Category: toy

London Toy Fair 2014 – UK Nerf’s report

London Toy Fair 2014 – Thoughts on the Nerf overview from UK Nerf

UK NERF was at the London Toy Fair this week, and posted up a report of what Hasbro had on display.  Hasbro sent out exclusive release info already on the Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire, N-Strike Mega Thunderbow, N-Strike Elite Demolisher, and Rebelle Agent Bow.

UK Nerf, was able to try them out.  Make sure to read the entire report, but here are some choice bits:

About the Slingfire:

“About the same size as the Sledgefire and roughly the same weight. This was designed to be used one handed so the balance is spot on. You can flick it to prime it and it lands neatly in your hand so rapid fire with this technique would be possible with a little practice, keeping the other hand free for a secondary or to reload.”

The Demolisher:

” The Grenade launcher is not detachable, nor can it be without a lot of work (as far as I could see). It is fairly heavily integrated into the shell and I think if it were removable, simply using it would wrench it off the rail anyway.”  Word has it the Demolisher may be full auto due to the popularity of the Rapidstrike, so that remains to be seen.

Go read the rest if you want to know more!  It sounds promising though, and I am looking forward to getting a turn at these come New York Toy Fair.  UK Nerf mentions a total of 10 releases, so it’s bound to be a busy year.  No word on N-Force or Dart Tag though, we’ll have to wait and see.

I’d really love to say more and speculate, but honestly there’s not much to say without the blasters.  It’s a little weird to see the Thunderbow reliant on the bow arm as part of the priming mech, unlike the Big Bad Bow or BnA, where the bow arms were extraneous.  The Demolisher is going to be fun I think, and I really want to know if the diameter of the missile is the same as the Mega darts.  I strongly think the Rebelle Agent Bow is going to be the dark horse of the new releases, with the new arrows (tipped something like ball, per UK Nerf).  Anyway, have fun with the info!  It looks like Hasbro didn’t allow video or photos at all in their showroom hence the lack of images and photos from anybody.  UK Nerf does have some new angles though.  Thanks to them for taking time out of their lives to make the trip!

Lock and Load.

A shot from last year’s New York Toy Fair

 

New Nerf for 2014: Nerf N-Strike Elite Demolisher 2-in-1

NERF N-STRIKE ELITE DEMOLISHER 2-IN-1 Blaster

(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99/Available: Fall 14)

Got a bunch of messages about this Popular Mechanics post, but I see Basic Nerf, The Prop Weapon Co Op, Adult Fans of Nerf, Click Click Bamf and Awesome Nerfer posting about it as well. 

Grabbed from Popular Mechanics

Also grabbed from Popular Mechanics, illustrating the size.  Uhm, dang.

Here is the product description:

“Take NERF shots to the next level with the 2-IN-1 blaster that dominates both MEGA and ELITE missions! The DEMOLISHER 2-IN-1 blaster is impressive in size and power firing up to 100 feet, featuring semi-motorized blasting, a 10 dart banana clip, and all new missiles. Connect NERF scopes and lights to the blaster’s top Tactical Rail System and set sights on some of coolest NERF shots performed. Blaster includes two missiles and 10 N-STRIKE ELITE darts. Four AA batteries required, not included. Available at most major retailers nationwide and HasbroToyshop.com.”

2 missiles, 10 darts…. the banana mag that so many folks have been asking for over the years, an undermounted missile launcher, swappable stock (though I may have to run with the given to have that missile storage.)

This LOOKS great, sure.  I won’t get a look at this until February for New York Toy Fair (though UK Nerf looks to be on a collision course with the UK Toy Fair, who knows what goodies they’ll reveal.).  The F2A Facebook page is wondering about flywheels (pretty sure that’s an accelerator trigger), I’m wondering if the undermount is going to get 100′ (crossing fingers).  Anyway, enjoy the pics and onward to the Toy Fairs!

Chicago Toy And Game Fair 2013, the pics!

