Category: Uncategorized

Buzz Bee 2018 pricing and info!

Fresh off the press kit, here’s the pricing information and copy from the new Buzz Bee items for 2018. Yes, there’s a chronograph/distance accessory among them. Yes, it accommodates Rival ammo and Mega ammo.

● Covert Squad [MSRP $24.99; Ages 6+]:​ Team up to embark on a covert mission with these two walkie talkie blasters by Buzz Bee Toys. Each blaster has a built in Walkie Talkie with earbud communication that works up to 300 feet range so your opponents won’t hear you coming. With blasting power up to 100 feet, you will be unbeatable!
○ Additional Notes:
■ Includes 2 blasters, 8 long distance darts, and 2 sets of earbuds.

  • ●  Velocity X [MSRP $14.99; Ages 6+]:​ The Velocity X by Buzz Bee Toys measures dart speed and distance from any blaster, at any angle. Its versatility offers three modes so you can use in a hand-held position, on a tripod stand, or you can attach it to compatible dart blasters for continuous readings!
  • ●  Mutator [MSRP $29.99; Ages 6+]:​ The Mutator by Buzz Bee Toys offers unparalleled versatility that allows users to expand the barrel, transform the blaster and select distance blasting up to 100 feet or extreme accuracy with PrecisePro darts.

○ Additional Notes:
■ Includes blaster, 10 long distance darts, 10 PrecisePro darts, two 10
count clips, and removable stock.
● The Walking Dead Abraham’s Demolisher [MSRP $29.99; Ages 6+]: ​You can have the same blasting power as Abraham with this Demolisher by Buzz Bee Toys! This fully automatic, high speed dart blaster with a motorized barrel will blast darts up to 100 feet!
○ Additional Notes:

  • Includes blaster, 30 long distance darts, dart clip, and shoulder strap.
    Batteries are required.
  • Target Exclusive

● Thermal Hunter [MSRP $29.99; Ages 6+]: E​ scape is not an option with the Thermal Hunter! Its heatseeking scope detects a heat source up to 60 feet away, and its crosshairs will turn red to let you know when you’re on target. Its unbeatable spring power and pump action allows you to blast darts up to 100 feet thanks to Buzz Bee Toy’s long distance darts! The unique design lets you customize and build the perfect blaster with other brand’s accessories – and you can even place this scope on other brand’s blasters!
○ Additional Notes:
■ Includes blaster, 20 long distance darts, heatseeking scope, stock, rail
adapter, and a 10 count dart clip. Batteries are required.

● Predator [MSRP $9.99; Ages 6+]:​ Get ready for high-power, bolt action blasting with the Predator! This bolt action dart blaster by Buzz Bee Toys blasts up to 100 feet and also comes with soft and safe foam suction darts that pack staying power like never before! And with its secret storage area, you’ll never have to waste time refilling this blaster.
○ Additional Notes:
■ Includes blaster, 4 suction darts, 4 long distance darts, scope adapter,
and scope.
● The Walking Dead Andrea’s Rifle [MSRP $14.99; Ages 6+]:​ Put yourself in your favorite Walking Dead character’s shoes with this clip fed, bolt action dart blaster by Buzz Bee Toys! With a detachable scope you’ll be able to see walkers from afar, and you’ll never have to get too close with blasting power up to 100 feet!
○ Additional Notes:
■ Includes blaster, scope, 8 long distance darts and an 8 count dart clip.

Nerf Accessories by Jazwares! Nerf Blaster Rack, Nerf LIcensed Bunker sets and MORE

