Darts has always been a social activity with a reputation beyond it just being a game of skill. Whether played professionally or amateurly, it becomes a whole party experience that gets the audience involved just along with the players. Often played in a pub setting, darts is rarely played without a pint (or two) and best enjoyed with a group of friends – even if not everyone is playing. Easy to learn and accessible for all, darts continues to be a popular game and sport with a loyal following among fans and dabblers alike. Whatever the skill level, you’re bound to have a good time playing a round of darts.
With the introduction of interactive technology, we’ve discovered a whole new way to play the game. Augmented Reality Darts turns the game into an interactive experience where your scores are calculated for you without any worries about crushing the numbers yourself. Don’t just limit yourself to a classic game of 501 or 301 with many different game modes to choose from. At VGolf Brighton, we deliver this interactive Darts experience along with our licenced bar so you can at least still enjoy the game with a traditionally accompanying beer.
But which experience is the best? If you want to dabble in darts at home and hone your skills, a standard board is your best option unless you have excessive amounts of cash to spend on an interactive set up. If you’re looking for a fun night out and you’re all up for a round of darts, Augmented Reality darts will deliver the best experience for the night as a social event.
The history behind darts – when did the modern game begin?
While darts has been played for as long as the medieval era, the modern dartboard didn’t start to be circulated until the early twentieth century after it was invented in 1896 by Brian Gamlin. It quickly picked up popularity and by the time the thirties were around, there was pretty much a dartboard in every pub up and down the country.
The game truly took off during the second world war as it was picked up by troops as a way to pass the time. The game soon got picked up by the American soldiers who brought the game home with them. After the war, the game was more popular than ever, gaining traction as tournaments and leagues sprung up around the country. Darts became a televised sport in 1972 where it soon became a world of superstar players.
The rules of the standard game
Most games play with each player starting with a score of 501. The aim of the game is to get to 0 by ending on a double. If the score goes to 1 or below, the turn ends and the player has to wait for their turn to land their double. For each turn, the player throws three darts. At the start of the game, they are aiming to score as high as possible and will aim for the treble 20s for the highest score of a game, 180. The game uses mental arithmetic as well as hand-eye skill as you need to work out where to throw your darts in order to reach 0 first.
Other games
There are other games that make use of a standard dartsboard. In ‘around the clock’, each player has three darts a round and has to go around the dartboard, starting at 1, in order to reach 20 first. Killer is popular for large groups. The game starts with each player throwing of bad shot at the board to select a number. They then have to throw darts at their designated number, gaining a life for each successful dart. Once a player reaches five lives, they become a killer and can knock out the competition by throwing darts at their numbers, taking their lives.
Augmented Reality Darts – what’s the difference?
The difference is glaringly obvious. Standard dartboard come with just the one look and appearance with the threads and the numbers. With Augmented Reality Darts, you can change the setup of the board to suit the game mode that you wish the play. AR darts don’t use a standard board – they use a smart board. This is rigged up to the whole system, the overheard HD projectors and the touch-screen board where you control the game. The smart board picks up where your darts strike true. This info is relayed into the game, updating your score as you go whatever the mode.
At VGolf Brighton, our Augmented Reality Darts come with six fantastic modes for you try.
Lives
Fail to score higher than the previous player and you lose a life. Keep your core high and stay in the game.
Disco Wall
Bring your wall down by throwing darts to clear the screen. The winner gets the wall down the fastest.
Killer
A variant of the classic. Work first to become the killer than start to eliminate your opponent by hiding their portion of the board to take their lives.
Halve it
Starting with 40 points, the aim of the game is to keep as many points as you can. If you hit the gold areas, you gain points but miss and you halve your points. The winner is the player with the highest score at the end of the rounds.
Robin Hood
All you’re missing are the bow and arrows (and the tights). Get your dart as close to the bullseye as you can to win the test of accuracy.
Shanghai
Players take turns to get their darts in the target zone, getting points for each successful dart. Only darts inside the zone score. At the end of six rounds, the player with the highest score wins.
X01
A stickler for the traditional game? Our boards come with the 501 and 301 modes. The chief difference is that the system will pick up your scores for you so don’t worry about crunching the numbers in your head if you’re new to the game.
Experience Interactive Darts at VGolf Brighton
We have two Augmented Reality dartboards in our games room. Play as teams or as individuals and try out the different mores. You’re welcome to bring along your own darts or to even play a standard game mode. The choice is yours but once thing is certain is that you’ll definitely have a good night out.
Augmented Reality Darts are on the market however you’ll need an expert to fit the equipment. If you’re really into your darts and want to try something new AR darts are fantastic for parties with friends and the family. However, there’s nothing wrong with your standard corkboard. Easy enough to buy on a budget and mount yourself, traditional darts still promises to be a good time even if it doesn’t come with the fancy tech.
For a fun-filled darts experience, try out Augmented Reality darts at VGolf. You can book a slot in our games room online here.