You're traveling through what appears to be a mine, barreling down a narrow track behind wooden carts containing who knows what. It's shadowy and vaguely ominous, and then out of nowhere, a mummy rears its head from the cart in front of you. It's good that you're armed.
Welcome to XD Dark Ride, a new interactive adventure ride inside GameWorks at Town Square Las Vegas. The ride, which seats eight at a time, is a bit like Disneyland's Soarin' Around the World meets the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride.
Guests sit in moving seats and put on 3-D glasses as a movie screen takes them on a rollercoaster-like journey into mysterious environments where they face aliens, zombies and pirates. Whenever creatures pop out, guests use "light guns" to shoot them, competing with others in the audience for high scores.
Created by TrioTech, the XD Dark Ride was awarded the Best New Product for Family Entertainment Centers by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Rides on it at GameWorks Las Vegas cost $7 per person. The 7,000-square-foot GameWorks location at Town Square Las Vegas also includes an eight-lane bowling alley, classic arcade games, an eSports Arena, 30 TVs and a 240-seat restaurant.