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Paintball and laser skirmish both turn a group of people into two rival teams with a battlefield between them, just with a different sting to the outcome. Paintball brings the paint-filled hits and the overalls that come with them, while laser skirmish swaps the markers for infrared tag and skips the impact altogether, so the format's easier to match to who's actually playing. RedBalloon runs sessions across Australia for groups of all sizes and competitive levels, suited to a bucks’ party, a birthday, a work team overdue a proper day out, or anyone keen to run around a course with their friends for a few hours. Browse the sessions, choose paintball or laser skirmish, pick a venue and book online, or hand someone a voucher and let them make the call.
Paintball and laser skirmish experiences are built for groups who want to actually move rather than sit through another passive afternoon. Sessions run across venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and beyond, catering for groups of all sizes. All equipment is provided and professional staff run the briefing and games for both formats. No experience required.
Paintball is a team-based shooting game where players use pressurised markers to fire gelatin capsules filled with paint at opponents. Laser skirmish runs on the same basic idea, teams competing across an objective-based game, but swaps paint for infrared tag sensors worn on a vest or headband, so there's no physical impact at all. The goal varies by game format in both: elimination, capture the flag, defend the objective. The constant across either is that it rewards communication, strategy and a bit of nerve.
Sessions take place on purpose-built outdoor courses with themed game zones: military checkpoints, western towns, urban environments. Each game runs for a set time, and full protective gear (for paintball) or tag equipment (for laser skirmish) is provided and fitted before play begins.
For paintball, all equipment is included: overalls, full-head protective mask, chest protector, gloves and your allocated paintballs. For laser skirmish, you'll be fitted with a tag vest or headband and a laser marker, no protective gear needed since there's nothing physical to protect against. Both include a briefing from the on-site marshal covering rules, safety and game formats before play starts. Additional paintballs can usually be purchased on the day if you run out of your allocation and want to keep going.
Most paintball venues across Australia require participants to be at least 15 years old, with players under 18 needing parental consent. Laser skirmish generally has a lower minimum age, often suiting players from around 8 years and up, which makes it the better pick for a mixed-age group or a family session. Some paintball venues also offer modified low-impact formats for younger players. Check each listing for the specific age requirements at that location.
For paintball, wear clothing you're happy to get paint on. Full protective gear goes on over your own clothes, but a stray mark is always possible. Long sleeves and long pants are recommended underneath, since they add a layer of padding and make cleaning up easier afterwards. For laser skirmish, regular activewear is fine since there's no paint involved. Closed-toe shoes are required for both, and it's worth leaving anything valuable in the car.
Both are strong picks, for slightly different reasons. Paintball tends to bring out a sharper competitive edge and works well for groups happy to get a bit muddy. Laser skirmish keeps the same strategy and teamwork but drops the physical impact, making it the easier sell for a mixed group or anyone hesitant about getting hit. Either format naturally requires teams to communicate, make decisions quickly and adapt under pressure, which produces a different dynamic to a conference room exercise. RedBalloon offers team building experiences and dedicated corporate packages for workplaces, tailored for group size, skill level and competitive intensity. Both also work well for bucks’ parties, hens' parties and any group occasion where you want everyone involved and nobody on their phone.
Game formats vary by venue, but most run a rotation across multiple scenarios in a single session, for both paintball and laser skirmish. Common formats include team elimination (last team standing wins), capture the flag (retrieve the opponent's flag and return it to base), defend the objective (one team attacks, one defends a fixed point) and VIP (protect a designated player at all costs). Most sessions run four to six games across different maps to keep things fresh.
Getting hit by a paintball can sting, roughly comparable to a firm flick on the skin. The overalls and protective gear reduce the impact significantly, and players who keep moving and use cover well tend to take fewer hits. Laser skirmish involves no physical contact at all, since the tag is picked up by a sensor rather than anything actually hitting you, which makes it the obvious choice for anyone wanting the format without the sting. Most first-time paintball players find the impact manageable and are keen to go again.
It usually comes down to the group. If everyone's keen for a bit of physical stakes and doesn't mind getting hit or muddy, paintball has the edge. If the group includes younger players, anyone with an injury to work around, or people who'd rather skip the impact altogether, laser skirmish delivers the same strategy and teamwork. Mixed groups sometimes book laser skirmish specifically so nobody has to sit out.
For the right person, yes. Both work well as a gift for him, a Father's Day gift, a birthday gift, or as part of a bucks’ party package. A group session, whichever format, is one of those gifts that gets better when you buy it for multiple people to do together. If you're not sure which format or location suits the recipient best, a RedBalloon gift voucher lets them choose their own.
If you want to compare, paintball and laser skirmish sit alongside axe throwing, escape rooms and smash rooms as strong group activity picks. Axe throwing and escape rooms suit smaller groups and indoor settings. Paintball and laser skirmish scale up well for larger groups who want to move around and compete directly. Browse our best-selling experiences to see what's most popular right now.
Browse the listings above, select paintball or laser skirmish, choose the session and group size that suits you, and purchase your voucher. Redemption instructions come with your booking. During redemption you'll select your preferred date and time, and the operator confirms within 48 hours.
Book at least two to three weeks ahead for the best availability, especially for weekends and school holiday periods. For group bookings, purchase one voucher per participant and redeem them all together to secure everyone in the same session. Need more flexibility? A gift voucher lets the recipient book when the time suits them.