Customer Reviews

Lazer Tag Team Ops Deluxe 2-Player System

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Hello, this is my first review of an item on Amazon.com. To start off, I will simply go through the categories the stars highlight, then move on to a broader review.

Fun: I am 23 years old, and am not afraid to admit that I bought this stuff mainly for myself... I have 24 sets, which is the maximum number of players in the programmed games. Every game I have played has been a blast, in environments ranging from a large wooded backyard, to a very large woodland park, to a privately reserved coastal fort battery :) The main thing that makes this gear fun game after game is that it has so many different modes of play available. There are straight up free-for-alls, team based games, Protect the leader games, "King of the hill" (Zone) games, and even a couple "Hide and Seek" games, that have you chasing the rival team 1 minute, thun running from them the next (Great cardiovascular workout by the way, just program a 20 minute Hunt/Seek game in close quarters)

Educational Value: I gave it a 5 because of 2 key areas of experience it gives which are invaluable throughout an entire lifetime. First, in the team oriented games, the players on the team which can communicate and work together effectively will be able to win over a team that bickers and quarrels. By encouraging random team formations, the game "leaders" can force the players to learn to put aside their differences and work together for a victory. Secondly, when the players on one team find themselves in a bad spot compared to the other team, they will quickly learn to improvise and will develop problem solving skills to allow them to escape from even the most awkward situations. This type of game will probably allow even quicker problem solving than "pen and paper" practice due to the immediate incentives of victory and admiration from teammates and opponents alike.

Durability: Flat out 5. This is not to say that you can use the guns to pound a nail into a 2 by 4, but I HAVE taken several tumbles down hills and tripped over several roots while playing, and even landed tagger first a couple times, but none of my gear has sustained anything but minor cosmetic damage. I have also played in light rain conditions, without any problems, although I wouldn't recommend this gear to be used in full rain, as the type of buttons on it would be susceptible to allowing water inside. If you are the parent of a player who DOES get their gear wet and comes complaining to you, the best thing to do is remove the batteries and let it sit for a couple days in a dry place. It will most likely resume normal functionality after it is dry.

OK, so that takes care of the ratings Amazon asked me to provide. Now here is something extra I would like to add in. Don't think for a second that this gear is "just for kids" I have been an avid laser tag player since I started picking up gear off of ebay in 1999, and this is the best I have seen. I play with a group of people in the Puget Sound area of Washington that range in age from 8-80, as one member put it (I am too polite to ask exact ages) I will be moving home soon, and plan on forming a club in Central Illinois. I will be sticking with this gear as our main equipment, and hope to see more groups spring up across the country. It is high time Lazer Tag gets the attention and popularity it deserves, and I think this gear will be what turns the key in that lock.

I just saw the review below and had to reply to it (I am one of the inventors of this toy)...

It is intended for ages 8 and up as the package indicates, so I don't doubt 6-year-olds would have a hard time with the advanced controls, but you don't need to use them and you certainly don't need to be a teenager to get a lot of enjoyment out of this toy.

For just the old fashined grab-it-and-go game, all you have to do is pull the trigger once to wake the toy up and pull it again to start the game. There is a 10-second countdown so that everyone can get to a starting position, then the game begins and it's just like the Lazer Tag everyone knows and loves: you try to tag your opponents 10 times each, and if you do so they are out. You do need to "reload" every 10 tags launched, which is done by pulling the forward handle back and releasing it. So those are the only controls you need for the basic game, just Trigger and Reload. The game runs until everyone is out except for the winner.

The headset provides a 3-light display to tell younger kids how they are doing: The green light means you can expect a tag to score if you pull the trigger (you are lined-up on target), the yellow light means the tag scored, and the red light means the other player just scored a tag on you. There are sounds also played with each of these lights, so older kids can leave the headset behind and not miss out on anything. The units also announce "Danger!" if another player is sneaking up on you.

There are more advanced games that older kids can set up and customise for themselves, just like in video games. I have yet to see a 10-year-old who didn't have this process down pat within the first few tries, and able to explain it to the 8-year-olds after just a few games. Like anything with advanced capabilities, there is a slight learning curve -- but today's "computer kids" pick it all up right away, everything is designed to be very familiar to any kid who plays video games. Chances are, they'll be teaching their parents how to use this toy to it's fullest capabilities!

The most advanced players will enjoy custom-tailoring each game type to the specific locations they are playing in and the players who are in the game, allowing for complex tactical games like "Own The Zone" (like a King Of The Hill game but with Lazer Tag) or "Kings" (you must defeat the opponents' KING to win, not just the guards). These games help teach problem-solving skills, teamwork, strategic thinking, and good sportsmanship.

Kids ages 8-10 will mainly prefer the basic grab-it-and-go Lazer Tag game and the basic pre-defined intermediate games. Kids ages 10 and up will appreciate the new game types the most, as these move well beyond the normal "Lazer Tag" game play. Kids 13 and over will enjoy the advanced capabilities, teamwork, problem-solving, and experimenting with the tactical implications of specific game set-ups. We have designed this toy to last a long time, because we intended for it to be something kids will play with for a very long time, not just toss aside after a couple of days.

This laser tag system is amazing! It is so cool. This is a must have for every child. First the eye peice is really cool, it let's you know when your gun is locked on the target, whenyou shot someone, and when you've been shot by someone else. The range is 250+, even outside. The sounds can be turned on and off. Also, the most astoundingly epic thing about this guns is that there is a LCD screen on the gun. The screen provides real live info, such as how many sheilds you have left and so on. This gun also comes with 11 pre-programmed games. Your child can also customize your own games, enhancing them. Your child will never get bored of the endless features. All i can do is hope that you buy this set, and make you child a happy one.

