to have spent quite a bit of time down the local Laser Tag arena. Laser Quest, Quasar Laser... whatever yours was called, they all involved shooting friends and strangers alike with blasts of infra-rad light. It was like paintball, but without the searing agony or mess. We're happy to report that we've recently got fully into it once again, and Test Pit Towers has been filled with the shouts of war and the sounds of laser blasts. We check out the Lazer M.A.D. Advance Battle Ops.
What we have here is a laser tag game set including two blasters, two body-mounted receivers, and a few accessories to alter the performance of the blasters. The set is suitable for kids aged six and upwards, but the straps will very happily fit the average sized adult (thank God). As you might already be aware, you blast away at your opponent, attempting to hit their electronic target to chip away at their lives. Fun.
The two blasters themselves are small, pistol-like weapons that although fit an adult hand, are quite tight and light. Both are identical, apart from paint job, but seem to be very different in the box. This is because both are fitted with different removable accessories which do more than change the blasters' appearance. For example, one front-end add-on increases the blaster's effective range to 20 metres, while another is a stock to make wielding the blaster more comfortable.
Apart from these unique design options, the Lazer M.A.D. Advance Battle Ops game plays like any other laser tag you might have tried. Both blaster and targets require batteries, and being hit is indicated by both lights and sounds. Interestingly there are two game modes to choose: Battle Ops is a straight fight between both blasters (or more, as you can purchase additional sets), while Training Ops is a one-player game where the two targets are set up and allow the player to practice their aim.
As you might imagine, Battle OPs is by far the most fun, as any multi-player shooting game like this always is. However, we were surprised how much fun was to be had in Training Ops mode, as it allowed you to add all the accessories onto one blaster, creating the largest and most powerful combination. You could always build this version of the blaster in Battle OPs mode, but it would leave your opponent at a disadvantage. Oh, in which case, do it anyway!
While we were impressed by the accuracy of the blasters, our one complaint would be the use of separate IR receivers to register a hit. We've recently been playing with a new range of light blasters from Nerf (review coming soon) which have the receivers on the blasters, just above the emitters. We think that's a far better way to play, as it means more hits and quicker games. Having the receiver on your chest means you can hide it from view while still blasting away, which isn't all that fair. It also means more batteries are needed, and there are more components to the set. Just an opinion, but there you go.
Still, the Lazer M.A.D. Advance Battle Ops is great value and we love how the blasters can be modified to suit your needs. More accessories are available to buy separately, so if you invest in the brand you should get a lot from it. We recommend it heartily.
£34.20
Available from www.amazon.co.uk