Top 3 paintball fields in the Twin Cities area

01) The Adventure Zone
The Adventure Zone is a great place for beginners or those more experienced looking to smoke some young kids. The prices are some of the lowest around for play, which is what attracts so many young players. I’ve heard rumors that their Ref’s are pretty lax, which can be good or bad depending on how you like to play. The speedball games here are pretty wild so make sure to bring you A-game. Located in Rosemount, MN, Adventure Zone is one of the closest paintball fields to the Twin Cities so it is definitely worth a try.

http://www.theadventurezone.webs.com/

02) MN Pro Paintball
Another paintball field that is very close to the city, no more than 25 minutes from downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul is MN Pro Paintball. I’ve played on a lot of fields and this is definitely one of the best namely because of their great variety of playing fields. They have a woods field, a speedball field a forest field, and more. No matter what type of game or energy you are looking for they’ve got it there. A very professional setup, I cannot recommend MN Pro Paintball highly enough.

http://www.mnpropaintball.com/

03) Splatball, Inc
SplatBall, Inc is an interesting place. Their Minneapolis location is located near the University of Minnesota and is an indoor field on concrete in a basement. It’s a good experience if you’ve never played indoor paintball before. Then they have another location in Rogers, MN which is an outdoor field on a former golfing range which adds a different element since you are playing on artificial turf. Paint is pretty expensive to buy here and it is field paint only so it can get pricey. They have a great store there and really good prices. Another note of warning: there are lots of really competitive speedball players here, so be forewarned, and maybe ask the refs to put you in a less competitive group if you are new to the game.

http://www.splatball.com/index.html

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Getting paintball gun packages that include everything you need to get started is a little confusing. Do I need all the protective gear that I see some people wearing? Do I need semi-automatic Tippman paintball guns to be successful on the field? Are Spyder paintball guns the best on the market? These might be some questions you are asking yourself before you step foot into action. Truth is, all paintball gun packages are very similar and usually, you will get what expected. If you buy paintball gun packages off the street or from a 'shady' company, you might find yourself trying to un-jam your gun more often than actually playing the game. Granted, Tippmann paintball guns and Spyder paintball guns are some of the best on the market today, you don't have to shell out thousands of dollars to have a good time on the paintball field.

Okay, so this might not be what you look like on the Paintball field, but some people do take the sport seriously. Though there is a good portion of players that play professionally, I would go out on a limb and say that most players are amateur and play for fun. Like any other hobby, it's easy to get sucked into the equipment, supplies and other paintball gear available. However, you can't play at all if you don't have a Paintball gun. That said, you might as well not even waste your time stepping on the field if your Paintball gun doesn't measure up. You'll get blasted faster than clansman in the ghetto, if you aren't equipped with a high quality gun. It's like the guy at the gym with latest pair of Jordans, full jump suit and an authentic jersey, but their game is like watching the "C" play at half time of the "B" game.

Don't bother stepping on the field unless you have taken the time to do your research and pick up a decent paintball gun. That is, unless of course you enjoy being shot repeatedly and immobile for a few days. Here is a breakdown of some of the keypoints to look for in a high quality Paintball gun: 

 There are several types of paintball guns on the market today. Everything from Paintball shotguns and paintball pistols to semi-automatic paintball guns and all out paintball machine guys. Keep in mind, for recreational use you're probably not going to need anything too drastic, but having a high quality paintball gun definitely helps when it comes time to hone in on your target.  Here is a whole slew of paintball guns that you might find in the average Paintballer's collection.

You may recognize such brands as Angel paintball guns, Spyder paintball guns and the infamous Tippman paintball guns. All in all, these are high quality guns that usually don't yield much elbow grease minus the routine cleanings that all guns require. However, there some differences. Some will argue than the Tippman paintball guns shoot hard and further than Angel paintball guns. Some prefer the Spyder paintball guns because they are lightweight and don't get as tiresome to carry for those lengthy afternoon in the field. Personally, I have never bought anything but Tippmann paintball guns because pack a good combination of being relatively light, while being extremely accurate. (And not being the best 'shot' in the world, I need all the help I can get).

It's hard to tell some of these apart. Would you be able to do it if someone asked you to indicate which are Angel paintball guns and which ones are Tippmann paintball guns? If you can tell the difference, you might need to pick up another hobby or check in to some sort of Paintball support group because the differences are pretty minute.

 Most of the above pictured Paintball guns are somewhat dated, but they work just fine. However, if you're just getting into the game of Paintball and want something that most current, there are several options for you to choose from as well. There are single shot paintball guns with easy to fill hoppers. There are sleek paint ball guns that look futuristic and there several paintball guns on the market that are hard to distinguish from the real deal. This can be a problem in some cases, and that is why it's always a good idea to transport your guns carefully to and from the playing field. Keep this in mind when it's time to pick out your favorite Paintball sniper guns. Here are some of the options that are on the market.

 

Also keep in mind that when you do buy a high quality paintball gun, you'll need to stock up on the all the accompanying paintballgun accessories in order to keep the gun functioning properly. Having the right Paintball gun accessories is important to players of all skill levels. You'll want enough paintballs to keep around so you don't run the risk of running out! Each paintball gun requires certain tools to break it down and keep it clean in between uses. This is very important, much like real guns need cleaning, in order to keep the gun firing accurately and avoid jamming. Here is an example of a complete setup, from the Paintball gun itself to the tools and Paintball gun supplies you can expect to bring with you whenever you play your new paintball game.

As with all things competitive, people take it overboard. In most paintball games and competitions there is no need for some of the things people bring to the match, regardless of the game they are playing or what's on the line. You need your paintball gun, the ammo and proper protection. That's pretty much it. Some people take it a little overboard. There are some pretty wild paintball guns out there that are pretty much for novelty use only. There are AK-47 paintball gun replicas, full automatic paintball guns and yes, even the infamous Steven Segal shotgun has been transformed into a paintball gun. Most matches and Paintball games, you'll be just fine with the standard paint ball gun. However, for your viewing pleasure, here are some outrageous paintball guns that have hit the market recently.

  

I can't stress enough how important a quality gun is. Again with the basketball reference - a "ball isn't a ball" in this case. All guns shoot and feel different than one another, not to mention some high powered paintball guns shooting much harder than others. You should choose a gun that you can carry around easily, feels comfortable in your and is relatively accurate. You will always come across someone who has a bigger, better and harder shooting gun than you, but that doesn't matter. Pick what's best for you and your Paintball needs. And of course, nevermind this maniac who is completely out of control. There is absolutely no need for this Paintball Machine gun. Ever. I can't imagine any Paintball course even allowing such a thing. However, I do admit it's pretty cool.