Started getting some messages, and heard about this –
“NERF N-STRIKE MEGA THUNDERBOW
NERF N-STRIKE MEGA THUNDERBOW Toy
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99/Available: Fall 14)
Awesome NERF MEGA performance transitions from blaster to bow with the addition of the N-STRIKE MEGA THUNDERBOW toy. The bow’s dynamic arms and traditional pull back system can fire five NERF MEGA whistler darts in a row up to an amazing 100 feet. Includes 10 MEGA Whistler darts and holds up to five NERF MEGA darts at a time. Available at most major retailers nationwide and HasbroToyshop.com So there you have it, a 2nd surprise info drop from Nerf (leading up to the UK Toy Fair, and eventually New York.) I’ll admit, I’m going to hold back judgment though given this Air Zone Extreme Power Bow blaster from some time ago –
I’m sure Nerf’s taken the design and jazzed it up (especially shooting Elite Mega darts and all) but until the blaster’s in my hands there’s just not much I can comment on. I’m intrigued to check it out though, I don’t think I see a trigger or a tactical rail on the blaster… so… “dynamic arms… traditional pullback…” interesting.
Ah well, enough speculatin’. We’ll just have to see!
New Nerf blaster for 2014 is announced! Just before the UK Toy Fair begins, here we go!
UPDATE: Here’s a video of the blaster I took from New York Toy Fair:
NERF ZOMBIE STRIKE SLINGFIRE Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 14)
Zombie hordes are no match for the ZOMBIE STRIKE SLINGFIRE blaster! The blaster’s lever-action allows for quicker reloads on the run and DIY-style designs lend an authentic feel to any NERF zombie attack. Blaster comes complete with one six dart clip and six ZOMBIE STRIKE darts which can be fired up to 75 feet. Features the NERF Tactical Rail System customizable with NERF N-STRIKE scopes and accessories, each sold separately. Available at most major retailers nationwide and HasbroToyShop.com.
Interesting look, lever action, and supposedly going to get the 75′ Elite ranges. I wonder how a drum mag is going to look in there. 1 tactical rail, 2 sling points (the barrel and the buttstock), and…. there you go! The UK Toy Fair is going to see this first, and I do believe I’m going to get a crack at this next month at the New York Toy Fair. How do you feel about that $30 price tag though?
Don’t forget to check out some of the other U.S. Nerf bloggers that receive info like this for their unique spin (their might be others by this point, I am not sure) – Basic Nerf, Adult Fans of Nerf, Click Click BAMF, Shining Foam
Also,New York Toy Fair 2014is next month! I’m all booked and set to go, now it’s just the waiting game until I get there. Coverage begins February 16, and I’ll be in the Hasbro/Nerf Showroom at 9 AM. Just a quick reminder – this trip is out of pocket for me, no company flies me out (unlike the Nerf summer gathering/release parties) nor do they sponsor me so I’ll visit/give their products additional coverage. But as long as I have a press pass, I’ll make sure to head out so I can get what info I can to share. It is one of the first looks I get up close and personal with the blasters for 2014, so I have some direct experience with what you might expect. There are also prototypes and toys which may not make it to market, but that’s the risk in the toy industry!
Incoming word from an email from Hasbro PR: this Monday, supposedly, Nerf is going to announce a new blaster for Fall 2014. Not sure what it will be, but I will be watching my inbox, and post what I find here!
The Nerf Zombiestrike Fusefire. Picked it up at Target for $19.99. Includes 5 discs. Not included are 3 AAA batteries that work the light-up function on the blaster.
Pics up at http://www.facebook.com/foamfromabove with some initial shots of the Nerf Zombiestrike Sidestrike blaster versus the Rebelle Sweet Revenge, the compared holsters, and that N-Strike 6 dart magazines fit in the Dart Diva.
The above sites provide a proper listing of all the Black Friday deals to expect at Toys R Us! I consolidated the Nerf deals here, but the articles have a bunch of other great offers on Transformers, Skylanders, Kids electronics, and so much more. I am assuming these deals apply in-store only and in the U.S. but if I find any Cyber Monday deals I’ll be sure to post those as well. Take note, and happy hunting!
