Dangit, TIGER!

Why do they have to make such perfect toys? Not only did they craft the unforgettably addicting Bop-It, but their Lazer Tag game is the best there is. Er, it might be the only one there is, but it's still damn cool. I borrowed the Deluxe 2-Player Set from my 10-year-old cousin, and I'm hooked. The two 'taggers' each use a plastic dome on their tops, packed with infrared sensors and LEDs, to braodcast its position and detect hits, and one more sensor inside the gun's barrel to detect a 'lock-on.' Pre-programmed on the tagger units are such unique game modes as Save the King, Hide and Seek, and Own the Zone, which are more interesting than the names suggest. The set also comes with two pairs of HUD sunglasses, with status lights for lock-on, successful shots, and received hits. They also block 99.9% of UVA/UVB radiation.

Hmm, that sounded a little like a proprietary product review. I just can't help but be excited that I've found the only "FPS" that I can really get into. I'll have to get a set of my own pretty soon.

UPDATE: Tiger Electronics also makes tagger pistols that can be used in tandem, and a bazooka-like tagger called the Master Blaster, which shoots a Nerf-like foam missile that senses impact and sends tag signals to all players near the "blast". This game's crazy, like water guns with advanced scoring and no water.