Futuristic laser tag business opens in Oliver this April

Photo: Laser Strike

Laser Strike arena

A modern laster tag facility is opening along Sawmill Road in Oliver on April 15th, filling a gap in youth-orientated activities in the community.

Offering public and private games, Laser Strike touts advanced game play in a uniquely-designed futuristic world.

"We brought a specialized painter in from the coast who spent 16 days there and just did an absolutely amazing job of a total mural throughout the entire arena,” said Warren Brown, Laser Strike co-owner.

“We've got different areas — there's a sci-fi area where it seems like you're kind of inside a spaceship. Then, there's broken-down buildings in the centre section. Then, there's sewers underneath the buildings in one section, with all sorts of different murals.”

Mimicking the 2005 science fiction film War of Worlds, the top floor will lead players through a rooftop alien invasion. Brown adds that a full-sized War of Worlds alien is being installed this week.

On top of futuristic scenes, Laser Strike offers contemporary game play with advanced equipment.

“It's not just your typical — you go out in a team or every man for himself,” Brown said. “There's probably 12, or so, different games. We're gonna slowly keep bringing out different ones depending on how involved you want to get with it.

"There's capture the flag, there's bomb defuser — where one of the targets is a bomb that one team has to set, while the other team tries to defuse it.”

Depending on the gameplay, tasks and targets vary. Sometimes weapons and items can be used in different games. With one target, players must defuse a virus infection and kill the virus before it spreads. In another game, there are two teams but when a player shoots an opponent they join your team.

Capture the base and one man standing are game classics offered by Laser Strike, in addition to warm-up, solo, and team games.

The laser tag facility, approved by Town of Oliver council in December, has a party/viewing room. Additionally, Laser Strike partnered with Oliver-based businesses Pizza Rolla and Oliver Eats to offer food, which can also be ordered online when booking games.

Brown and his two business partners, Lisa Voeller and Walter Fontinha, decided to open the facility due to the absence of youth events in the South Okanagan town.

“It's nice because it can be played year-round,” Brown said. “We do get a lot of tourists in the summer here, with a mixture of the race track the go-kart track, wineries — maybe it's a spot for families to drop off their kids while they go do wine tasting or be up at the track.

“Plus a lot of the recreational camps like baseball camp, the hockey tournaments and whatnot are looking for stuff to do in between games.”

Even so, the game experience is open to most ages, although Brown recommends a minimum of six years of age to enjoy the facility.

For more information and to book a game click here.