The best laser tag arenas to try in Melbourne

Tower Tag is what you get when you combine laser tag and virtual reality, and it's absolutely hectic. Players are equipped with VR headsets and a laser gun before entering a space-aged stadium and being split into two teams in a battle to the last man standing. You can play with a minimum of two total players and a maximum of eight, and you can even rent out the entire arena just for you and your friends.

We all know that Crown boasts several hotels, a lavish day spa, nightclubs, bars, high-end shopping and – of course – the largest casino in the southern hemisphere, with 500 table games and thousands of electronic games. But did you know that it's also home to Kingpin, a massive games centre that includes a 12-lane bowling alley and a laser tag arena? 

Sure, at Strike you'll be able to land a... strike (or not), but you can also shoot your friends in laser tag or be puzzled in one of their escape rooms. Each venue has a fully stocked bar, meaning yes, you can help amp up your adrenaline with some caffeine from an Espresso Martini. After you've worked up an appetite from running around shooting your friends, you can also enjoy some hearty food like pizzas, loaded hot dogs and even vegan pies. 

Who says arcades are just for kids? After landing in the District Docklands in 2018, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq has become a Melbourne mainstay for adults trying to relive their childhood. The first thing you'll notice when you step inside is that it's like entering a neon-hued vaudevillian dream that's highly reminiscent of a PG version of Blade Runner. There are dozens of arcade games to try out, as well as bowling and, most recently, a virtual reality and laser tag arena. 

Big fans of the double entendre and realistic combat scenarios, Tech Assault Thornbury invites you to “stop playing with yourself” and engage in an epic afternoon of domination and team death matches. Or in other words, to get together with a group of mates and run around shooting each other at laser tag. Letting you get in touch with your inner warrior and outer psychopath, the Thornbury centre runs public sessions where you and 5 mates can simply show up and brutally attack a group of strangers, or private functions where you have the pleasure of shooting your more annoying friends and colleagues. 

Head an hour outside the CBD to Dandenong South for a visit to this massive games centre that's decked out with go-karts, virtual reality, mini golf, a gaming arcade and, of course, laser tag. It's the biggest laser tag arena in Victoria, and the arena is a multi-storey, obstacle-filled maze for you to explore and have fun in. There are three Star Wars-themed game modes to play: Bounty Hunters (a 1v1 where only one person will emerge victorious), Rebels vs Storm Troopers (where your aim is destroy the opposing team) and Destroy the Jedi Temple (a solo mission where you try to score as man points as possible).