Just about every kid in Australia has played a game of laser skirmish in their life, but few actually realise where this fantastic game originated.
Did you know that laser tag was actually invented as a military training exercise? That's right, the pioneers of laser tag were real life soldiers who used the game to hone their skills in a safe environment.
The Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) was state of the art for its time, and was considered a highly effective military tool for improving combat readiness.
In 1979, a toy company named South Bend Toys released a Star Trek phaser that used infra-red lights and worked in much the same manner as modern laser tag systems do today. This became the first commercially available laser skirmish system.
Laser tag toys continued to grow in popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, and in 1984, a man named Lee Weinstein opened one of the very first proper laser tag game centres.
Around the same time, another man named George Carter III opened a similar centre in Texas, and the sport of laser skirmish was up and running.
A host of other laser tag systems and professional laser tag centres of varying quality were produced across the next decade, and over time a large community of enthusiastic 'taggers' began to evolve.
In 2000, the very first AMF M9 laser skirmish centre opened in Panmure, Auckland. Since then, AMF has opened more than a dozen different M9 Laser Arenas in Australia and New Zealand - how cool is that?
The best part is you don't need to be a laser tag fanatic in order to get involved in the sport of laser skirmish. In fact, anyone of any skill level can pick up a phaser and start playing! So why not find out where you closes M9 Laser Arena is and come join us for a game?