Back the weekened before Thanksgiving, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTag) rocked the city with a weekend of toys, games, gift ideas, innovation, invention, and creativity.  This year was no exception with a bigger feeling to it, and some of the best brands I’ve come to know and enjoy seeing year after year. 

Razor, Spin Master Toys (seriously, the Tenkai Knights building sets they brought were amazing innovations in construction sets), Mayfair Games, Bananagrams, and local favorites like Floppets were all on the show floor, bringing the humor for everyone.  That being said, here are my galleries from the weekend.

PlayChic – The fashion show for the weekend, that combines a famous fashion designer’s touch with the inspiration of a toy or game at the show.  Joan Severance, inventor of the txTylz game, was on hand even to lend her talent to the show.

 Full album is here!

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf

Aaaaaaand pictures from the ChiTag Show floor 🙂

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf


Zing Toys – Huntress, Zombie Slayerz, Sky Ripperz, Zomp Rocketz, and more!

Overview of Zing Toys
Vas The Stampede

Zing Toys – Reviewing and taking a closer look at the Zing zCurve Huntress Bow, the Zombie Slayerz Bow, Air Storm Z-Tek Bow, Legends Longbow, Zoom (Zomp) Rocketz, and Sky Ripperz.  Thank you to Zing for all the samples!

This is probably going to be a HUGE post, so how about some pictures?

zCurve bow: Zombie Slayerz, Huntress, Air Storm, and the original green.

Zoom (zomp) rocket

Zartz of various types.

Zing Sky Ripperz

HUNTRESS & ZOMBIE SLAYERZ (zCURVE BOW VARIANTS)



Zing Huntress

STATS:
Price: $24.99
Includes: zCurve Bow, 3 Zartz (the arrows; 2 long range and 1 suction cup type)
Range: 100+

The Huntress and Zombie Slayerz are new skins for the old zCurve, and that’s that.  Still the same great bow, but but with a new look.  Regrettably, no included arrow holder like they used to years ago.

Next, the zTek bow/Legends Longbow

The zTek bow is a bit smaller and doesn’t feel as powerful as the zCurve, but the ammo holders and overall feel of its own merit work pretty well.  I t doesn’t feel like the bow has the same pull as the zCurve, but it is still pretty powerful and feels very sturdy and durable, what I’ve come to expect from Zing.

STATS:

Price: Approximately $29.99 (estimate, prices were all over the place online)
Includes: zTek Bow, 3 Zartz (the arrows; 2 long range and 1 suction cup type, compatible with zCurve Bow and variants)
Range: 100+

Interestingly, the zTek and Legends Longbow have the same feel.  They also both have ammo holders in the same spots on either bow, the same enclosure for the rubber bands (the zCurve bands are exposed), and all fire the same ammo.  The Legends Longbow seems to be a variant on the zTek bow.  Either way, the ammo holders on the bow arms are nice to have.

Also, this part gets missed with the Zing bows I think – while you have the ability to pull back as far as you can (to hit upwards of 200+’ with zCurve bows) some caution must be recognized in the operation of the zing bows.  Recommended directions state to NOT pull the bow all the way back, even for target practice.  But people will want to anyway, and shoot at each other/targets with full strength.  Use caution and be responsible.

 Next, there are the Zomp (Zoom) Rocketz – Zimple enough.


STATS:
Price:  Approx. 19.99
Contains:
1 Launcher (some assembly required)
3 Zoom (Zomp) Rockets – I have versions that use either name, so that’s why I’m using both.

Air bladder connected via hose to a tube where a rocket is slid on and then propelled via air when the bladder is stomped on.  They say 200’+ is possible, but I had a hard time getting to even 170′.  I would like to try having 30or 40 of them, and seeing what happens when everyone stomps at once. Being able to have different angles to aim the rocket is a neat little feature, and some kids would especially get a kick out of this, I think.  Nerf game wise, this might make for a good objective with the right rules set.

SKY RIPPERZ 


And one of my favorites from the Zing line, the Sky Ripperz.  Possibly upwards of 200′ with these, and so simple yet so powerful.  A handle with a rubber loop is all that’s used in launching these, and hooking the rocket onto the tubing. 