We had a chance to test these guns in the woods up near Seattle at Bremer BattleIV (see www.1SourceLaserTag.com for more info). These guns are very durable (compared to other brands), and loaded to the hilt with features....warning some adults may have problems with this gear as it is designed for the video gamming crowd...lotsa buttons, bells and whistles. The only drawbacks is that the sensor is on the gun which can be easily blocked - and the aiming is difficult as the sights are on the side of the gun. Only other problem is that it is hard to distinguish between being hit and hitting someone (sounds are too close to being the same) However, the built in games and features out weigh these problems and over all we had a BLAST with this gear....pun intended!

This toy works perfectly in even the brightest sunlight, over 200 feet range, and there are no sensors on the side of it just a big one on the top. Maybe she's reviewing a Laser Challenge toy by accident? Anyway my nephews and neices, their friends, and I have had a blast playing with this -- biggest hit toy I've ever given them! Best of all, it gets them out from in front of the TV/video games and helps them keep fit by running all around outside!

We got two sets yesterday and haven't put them down. They are simple enough that anyone can pick one up and start playing in seconds, yet have enough options and customizations to appease the older kids. Fun with only two people but it definately gets better the more people there are playing. Indoor/Outdoor switch is excellent. Visor fits comfortably and is easy to put on/take off. We've played outside and they've taken quite a beating but show no signs. More expensive than other laser tags out there but the countless features these have make it the best value in my opinion.

This Lazer Tag system is the best, especially compared to other current competitors such as Laser Challenge. While it is twenty dollars more, it is twice as good in quality and fun. While it is true that the only sensor is on the gun, it doesn't dampen the fun quality at all.

Two guns are good on their own, but to really get the full value out of these guns is to have a lot of guns (convince friends to purchase) and then have a massive war.

Overall, the many features, well made gun, and smart design made this the best laser tag gun I have ever used.

My 9 year old daughter received the laser tag game for her Birthday. She and my 5 year old enjoy it so much that I have to take it away from them almost everyday so that they will do their homework.
We are shopping around to purchase another set for Christmas and are having trouble finding it.
What I like most is that they have to move around and get the exercise that children don't get just sitting playing video games.
We live in Boston and it is cold here now but that doesn't stop them from asking to go outside everyday to play laser tag!
I want to buy the extra set so that their friends can play too. (I don't mind playing either)
I bet it will be fantastic to play in the summer months late at night!
kpj

I noticed that a lot of the low ratings were because people found the taggers too complex to use, or hard to aim, or too many buttons. Note that the toys (by Hasbro, NOT Toymaxx, which is Laser Challenge) are for children 8 and up. Any kid younger than that will need adult assistance. Also note that you don't HAVE to use the complex stuff. If you want a quick game of tag, just pull the trigger twice (once to turn it on, then again to start LTAG mode), and you're off with a 10 second countdown. To play more complex games, hosting is necessary, but it's really not that hard. One person hosts the game (the oldest kid or the adult), and the rest just choose "Join" and hit the OK button a couple times. Wait a few seconds until each player gets the "You're in!" indicator, and then the host can press 2ndF and OK to skip the 60 second counter to start. Then there's the 30 second timer to get ready so that everyone has time to take their position before the game starts. It ain't rocket science.

As for the sights on the Deluxes, yeah, they suck. But Hasbro just released the 2-Pack Accessory Kit that comes with a new "Virtual Scope" sight, which is REALLY good, and a must have for the Deluxe taggers. The Thunder Pack is really cool, too. But, if you don't have any LTTO, or want to add more to your collection, get the new IRT-2X. It has sights on the top and is much easier and more natural to aim with. The Virtual Scope works with it, too, but it's not as needed as with the Deluxe. The IRT-2X has some new games for hosting as well.

Finally, the whole indoor/outdoor thing. LTTO has a VERY long range. When playing indoors, it's VITAL to switch it to indoor mode to reduce the range and sensitivity. Most houses have walls that reflect infrared light really well. When you fire an LTTO tagger inside, the signal will bounce all over the place, and tag anything in the same room, especially in outdoor mode. In indoor mode, this is less of a problem. LTTO is also very precise for a laser tag system, and you really do need to aim to land a tag at any distance outdoors. Learning to aim is vital to landing lots of tags, so take a few minutes to make sure everyone playing knows how to aim with the tagger they have.

Anyway, people need to stop buying this for 5 year olds and stuff. For the little kids, something cheap and lame like Laser Challenge is better. LTTO is for big kids, teens, and adults... the ones who actually play for more than 5 minutes, and care about features and quality.

We bought a set for my nephew's ninth birthday to give to him when he visited us. We could hardly pry them from his hands. He bugged us to play with him a lot, even though my wife and I are both in our fifties and are probably a bit of a drag to chase around. He really had fun when some of the neighborhood kids played with him and they vowed to get sets themselves.

For myself, I'm very impressed with the durability of the guns and the amount of information that the electronics can process. The only negatives I can think of, and this is a stretch, are (1) I agree with everyone who says the goggles are uncomfortable and (2) the shield trigger is in a place where I find myself inadvertently squeezing it when I don't want to (something I can easily train myself not to do). On the other hand, I love the "clank" sound the gun makes when my shields are hit. This is a great toy. It does what it says it will do!