A Gaming Experience Even Moms Can Geek-Out About

If you’re anything like me, you are always looking for new and unique places to spend time with your kids. That’s why I was excited to take my family to Fireshark Gaming, the new interactive video game theater off of K-96, located at 21st and Greenwich. They offer what Wichita can boast as the only place in the world to experience immersive gaming, where players interact with other players.

Fireshark GamingWhen I first heard about Fireshark Gaming, I wasn’t sure what to expect because I am a mom, not a “gamer”. But I was pleasantly surprised at how interactive the whole experience was. My husband, our two sons and I actually got to talk, move around and get in some quality hang out time – not something I was expecting when I heard the word “video game”.

We were greeted by the friendly staff, joked about how moms aren’t the ones typically playing the video games, and then we were taken to the game theater where we got to play inside the game. We picked up our Android tablets, which served as the controllers, and chose our characters (I chose the purple robot, obviously).

As a mom, I am always concerned about the content of the games my eight-year-old plays. But these particular characters were robots, and there really wasn’t much violence. You can blow up and destroy buildings, cars and the other robots, but no gory graphics – so I wasn’t too concerned with him playing. (Sidetone :: If robots aren’t your thing, in about 4-5 weeks they will be introducing their newest game of car racing, where you will be able to drive on the walls!)

All I could think about before arriving at Fireshark was the “gaming” stereotypes. But they completely broke the mold as they create an experience that not only encourages movement while playing, but also interaction withFireshark Gaming Controller friends and other players you are plunked into the game with. After playing with my family, I definitely got in my 10,000 steps by following my character around the room. (I was also let in on a little secret that once your character dies, it moves you to new start location on the opposite side of the room with the goal to keep players moving and grooving!) And in the group I was with (including my 8 and 3 year olds), we were all laughing and cheering for our own characters, having fun with some playful competition. I think we laughed throughout the entire 30 minute game!

After playing (and practically breaking into a sweat), I was happy to hear Fireshark Gaming also offers all-inclusive birthday party packages. They will cater to every possible need from ordering cakes, food and drink, to offering limo service and bartending (for the 21+ birthday parties!). They offer different tiers for their party packageFireshark Birthday Partys and have offerings to fit any budget. Each package allows for 3 game sessions and the party room for 2 hours. One really nice thing about their party packages is that there are a set amount of gamers, but additional guests are allowed to come. You can invite grandma and grandpa without worrying about them counting as a “gamer” – unless they WANT to be, of course! It’s also great for younger siblings because there can be up to 16 people in the game room – even those who aren’t counted as players. The littles can stand and watch inside the game room, and parents and other adults can wait in the party lounge and watch what is happening on the TVs.

And if it’s not a birthday party you are looking for, they offer ongoing gaming sessions during their business hours every 15 minutes between their two game rooms. You can go online to schedule a session, which only costs $8 – less than what you’d pay for a movie and the perfect summer activity now that the July heat has kicked it into high gear. And for parents of the older kids, if you feel comfortable, you can drop your kids off and hit up some of the surrounding dining and shopping establishments right at the same intersection.

Overall, our experience with Fireshark Gaming was so much fun for our family. The staff was extremely friendly and gave us a great experience. But most importantly, we got to spend quality time together, and the boys are still talking about the fun they had almost a week later!

Disclosure :: Wichita Moms Blog received compensation and/or free product for this review. That said, all opinions are the author’s own and services listed here are those that we have tested personally, stand behind and are excited to bring to this wonderful community of moms.

Kendra Fernandez
Kendra lives in Derby with her husband Leonard and her two boys- Leo and Jacoby. She works in downtown Wichita but spends most of the rest of her waking hours wrangling two crazy boys. You will more than likely find them at a game or practice. Besides spending time with her family Kendra loves to read and watch Game of Thrones, HGTV marathons and the Royals! She is also very active in PTO at her sons' school and is always trying to find ways to interact with other parents.