In the end, the Zing Toys may seem a bit pricey initially, but definitely well worth it for the quality construction and time you’ll spend perfecting your technique and your aim (hopefully outdoors when possible!)  Also, with the Hunger Games “Catching Fire” in theaters, wouldn’t you want to tap into your inner Katniss?  In Nerf games we count these as large ammo rounds to eliminate/break shields, so implementation is what you make of it.  I personally am a big fan of Zing’s products and whether I would use these on the field or not, target practice is always fun.  In the end, the choice is yours but whatever color your bow, may the odds be ever in your favor.

FULL PICTURE GALLERY IS HERE:

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf

Review: Skylanders Giants – Tree Rex Smash Hands (of Foam!)

How was your Halloween?  As you hopefully spent it in costume, let’s look at a toy out there for the costuming/role play/imagination bunch, Skylanders Giants Tree Rex Smash Hands from Mega Bloks!

Based on this guy:

Come these hands (sample provided by Mega Bloks) intended to protect the world.

Approx. $24.99 (based on the availability)
Range:  Uhm… what?
Comfy: Totally.  Though obviously built for a kid, these will fit on adult hands too.

Thanks for the sample, Mega Bloks!

Image originally from Megabloks.com

You use them as such:

and first things first, they protect your hands! Dress like Tree Rex, minus a lot more external bark on you.

The foam of the hands is thickest and at least a couple of inches thick at the knuckles, so while I don’t recommend using these as boxing gloves or striking people, animals, household plants, or sparring in a mixed martial arts class, they are pretty soft.  There is a small strap on the inside to hold onto while wearing the fists.  The box is open, so when you see these on shelves you can check for yourself just how soft these hands are.

Skylanders Giants and Mega Bloks offer up a way for youngsters to role play as Trigger Happy and now Tree Rex, taking the action from the video game/construction sets to getting up and imagining themselves as their fave characters.  Maybe a play group out there utilizes a melee weapon ruleset, and need something past the Hulk hands of the past.  Either way, I do like the look of these toys and hopefully we’ll see more of Skylanders Giants and their role play toys as the franchise continues.

Like it?  This is also out – Ignitor’s Flame Sword

DEMO: Nerf ZombieStrike Hammershot & Rebelle Sweet Revenge

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.

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf

2 for 1 PRODUCT REVIEW – Marshmallow Shooters! (Blaster, Double Shooter)

Before I begin – thanks to Spin Master for taking a chance on me by letting me review something a little different – Review of “My Scare Pal Sulley – Monsters University Toy”

Alright!  I’ve known about Marshmallow Shooters for awhile, and they have some great people working for them there.  They’ve been awesome enough to provide samples to review, so let’s first go to the videos –

//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/lkQdIsQjapI

STATISTICS (Marshmallow Blaster):

  • Range: Approx 30′ (angled, also depending on condition of marshmallows used.  The marshmallows in the video above were a bit stale)
  • Cost: $23.95
  • Available: Now (various retailers)
  • Capacity: Single (medium sized, NOT JUMBO) Marshmallow (breech loading)
  • Propulsion: Pump  – Trigger action

//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/XkySlzGEQCY

STATISTICS (Marshmallow Double Barreled Shooter):

    * Range: Approx 30′ – 40′ (flat, depending on condition of marshmallows used)
    * Cost: $31.95
    * Available: Now (various retailers)
    * Capacity: 50 mini Marshmallows (includes 2 tubes, 25 marshmallows each)
    * Propulsion: Pump – Push/pull

Whew!