Hey Nerf Nation! I went through the Jazwares showroom the other day to have a look at the latest Nerf accessories and gear coming from their company (as they have the license to make Nerf gear now) and here’s a little rundown of some of the key items I saw. I was not allowed to take photos, but thankfully was allowed to post about this with the pricing. There are some assorted dart pouches, bags, hip holsters, straps, BUT:
The prices are subject to change –
Ankle Blaster Holster – $7.99
Looks like it’s made to accommodate Jolts.
Portable Practice Target – Mesh bag with holes for target practice – $12.99
New goggles (reportedly with swappable lenses, between orange and blue – $6.99
Ultimate Battle Vest – $29.99 (reminiscent of a chest rig)
Ultimate Battle Waist pack – $14.99 (basically a battle belt)
Ultimate Battle Pack (both Vest and Pack together) – $34.99
Hovering Target (like those gift sets with the ping pong balls that float up) – $24.99
Starter Strike Set – $9.99 – maybe a drop leg holster and dart pouch in one pack
Elite Endurance Set – $19.99 – The Starter Strike Set sold with a battle strap
Stealth Striker Set – $19.99 – The battle harness, drop leg, and…. Something else. Not sure what it looks like.
Mobile Gear pack – $19.99 – Battle Harness sold with the Starter Strike items.
Supreme Strategy Pack – $29.99 – Vest and pouches
Total Tactical Pack – $34.99 – Vest, Cinch bag, pouches
Kronos dedicated Holster for Rival – $9.99
FALL 2018 –  BUILD A BUNKER CUBES.
$24.99
Yes, Nerf is making their own inflatable cubes. You can stack and attach with Velcro, and a starter kit will contain 3 cubes. The cubes are maybe 3’ high, if I recall correctly (don’t quote me on that) and are pretty well built. I think it’s a heavier vinyl they are made of, and there’s a notch in the top to act as a barrel rest.
STARTER, Deluxe, Alpha, and The Ultimate Experience Pack Bunker Sets
Starter – $49.99
Deluxe – $69.99
Alpha – $99.99
UEP – $149.99
Jazwares is fashioning 4’ tall bunker supports that will have some Nerf branded camo netting draped between them. The supports will be inflatable but it looks like the bunkers will make a cover 4’ High and 7.5’ Wide. Complete with notches in the top for blasters to rest and holes to peek at the competition through.
BLASTER RACK  (YES.) – $49.99
Looks like Nerf was paying attention during all those #Stockpile Saturdays, they’re finally making a blaster rack. Complete with side hooks, a main storage bay to rack blasters, shelving and a drawer, the set looked pretty cool. This was considered an “introductory” set, so plans for more could be in the works. The height of the initial set I saw was maybe 2-3 feet (tall enough to hold an AlphaHawk) and wide enough in the main spot to hold maybe 6 Retaliators. REALLY cool look, plastic but with a metal rack aesthetic.
Again, no pics were allowed! This is the best I can do, and thanks to Jazwares for letting me publish it! See you on the other side, Nerf Nation.
Some of the Nerf accessories Jazwares produced (the targets, the harness, not the darts.)

New Nerf 2018 – The Road to New York Toy Fair

Nerf Blasts the Internet with Foam Flinging Reveals for 2018

New York Toy Fair is coming! That means a slew of new reveals on a variety of tech/geek outlets across the internet, and Nerf is getting out ahead for 2018. I can’t help but think there will be something else out there. Yes, a majority of the products from that secret video some time ago are already revealed now but maybe there is still something to come. Nerdist.com sometimes does reveals as well, it was there that the Doominator showed up. Whether that holds this year remains to be seen. Popular Science is another publication that may still hold the biggest reveal of them all (how you get bigger than the Prometheus… I don’t know. Odds are decent though.)

*fair note, I put additional bold formatting beyond the sent copy to highlight features of interest.

NERF RIVAL PHANTOM CORPS HADES XVIII-6000 Blaster
(Ages 14 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $69.99/Available: Fall 2018)

Experience intense head-to-head competition with the NERF RIVAL HADES XVIII-6000 blaster! Load 60 high-impact rounds into the easy-load integrated magazine, prime, and pull the trigger to fire a barrage at your enemies. Whether Team Red, Team Blue, or Phantom Corps, Rival battles will never be the same. Package includes blaster, 60 high-impact rounds, two flags and instructions. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

NERF N-STRIKE ELITE INFINUS Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $69.99/Available: Fall 2018)


Load and fire fast with the NERF N-STRIKE ELITE INFINUS blaster! The INFINUS blaster features motorized Quick-Load Technology; as kids feed darts into the blaster, the darts are automatically loaded into the 30-dart removable drum. With motorized, rapid-fire blasting, kids can quickly unleash a barrage of darts on their targets. Hold down the acceleration button to power up the blaster, then pull the trigger to fire. The INFINUS blaster includes 30 Elite darts. Requires 4 D batteries, not included. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com. 

