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Photon, the original Laser Tag

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horseboy:
Anybody remember Photon? I do. I used to have a set as wee little kid. They were great fun.

Yesterday, I went to some random dude's house to check out a cab (Star Wars) he listed in the classifieds. So, I was playing it/checking it out when I mentioned to him that the last time I played an actual Star Wars cab was about 10 years ago at the local Laser Storm (Tag), right before it closed down. So the guy gets this funny smirk on his face and says, "You know what came before Laser Tag, don't you?" I said no. He said "It was called Photon." I told him that I did remember Photon, but I didn't know that it was the original. Then he tells me that he was one of the creators of Photon. I didn't really believe the guy, but to be nice I mentioned that I had a set of the home Photon stuff when I was young. That got him as giddy as a school girl.

He started digging in some closet and he busted out a bunch of old magazines from the early 80's that had articles about "The new craze that was Photon." Seeing this guys picture with his partner (business, not the other thing) in People Magazine and Sports Illustrated made me a believer. He went on to tell me about how he personally installed and set-up the Photon arenas in Japan, Ireland, Australia, and many other places all over the world. He said he still has a set (the real deal, not the home kind) and some of the patent papers up in his attic.

I just thought that it was really cool to meet one of the creators of my favorite toy as a kid (besides the NES, of course  :) )



ChadTower:

That's cool.  It has always amused me that Laser Tag games require a helmet.  What, if they run out of ammo, are they going to pistol whip you?

KenToad:
I remember Photon.  That's awesome that you met one of the creators. 

Also, the helmet should have been standard equipment for Lazer games, since it was the only sensor that it was virtually impossible to cheat and block with your hand or a wall, given that it was right at the top of your head.  The stupid part, as far as Lazer Tag was concerned, was that the reset switch was too readily accessible and there was no way to tell how many times your opponents reset the damn thing.  I actually had a generic set of Lazer weaponry and the sensors would beep like an alarm clock every time you were hit and they would also beep anytime the sensor got turned on, easily giving away the cheaters in the house.

somunny:
Great story!  I fondly remember the Photon near my house growing up.  It was right accross the street from the Malibu Grand Prix.  ;D

clanggedin:
We played Survivor Shot, which was a better version of LAser Tag/ Photon. We ended up covering up the lights on the units and muffling the sound so we could play without those 2 items giving away your position to easily.

It had a head band that would pummel you in the temple with a piece of plastic if you got hit. I miss playing that game.

BTW... I think I still have the Laser Tag RPG manual....Somewhere.

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