Now right off probably, you’re thinking the cost is pretty steep.  And it is, for these blasters.  BUT, I’ll say it’s still not a bad buy because of the simplicity and hilarity you’ll have out of these.  Honestly, the big appeal for me out of the whole line is hitting someone with MARSHMALLOWS.  Firing darts/arrows/ballistic balls has a different mindset for me, but marshmallows seem even more ridiculous to shoot at someone.  Think, Ghostbusters –
//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/d-sALU_hveA

Is the price worth the hijinks and the look on someone’s face when you tag them with something better suited for s’mores?  I leave that to you to decide.  The Blaster and the Double Shooter both are pretty tough, resilient, reliable blasters (as of this writing, they actually went back and improved some design elements, so you know the Marshmallowville people are always working to bring better products).  I have had some issues in the past, but a lot of the new samples I’ve been receiving definitely function and hold together much better.  I’ve had the occasional broken string or had a plunger tube slide out after pulling on it, but like I said it was some time ago, and the newer models are improved.  And customer service is responsive via email AND social media; they won’t leave you unattended if you have a problem (at least not in my experience.)  Not to mention, the price I am giving is the MSRP.  You do some searching, you’ll probably find a competitive price to own one.

So, the Marshmallow Blaster  – trigger, breech-loaded, and a pump on the back.  When you fire it, there’s an audible and satisfying “POP!”.  Again, use fresh marshmallows for best  performance.  If you’re used to using a stock Ultimate Missile Blast, Blast Bazooka, or some other related type of air blaster, then this isn’t too far from that.  Personally, I use it as a shield buster if a game I am at allows shields and large ammo with special rules.  I find the lack of ready sling points a bit problematic when I use it for that purpose, but I make do if I just feel like playing with marshmallows that day.  Simple, elegant, and effective (with fresh ‘mallows.)

Next – the Marshmallow Double Shooter!

It’s a push-pull shooter, and you load each of the clear plastic tubes with up to 25 MINI marshmallows (no large ammo here).  To load, the tubes pull out of the blaster, and you can position them back in.  However, this is TIME consuming on the field, especially if the marshmallows load odd into the tube.  While the shooter still has enough air moving to push a marshmallow out if it isn’t perfectly lined up, that reduces the range a bit.  Although, shooting anywhere from 3 to 5 marshmallows at time in a spread one odd marshmallow might not make a lot of difference.

If you’re wondering a bit more about how it works, there’s a little door that repositions itself with every pump of the handle, and the air goes into that tube.  So it switches from one to the other.  Just remember to make the motion fast, otherwise it won’t fire.  But it’ll fire as fast as you can go.  This one IS a bit pricier (at least MSRP, again shop the prices if that’s a concern) than the Marshmallow Blaster but for about as proper a shotgun effect as you’ll get out of anything out there even now this might be more your speed, but again you give up quite a bit on the reload time.  Like the Blaster, the Double Shooter doesn’t have a proper sling point.  You’d have to work out some kind of holster/sling system.

THE AMMO:

Ok, so while the blasters are pretty decent, these do fire marshmallows.  In hot/rainy weather, they get soft.  In winter, they might freeze (and FROZEN MARSHMALLOWS ARE A NO NO).  They tend to degrade a bit, and in some cases the marshmallows get a bit chopped in the breech and leave marshmallow residue all over the inside of the barrel, which can reduce performance.  While you can leave the marshmallows on the ground as they are perishable food, I would NOT RECOMMEND THAT.  Pick up your marshmallows when you’re done.  If anything, just to keep any wildlife safe if you are in a park and to not litter anywhere else.  At home, definitely clean up after yourself as well, as you’d hate to attract mice or something related.  Their digestive systems might not appreciate marshmallows.  One other side effect I’ve run into is folks like to eat my extra ammo when I’m not looking 🙂  In one case, I’ve actually had a player run up and yank the tubes of marshmallows out of my blaster (he was trolling me) cause he needed a snack.

Bonus:  If you have any marshmallows left, make s’mores!  Have hot chocolate!  Rice Krispie treats, maybe?  So there’s always a case for you to get fresh marshmallows and you won’t have to worry about ammo sitting around waiting to be used.  Granted, there IS a part of me thinking I hate to waste food, but there is something strangely comedic to me about tagging a friend with an air propelled marshmallow. 

So there you have it.  I know it’s been awhile, but I’ve got more on the way and hopefully you found this helpful!  Questions?  Comments?  Either leave’em below or use the submission form on the right.