NERF MODULUS GHOST OPS EVADER Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99/Available: Fall 2018)


Stay in stealth mode or light the way with the NERF MODULUS GHOST OPS EVADER blaster! Part of the GHOST OPS series, the MODULUS EVADER is completely clear to keep players undetected on any mission. Illuminate the blaster to guide the way in low-light situations by pressing the light activator. Customize the blaster with the barrel extension which lights up when attached to the blaster. Load the 12-dart clip into the Evader blaster, take aim, and unleash 12 darts in a row with rapid-fire motorized blasting. Enemies will never see you coming! Package includes blaster, clip housing cover, barrel extension, 12-dart clip 12 darts, and instructions. Requires 4 “AA” alkaline batteries (demo batteries included). Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

NERF ZOMBIE STRIKE SURVIVAL SYSTEM SCRAVENGER Blaster 
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/Available: Fall 2018)

Zombie survivors are prepared for anything with the NERF ZOMBIE STRIKE SURVIVAL SYSTEM SCRAVENGER blaster! This essential zombie defense kit keeps battlers ready for any zombifying challenge that comes their way. Load a 12-dart clip into the SCRAVENGER and unleash a dozen darts in a row. Grab the extra clip from the holder and slam-fire the zombies away with the on/off slam-fire button, or stabilize shots with the stock/blaster attachment to never miss a target. The 2-dart back-up blaster allows battlers to surprise oncoming zombies who will never see it coming. Package includes blaster, stock with blaster, scope, tactical light, barrel extension, two 12-dart clips, 26 ZOMBIE STRIKE ELITE darts, and instructions. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

NERF RIVAL PROMETHEUS MXVIII-20K Blaster
(Ages 14 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $199.99/Available: Fall 2018)

Head into battle blazing to take on the competition with the NERF RIVAL PROMETHEUS MXVIII-20K blaster! This blaster features the new ADVANCED ACCELERATION SYSTEM which allows it to fire at a rate of 8 high-impact rounds per second! This blaster also holds a whopping 200 high-impact rounds in its easy-load hopper. The PROMETHEUS MXVIII-20K blaster is fully motorized with a rechargeable NiMh battery for endless fun. Package includes blaster, 200 high-impact rounds, rechargeable NiMh battery, charger, two flags, shoulder strap and instructions. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

NERF ACCUSTRIKE MEGA THUNDERHAWK Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/Available: Fall 2018)

Introducing Nerf’s first ever MEGA ACCUSTRIKE blaster! Blast with power and precision with the NERF MEGA THUNDERHAWK blaster. The barrel extension slides back and forth on the top of the blaster for custom performance allowing for distance targeting or a more compact blaster. The THUNDERHAWK allows for steady shots with the flip-down bipod for MEGA performance with ACCUSTRIKE accuracy. The THUNDERHAWK blaster includes a 10-dart, side-loading indexing clip and 10 NERF MEGA ACCUSTRIKE darts. Also compatible with NERF MEGA darts. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

Geek.Com’s article on the Nerf Zombie Strike Scravenger and Nerf Modulus Ghost Ops Evader
Popular Mechanics on the Nerf Rival Prometheus, and Hades
Gizmodo on the Infinus and Thunderhawk
Ultimately, Nerf once again is going for premium pricing for their higher visibility blasters. The addition of Accustrike Mega Darts, a faster firing rate from the Prometheus, Quick-load technology, and a slam-fire on/off switch… those are some interesting features for this year. New York Toy Fair will be something else, for sure this year. There will undoubtedly be the smaller range items that have a soft release over the course of the year, so don’t be surprised to see additional blasters release as the year continues. But that’s a thought for another day. Thanks for reading, and make sure to watch for new edits and blog posts as the days to Toy Fair continue to pass!

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Nerf Infinus and Nerf Mega Thunderhawk Debut on Gizmodo

Nerf sent out the Press info for the Nerf Infinus and Nerf Mega Thunderhawk yesterday, and here you go!

NERF N-STRIKE ELITE INFINUS Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $69.99/Available: Fall 2018)
Load and fire fast with the NERF N-STRIKE ELITE INFINUS blaster! The INFINUS blaster features motorized Quick-Load Technology; as kids feed darts into the blaster, the darts are automatically loaded into the 30-dart removable drum. With motorized, rapid-fire blasting, kids can quickly unleash a barrage of darts on their targets. Hold down the acceleration button to power up the blaster, then pull the trigger to fire. The INFINUS blaster includes 30 Elite darts. Requires 4 D batteries, not included. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

NERF ACCUSTRIKE MEGA THUNDERHAWK Blaster
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/Available: Fall 2018)
Introducing Nerf’s first ever MEGA ACCUSTRIKE blaster! Blast with power and precision with the NERF MEGA THUNDERHAWK blaster. The barrel extension slides back and forth on the top of the blaster for custom performance allowing for distance targeting or a more compact blaster. The THUNDERHAWK allows for steady shots with the flip-down bipod for MEGA performance with ACCUSTRIKE accuracy. The THUNDERHAWK blaster includes a 10-dart, side-loading indexing clip and 10 NERF MEGA ACCUSTRIKE darts. Also compatible with NERF MEGA darts. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
The Thunderhawk has this little feature (not in this picture) where the barrel pops out, after flipping out the bipod. Not really for performance but man that probably looks cool. The Infinus seems to have an innovative magazine loading funnel in the stock, so It will be interesting to see how that comes out.
More on this later, gotta get to work. But enjoy the pics and the speculation! Don’t forget I will be at New York Toy Fair, Feb 17-19. Make sure to check this space and my coverage on my social channels as well!

