Hey, want to play archery tag?
It sounds like one the most painful games imaginable - playing tag with bows and arrows!
But a brand new Ottawa business is proving that just the opposite is true. You can play archery tag and no one has to get hurt.
Archery Games is bringing the relatively new concept of archery tag to the capital. This one uses arrowheads that look like large spongy marshmallows. They don’t hurt. The only protective gear required is a facemask.
"It's kind of new to the world,” says Qi Hu, co-owner of Archery Games. “It was invented a couple of years ago in Indiana, by some hunters really, who decided to shoot each other and put an arrow, put a foam tip on it. And now it's developed into a sport that's taken over the world.”
The “sport” of archery tag can best be described as a cross between archery and dodgeball. It can be played indoors or out. Teams of up to 10 players on either side of the playing field fire arrows at each other. The field is dotted with inflatable objects they can hide behind.
The goal is to eliminate players by either tagging them with an arrow or catching an arrow they shoot. There are also five targets on each side. To win you must eliminate all the opposing teams’ players or targets.
“I like shooting my friends, to be honest,” admits Hu.
So do a lot of people. Archery tag has become hugely popular in a few short years, fueled in part by the explosion of archery in pop culture. Think Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games, Hawkeye of The Avengers, or Oliver Queen of Arrow.
No experience is necessary. The cost is $24 which includes a training session followed by 50 minutes of game play. It’s recommended for ages 10 and up.
Archery Games opens Friday, Aug. 21st. It's located in a large industrial building at 1860 Bank Street.
