A laser tag upgrade can actually turn a cheap $70 tagger into a highly advanced software integrated blaster that you can even use for a laser tag business. But it can also be something as simple as repainting it or adding a holster.
Check out the in-depth details in this article of how to do it.
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Laser Tag Upgrade: Modifying the Phoenix Laser Tag
The ability to modify laser taggers can make it easier for small laser tag business owners to add advanced features to lower priced models.
For instance, the Phoenix laser tag isn’t as high priced as such brands as iCombat, but Patrick, a laser tag business owner, managed to modify it with a software upgrade. Here is an excerpt of our conversation with him about the upgrade:
Let’s focus on the brands that you have used. Now, the Phoenix brand, did you buy directly from the company?
Well, we bought through Amazon. From that company, via Amazon.
Oh, okay. So it doesn’t require any special software, or does it?
No, in our case no. Although we later on implemented… there’s a different manufacturer who makes software for that gun and some equipment for games. At first we just bought it as a gun then we approached this other guy in Canada who gave us the software and equipment.
That’s just an individual who did that for you?
Yeah, that’s an individual because from Nerf themselves they don’t sell it with software coz it is for home use not really for commercial use.
Oh, okay, now I understand. So that’s sort of like a modification you have done, like an improvement.
Yes.
Okay, what sort of functionality does it add?
It allows us to track hits, so we know how many shots on target people got, we can give points, you can view scores at the end of the match, and just to keep the game organized so we control the game on a laptop.
So you basically have an administrator who is let’s say controlling the game and then the players are just concerned with playing. Maybe you give them a duration of half an hour or one hour to play, something like that.
Yeah.
Okay, that means now you don’t need even the high value, maybe products from iCombat, because now you already have basically all those features that you would get from iCombat or something.
Yeah, at a very small cost compared to iCombat (that one in this market was a bit pricey).
Oh okay, at a lower cost? How much did it cost to improve, if you can say?
I’ll try to remember, this was maybe a thousand dollars ($1,000). Yeah, about a thousand dollars.
Other Custom Gun Mods and Laser Tag Upgrades
There’s no shortage of upgrade and mod ideas.
Here are a few ideas from YouTube.
In this video, you can find out how to custom paint the tagger to create a unique cosplay space gun prop. It might probably help you if you don’t like the original color of your blaster. But perhaps, you’ll have to consider the specific legal requirements concerning blaster colors in your state or country (some states prohibit specific colors on toy guns).
And here is a simple yet quite interesting idea to make a holster for the tagger.
It’s probably something you may not use during a game, but certainly a nice fancy thing to have in-between matches.
Components to Upgrade Your Blaster
Upgrades require various components, which are usually less costly than buying a new tagger.
If you have the right skill and know exactly what you need to add or change in your laser tag gun, you can source such components from sites like Laserwar which provides many useful components as listed below (we have listed the exact product labels so you can easily search for the items on the site):
- “Electronic components – Second Hand Sensor For Cybertag”
- “Speakers – Speaker, 8 Ohm, 1 Watt (China)”
- “IR diodes – Power Idicator”
- “Others – Trigger Guard For Laserwar Grenade”
- “Buttons – Anti-Vandal Button”
- “Coiled Cord Protector”
- “Buttons – Reload Button”
- “Vibration Motors – Vibration Motor”
- “Strikeball parts – Strikeball NiMH Battery Charger 8.4V 250 mA”
- “Others – Main Sensor Body”
- “Sensors cap – V. 2 – V. 4 Sensors Cap”
- “Electronic components – Connector For Cybertag”
- “Others – Equipment Wire”
- “Buttons – Power Button”
- “Buttons – Activation Button For Smart First Aid Kit 2.0”
- “Electronic components – Coiled Cord, 4 M”
- “Others – Flexible flat cable for LCD display”
- “Others – Connector”
- “Microswitches – Black Standard Microswitch”
- “Others – Anti-Vandal Lock And Keys”
Check Out This Blaster We Reviewed Recently.
Laser X - 88016 ORIGINAL Reviewed | ||
  | Pros: - Still good as new after 5+ years of heavy commercial use Cons: - no screws to open it up | |
To read the full Laser X Review, click here.
Tools You May Need
The tools you’ll likely need are ordinary tools that you typically use for electronic gadgets.
Just about everything is available on Amazon, and you may not need all of them at once. Specific upgrades would require specific tools; therefore, just figure out what you need and pick it out:
- socket and hex drivers
- wire cutters
- screwdrivers
- heat sink paste
- hot glue gun
- drills
- precision pliers set
- variable power supply
- drill bits
- soldering tools
- taps and dies
- drill
- small hand saws
- soldering iron
- miniature power saws
- specialty metalworking tools
- PCB/ contact cleaners
- precision screw driver set
- magnifying glass
- grinders
- magnifiers
- microscopes
- rotary tools
- wire stripper
- soldering station
- pliers
- tweezers
- heat shrink tubing
- multimeter
- vises
- crimping tools
- clamps
- oscilloscope
- rotary tool (dremel)
- signal generator
- solder remover
- bench vise
What is Laser Tag? Everything You Need to Know
If you’re new to laser tag, here’s an introduction video to it and you can also check out our ultimate guide on our homepage.