Gizmodo Article HERE

ChiTag 2014 – aftermath!

Chicago Toy & Game Fair Announces Best Toys & Games in Show for 2013

CHICAGO, Ill. (November 2013) – The third weekend in November marked the 11th annual Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTAG), held at the historic Navy Pier and hosted by the Chicago Toy & Game Group. ChiTAG returned to Chicago, the leading city for toy and game invention in the U.S., to celebrate the power of play and creativity. The two-day extravaganza offered more than 20,000 attendees a multitude of interactive exhibits, engaging events, contests, tournaments, and more.

Thousands of fair attendees cast their votes for the best new toys and games showcased during the weekend as they sought gift ideas and got a jump on their holiday shopping. The winners of this year’s ChiTAG “Best in Show” are listed in order based on number of votes:

Best Toy:

Winner:

Crazy Cart (Razor) 
Runners Up:

Maxi Micro Kickboard Scooter (Kickboard USA)
Cuboro Marble Track System (Cuboro)
Tenkai Knights by IONIX (Spin Master)
Marusenko Sphere (Lion Rampant imports) and Shoulder Buddies (Shoulder Buddies)

Best Game:

Winner:

Settlers of Catan (Mayfair Games)
Runners Up:

Jumbo Bananagrams® (Bananagrams®)
Squashed (PlaSmart)
Top Trumps (Top Trumps)
Schmovie (Galactic Sneeze) and Daytrader (Lyon Works)
ChiTAG kicked off with a blogger breakfast, hosted by Alison Ray of “Sassy Moms in the City” and sponsored by Mayfair Games, Razor USA and Spin Master. After fueling up for the fair, the bloggers and their families began the festivities with an impressive “bang!” courtesy of Goliath Games, who set off an oversized version of “Stick Storm,” its exploding art game that uses kinetic energy to detonate a domino-like display.

The seventh annual Young Inventors Challenge participants exhibited more than 100 toy and game prototypes, conceptualized and invented by kids between the ages of six and 18, with top toy and game industry representatives serving as judges.

PlayDate Planet attempted the Guinness World Record for the largest number of participants in a clapping game and is awaiting confirmation from Guinness.

Star Wars fans dined with Chewbacca, the Storm Troopers and other costumed characters during the annual Star Wars luncheon, hosted by Hasbro and Top Trumps. Guests took part in game tournaments and had photos taken with members of Star Wars 501st Legion.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO TOY & GAME FAIR
Founded in 2003, ChiTAG returned as the global toy and game hub for consumers, inventors, trade, and media. In celebration of the power of play and creativity, the two-day extravaganza, taking place at Navy Pier, offered interactive exhibits, contests, live stage entertainment, tournaments, and more. For $10 per adult ticket and $5 per children’s ticket, attendees previewed, played, and purchased the hottest toys and games, rediscovered classics, and met the inventors behind the ingenuity. For more information, visit http://www.ChiTAGFair.com.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO TOY & GAME GROUP
The Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc. is a family of toy industry initiatives designed to encourage and promote the power of play and invention in social, educational, and professional environments. The Chicago Toy & Game Group consists of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, International Toy & Game Inventor and Industry Conference, International Summit for Professional Inventors, Toy & Game Inventor Awards, playCHIC Fashion Show Event, Games for Educators, and Discover Games. For more information, visit http://www.ChiTAG.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow the fun on Twitter @ChicagoToyNGame and @ChitagFair.

Chicago Toy & Game Fair – today!

Good morning, Chicago!  Headed to the Chicago Toy & Game Fair this weekend, see you there?  Follow the action on twitter: @vasthestampede and #chitagfair.

Intermission – shot from Nerf Mega Bash 2013

Hey all!  Sorry about the lack of updates here, but while I’m working on all sorts of reviews (I’ve got a Hammer Shot/Sweet Revenge pairing coming up) – here’s a sweet photo from the Nerf Mega Bash a few months ago!  Yes, that IS Shining Foam off to the side filming!
Also, I have some low-quality/quickie store visit updates posted on the F2A Facebook page if you’re itching for content.  Most recently, I found that Nerf Zombie Strike Blaster Sleeve at Target!
Thanks for sending the pic, Nerf!