Game2Life’s axe throwing, laser tag, pickleball and bar and grill make it an adult’s dream playground. I was so excited when owner Judson McCord invited me and a few friends to check out his place.
We arrived Friday at 6 pm and the place was pretty empty. McCord suggested we start with some food and drinks so we made our way upstairs. My taste in wine has always been pretty expensive but over the past few months it’s gotten annoyingly choosy so instead of having the Barefoot brand wine they served, I opted for whiskey neat. If you’re going to throw an axe you might as well play the part, you know?
My mom ordered a deconstructed rum and Sprite drink. I’ve never seen anything like it. She asked the bartender to give her Sprite in one cup, rum in another, ice in another and a few limes. Then she walked three steps over to our table and mixed it all together. Why she wouldn’t allow the professional to do it for her, I have no idea. McCord must do a good job of hiring his people because the bartender didn’t bat an eye at my mom’s request.
We sat and sampled the fried chicken sandwich, Philly cheesesteak sandwich, macaroni and cheese wedges and mozzarella wedges. Then we made our way downstairs to start the axe throwing after filling out simple waivers on an iPad. An instructor met us outside and went over all of the rules. “You can’t hand anyone the axe, you must instead return it to its spot where the next person can retrieve it,” he said. “You cannot stand too close to the target because if the axe jumps back at you, you’ll lose a toe.” I really did not wish to lose a toe.
The instructor demonstrated the difference between a dual handed throw and a single handed throw. Every time he demonstrated a throw the axe met the wood as intended. Which is where he set us all up for failure. We took it for granted that our axe would also meet the wood. My mom looked like she was taking a college level advanced course with the level of attention she gave our instructor. I wish I could tell you it helped her.
I suggested we play a simple game of guys versus girls as I scribbled onto the dry erase board so we could keep score. Meghan suggested we do a few practice throws before we began. And then for the next hour no game was ever played. We all took turns practicing the entire time because the truth is no one other than Hayden seemed to be any good at all. Meghan landed her axe a few times which drove her husband (who didn’t land it) nuts.
“Throw it with joy! Not with anger!” she said to Ross. I think that just made him more angry and his frustration increased every time his axe bounced off the wall.
The hardest part for me was remembering to retrieve my axe for the next guy. I hate doing something I’m bad at, and I am absolutely terrible at throwing an axe, turns out.
Hayden got a feel for the whole thing early on and showed all of us up by throwing and landing the axe 10 times in a row, many times. Ross ordered a basket of chicken tenders to soothe his ego. I don’t think it helped. I was a couple whiskey neats in when I remembered I was supposed to be working so I asked Meghan to take a picture of me holding the axe. What an imposter. I am no axe thrower but I pretended to be for the picture.
In addition to axe throwing, Game2Life also has laser tag and pickleball courts. We took so long practicing (and failing at) throwing the axe that no one had any emotional energy left for anything else.
Game2Life opened October 2019 and managed to survive the events of 2020. They offer patio games like washers, cornhole and Cajun golf. Soon you’ll be able to find snookball, a billiards-inspired game, where players kick soccer balls (instead of hit them with a stick). Game2Life isn’t just about the axe throwing or the laser tag. It’s a great place to have a beer, eat some food, watch the game and hang out with your friends.
They serve brunch every Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. On the menu you’ll find boudin eggrolls benedict which includes two crispy fried boudin pepper jack cheese egg rolls sliced with a poached egg and topped with hollandaise sauce served with hash browns.
They host events like silent auctions, team building and game tournaments. McCord says he’s looking to add golf and baseball on the property in the next year and is hoping to find a partner to raise the necessary funds.
In my experience, Game2Life is a great place to meet friends for axe throwing or (if you’re as bad as I am) a few rounds of whiskey neat.
Have an idea for Diana’s next experience? Let her know by emailing her at diana.vallette@gmail.com
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