A NEW laser tag facility has come to Toowoomba. Opened this month at the Bazinga Entertainment Centre, the facility has attracted hordes of laser tag fans and its fair share of women in what is often called a "boy's game".

Bazinga invested about $500,000 for the state-of-the-art facility at 204 Herries St, the second largest in Queensland.

In a first it's an open-plan, bright arena that is fully-themed to attract younger players.

The arena, which can hold a maximum of 40 people, uses the HELIOS system, the industry's leader in laser tag equipment technology.

The weight of the equipment is half what it used to be.

Players shoot sensors on their opponents, scoring points and there are different game varieties.

Bases can also be destroyed for bonus points.

Joey Shultz was one of many women playing recently and said it was a good workout.

"I'd rather come here than the gym," she said.

A spokesman said the company wanted to expand from just bowling into more general entertainment.

He said laser tag was attracting family groups and was the answer to the often-repeated complaint that there was "nothing to do in Toowoomba".

"One family had 22 players ranging from a 70-year-old man to a 4-year-old," he said.

The centre has also been able to attract women.

Female participation in laser tag is generally about 25%-30% but Bazinga has reached about 50%.

The centre this year spent about $400,000 upgrading its arcade, expanding its gaming area.

The most popular include air-hockey, basketball, dancing and Deal or No Deal.

The company is planning on spending $100,000 on a new lounge in the bowling section.

The alley has been in Toowoomba since 1978.

The Wilson family spent Saturday night at the centre.

Debbie Wilson said: "We just came here to bring the family to the arcade.

""It's great, something to keep people off the street.

"You can come here and spend $20 and have a good night.

She said more needed to be done to keep young people in Toowoomba entertained.

"If you could lock kids in it would be great, I know a lot of places up north do that."