Hey, fellow gamers and adventurers, welcome to ThrilloGaming.com, your one-stop destination for tips, guides, and reviews of various indoor and outdoor recreational sports like paintball, gel blaster, laser tag, and airsoft- their strategies, gears, and what’s not! It is a website dedicated to bringing together a community of recreational gamers and providing them with a platform to discover and enjoy all of their favorite games.
SO ME? I have been a hardcore gamer since I was a child. Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, I spent hours each day playing all kinds of games, from classic board games to the latest FPS and LARP video games. But unlike other kids, as I got older, I wondered if those video games could have a real-life version! After all, nothing can beat a true-life adventure!
As I grew up, I discovered laser tag and low-impact paintball perfectly fit my interests. I started playing with mostly older gamers as very few kids of my age group were interested then- back in 2003-2006. The sense of teamwork, excitement to accomplish the missions, and overall fun made me stuck with them for the REST OF MY LIFE!
I gradually got involved in more shooting and throwing games like Nerf, airsoft, darts, and traditional paintball during my school and college days. As my love for recreational gaming grew, I started competing in paintball and laser tag tournaments to become one of the top players in our region quickly. The latest addition to these games is Gel Blaster, which emerged in 2020. Here is my team in the arena-
I spent countless hours researching and testing different equipment, learning the latest trends and techniques, and perfecting my skills. But I didn’t just want to limit my passion only to myself – I wanted to share and help others. That’s why I founded this website. I hope to create a place where people of all ages and skill levels can come together to experience the thrill of recreational gaming and make new friends.
About Laser Tag: An Out-Of-The-World Experience
You might have guessed that laser tag is the LOML. It was back in 2003 when my father introduced me to my passion: Laser Tag. I could not believe the thrill of playing as a team for the first time at my friend Erik’s 8th birthday party- it felt like a video game dream came to real life!
Although my mother complained about playing shooting games as she was worried that I get violent by playing laser tag, she slowly learned that this game is fun and perfectly safe. FUN FACT: My mom also bought me the very first laser tag gun when it wasn’t as famous as it is now- Lazer Tag, yes, I am that guy!
Many years passed, and I grew from a kid to a man, but I still have the same thrill of playing laser tag. Even today, on the weekends, I go to the laser tag arenas with Erik- who is now a high school teacher and still has the same passion that we had in our first laser tag party. By noticing our excitement and expertise, a few laser tag arenas in Mississippi- our home state, hired us as advisors. We often train the youngsters and help them to play this game- we love doing it to see them following our footsteps!
Here is me several years back with my laser tag gun-
Adding More Fun: About Paintball And Airsoft
While laser tag has been my favorite game since childhood, I got interested in paintball and airsoft at the same time. Although I could not play those games until I turned 18, I often visited the gaming facilities to spectate. One day, to my surprise, one of those arenas opened low-impact paintball where kids of 6+ years of age can participate.
As I was already 8 years old at that time, the age requirement was no barrier for me- the adventure of paintball begins here! Eventually, my father bought me a Splatmaster paintball gun that fired small paintballs at a lower speed and did not hurt at all. After a few years, when I visited my uncle’s place in Hawaii, I met some dedicated paintball fans and co-founded the famous arena Hawaii Extreme Paintball (HEP). During this time, I started playing in tournaments. Now, HEP does not exist, but I have merged the official website hawaiiextremepaintball.com with ThrilloGaming.com to continue guiding aspiring players.
Later around 2013, I started to participate in competitive paintball leagues and tournaments like APPL, NPPL, NXL, etc. I played for several teams throughout a journey of the next 10 years- THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE! During this time, I bought many markers- out of which the vintage Tippmann 98 was my favorite. I still have my first Splatmaster and Tippmann showcased in my living room- A PURE NOSTALGIA.
Let me show you my latest paintball gear too with my badass face, haha-
During the time I bought the Tippmann 98, I also started participating in airsoft matches. The military-style gameplay and a more realistic nature made me a fan of this new recreational shooting game. Airsoft is more sophisticated than paintball and needs more safety precautions, which were initially uncomfortable, but I immensely enjoyed it. I loved the adrenaline rush of these games and the sense of camaraderie that came with playing with a team.
About Gel Blaster, Orbeez Gun & Splatter Ball Gun: My Latest Additions
While laser tag, paintball, and airsoft are too mainstream, I was looking for a new shooting sport with fun and adventure. I used Orbeez beads for sensory play in childhood but never guessed that those squishy beads could also be used as ammunition in shooting games! It was back in 2020, during the lockdown period, when I first heard of Orbeez guns. Gel blasters and splatter ball guns are specific variants of these toy guns that I immediately got hooked on.
Gel Blaster Surge gen1 was my first gel ball gun, which I played with my friends Jeremy and Kieren. Over time, many new gel blasters, Orbeez guns, and splat guns were released, and I have tried many of them. While we still love playing laser tag, paintball, and airsoft, these toy guns are irreplaceable for playing in the backyard.
Darts: My Favorite Pastime At Home
Darts entered my life quite unexpectedly. One evening, while visiting a local sports bar with friends, I noticed an electronic dartboard tucked away in a corner. Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know that this impromptu decision would ignite a deep-seated passion.
As I began throwing those soft-tip darts, I felt an immediate connection. The precision, strategy, and sheer joy of hitting the bullseye were unlike anything I had experienced before. It didn’t take long for me to acquire my first dart board and a set of soft-tip darts, and from that moment, darts became an integral part of my recreational gaming adventure at home.
My journey into the world of darts has been marked by countless hours of practice, experimentation with more dart boards I bought later, and learning from fellow enthusiasts. I’ve honed my skills, competed in local tournaments, and even had the privilege of teaching others the art of dart throwing. The electronic dartboards, with their interactive features and scoring accuracy, quickly became my favorite companion on this journey.
Overall, playing these recreational games has provided numerous benefits for my physical and mental health and my social life. If you enjoy the thrill of competition and physical activity, these games can also be an excellent choice for you. Here is me with my team, including my friends Erik, Jeremy, and Kieren.
So- hello there, nice to meet you; I am Tavish, Tavish Archer- a professional gamer, co-founder, and blogger on ThrilloGaming. I graduated in Sports Management at Mississippi College (MC), United States. Now I run a sporting goods shop at Jackson, work as an advisor/instructor at several laser tag arenas, and play paintball and gel blaster during my off-time. I feel like my whole soul is devoted to action and adventure sports!
Follow me along to know more about my experiences in those actions yet fun shooting sports. I write expert tips, detailed guides, winning strategies, and hands-on reviews of paintball, laser tag, gel blaster, Orbeez gun, and splatter ball gun on ThrilloGaming.com.
I have recently completed publishing 100 blog posts for you. So, if you are a recreational gamer looking for a resource to discover, learn, and enjoy all of your favorite shooting sports, follow me along on social media and the blog. You may also visit the contact page to give me feedback!
See you not-so-strange-stranger,