Toys R Us Black Friday Nerf Deals – wanna see? (All deals are limit 2 per guest)
THURSDAY 5PM – SATURDAY CLOSE (WHILE SUPPLIES LAST) Nerf Rebelle Guardian Crossbow – $11.99 (40% off) Nerf Rapidstrike CS-18 – $27.99 (20% off) Nerf, Hello Kitty, or My Little Pony Walkie Talkies – $9.99 (50% off) Nerf Rebelle Sweet Revenge – $9.99 (50% off) Nerf Vortex Pyragon or Praxis Blaster – $14.99-$19.99 (Save $20) Nerf Dart Tag – $24.99 (doesn’t specify much more than that…?) FREE Dart Tag Jersey when you buy any exclusive Nerf Dart Tag Item (save $20)
My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, or NERF Walkie Talkies: $9.99 (50% off)
Apologies, everyone. Sorry about the delay on well… everything! Let’s get right to it. I purchased (not samples like usual) the Nerf Hammershot from the Zombie Strike line, and the Nerf Rebelle Sweet Revenge Mission Kit. Both revolver-styled blasters, but the big question I received was, do they get similar range?
Per usual, here’s the video – I set up the cone at 30′ out, and the main target at 50′.
For this review, I tested out both blasters, as they were functionally identical. Review continues after the break>>>
Stats:
Nerf Zombiestrike Hammershot Price: Approx: $15.99 Available: NOW Includes:5 ZombieStrike bright green darts Special Feature: Fan fire Target exclusive (U.S.: might be a different store in other countries.) Nerf Rebelle Sweet Revenge Kit Price: Approx. $19.99 Available: NOW Includes: blaster x 1, 5 Rebelle darts (green), safety glasses, and clip-on holster Special Feature: Fan fire No exclusivity
AESTHETICS (how it looks):
Honestly, I think I preferred the Sweet Revenge. They both felt like great grips, but if I had to choose, the sleek and smoother feel of the Sweet Revenge made drawing and handling the blaster a bit nicer. The Zombiestrike faux bandage feels a bit more grabby, if that makes any sense. To be fair, it’s designed with a young girl’s hands in mind and not an adult male. Though the Hammershot might have designs for a larger boy.
The orange on the Zombiestrike worked for me, but that lower orange part under the barrel took away from the streamlined look you could see in the blaster itself, almost unnecessary. The Sweet Revenge went totally along with being sleek, smooth, streamlined, and it made drawing/holstering a breeze for me, after some practice.
Heck, the holster it comes with was surprisingly sturdy and held onto my waist and pockets very nicely. If you have a more “gymnast” play style though, you should be careful, as the holster isn’t tight enough to hold the blaster when inverted. Sadly, the Hammershot doesn’t fit the Sweet Revenge holster either. A Firestrike did, but I do not recommend that as it stretches the holster out considerably.
PERFORMANCE:
I’ve been a fan of the Sweet Revenge and the use of a proper “hammer” mechanism since I first saw the blaster at New York Toy Fair. In addition to the new mechanism, the fan fire is an interesting (though totally inaccurate) feature, and with the already inaccurate nature of Nerf darts, shooting darts in quick succession like that is more bluster than substance. Or great cover fire. One noticeable thing for me is the hammer is definitely easier to manipulate on the Sweet Revenge than the Hammershot, and you can hear it in the video. But, the Sweet Revenge and Hammershot got comparable ranges and if I didn’t dual I would most likely just use the Sweet Revenge based on how much I prefer its handling.
My darts landed anywhere in the 40′-50′ ranges, and 75′ is likely if I angled my shots. I did battle test these at MAW 2 with Adult Fans of Nerf and they were a lot of fun to play with, win or lose. I’m curious to see though how well these fire other types of darts, and will have to revisit that at a future date. While this isn’t a totally semiautomatic blaster like the Snapfire, I think it can certainly come close to one. And the trigger is much easier to pull than the Snapfire’s, no matter which blaster you get. Was the performance and feel worth the money? Yes. Many times yes.
THE TRIMMINGS:
Besides the blaster and holster, Sweet Revenge also comes with eye protection. The glasses are pretty typical of what you can expect, simple frames that don’t fold, but they do the job of protecting one’s eyes. The pink shading of the lenses might be a little disorienting (I certainly felt that way, when I tried them on in the name of science), so maybe use clear or the orange glasses, which I had no problem with.
Overall, I’m very happy that I not only bought one, but both blasters. They’re a lot of fun stock, and the new mechanism is hilariously fun to use. While the accuracy lacks, it just means you would need to get closer 🙂
Questions? Did I miss something? Let me know! I’m a little tired, so I’m sure I missed something.
Foam From Above 