Paper Shooters – 2nd Attempt!

They’re back!  In case you haven’t heard already, Paper Shooters returned, and is taking another shot at getting funded via indiegogo.



Back in April, I wrote about their first campaign, outlining it was a plastic blaster/shooter/model kit that used paper wads similar to Max Force ammo.  As you’ll recall, I mentioned continuously in my initial analysis that Paper Shooters was not to be perceived as most other blasters, for a couple of reasons:

1)  You had to build it out of the box; this is a construction/model kit first and foremost (according to the literature I’ve run across) and the play experience/target shooting aspect is secondary.  The functionality just adds to the experience of building the shooter.  You are responsible for the success of your own tools depending on how much care you spent building it.  Modders can understand that, I think.  And on top of that, Paper Shooters is ok with modifications performed to their kits, reinforcing the “model/construction aspect.”

2) While it was a plastic blaster, there was a specially treated water resistant cardboard skin/arrangement of sorts that was part of the external assembly around the plastic skeleton.  Essentially, you can mix and match the skins (if you had the multiple versions available.  But, that could get costly.)

3) Shells.  The magazines hold 8 shells (last I heard, and from the looks of the indiegogo acct.) and while these are supposed to hit 75′, shells might be problematic for someone looking to these for the typical blaster play experience.  Buzz Bee shells were problematic in that once you ran out of shells, you had to reload them AND locate each one to get your ammo capacity back.  Nerf magazines are limited as well, but much easier to keep track of (although bulky).  So I wouldn’t expect to use this in a typical Nerf war, maybe more for target practice or office hijinks against other folks who had Paper Shooters.

These are a few of the skins available (taken directly from the Indiegogo site), and like I said, getting started owning these shooters can get quite costly.  While the perks from the campaign include ammo, and a mould to make more paper ammo, the initial investment might be a little much.  But if you are a fan of building models, this might be right up your alley with the construction challenge and THEN you have a functioning shooter as well.  (I believe the box is STILL supposed to assemble into a zombie head, but I could be wrong or that has changed.

Either way, it’s still an interesting concept as far as getting one involved in the construction side of blaster building (if they aren’t already modding), but unless the campaign succeeds it doesn’t look like we’ll know anything solid about the products.  While the video shows what I’m guessing is a prototype that looks like it functions pretty solidly, that’s all we have to work off of, and the faith that is inherent with crowdfunding.  Should you decide to back them, it would definitely seem like you’re in for a very different experience than most other shooter kits on the market currently.  Until they’re out and funded, there’s really nothing to demo here.  But, at the very least you’re aware of this creation!

Also, if you have your doubts about how good cardboard can look, I leave you with these links:

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

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!

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.

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18, a closer look

WHOA!  TOO CLOSE!

Better!

STATS:

  • Available now at most major retailers
  • Approx. $39.99
  • Requires 4 “C” batteries (Not included, thank you to Lord Damian for catching the original error.)
  • Flywheels
  • Includes:
    • 1 x Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18
    • 1 x Clear 18 round magazine
    • 18 Nerf N-Strike Elite Streamline darts
  • Range
    • 50′-75′, depending on dart quality, battery power, angle, etc.
  • Special features

    • Flip-up sight, extendable stock, various tactical rails and sling points (though I really think there’s only one)
    •  

ANALYSIS:

Let’s take a quick look at where we’ve been.  Nerf Stampede video from the VERY FIRST release party, so many years ago.

Yikes.  Nice to see the quality has (kind of?) improved since then.  

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 (as seen in the video at the beginning) is a vast improvement over the Nerf N-Strike Stampede from about 3 years ago.  The Stampede had a direct plunger, but it was big, bulky, hit only 30-40′ maybe, and it was a bit back heavy if you were a younger kid (6 D batteries!) and a bit slow on the rate of fire.  Personally, I found that I’d lead a target using half a magazine (9 shots, and the blaster was stock) before getting a hit.

The Rapidstrike doesn’t have that problem.  It hits Elite ranges, is smaller, lighter, and fires faster.  Even though the Rapidstrike uses flywheels, I can pinpoint a bit better with this and waste less ammo.  Streamlines being streamlines, I don’t expect super accuracy out of them (even Elite ones) so that’s not a concern for me.  But the groupings seem pretty decent all the same, even with full auto.  I found the trigger pull responsive, and no lag like there was waiting for the Stampede to prime and fire.  It’s a fraction maybe faster, but Nerf tag is a game of inches and seconds in Rate of Fire.  Every little bit helps.  Swapping out mags was smooth, and I recommend 18 round straight mags. 

That being said about magazines, here’s the thing – I ran into some issues with reliability.  It got some actual gameplay (hi Des Plaines!  More on that in  another blog post) I used primarily 18 round straight magazines (like the clear one it came with and 3 others.  2 worked (includes the clear) and the others did not.  Further testing is required to see how far the rabbit hole goes about this, so expect a response video to my initial firing test.  I’ll also update this blog post.  Need to test drums, and different generations of the 6 round mags too.

Also, adjusting my grip, I hit the mag release once unintentionally.  When things are moving fast, that might be an issue for some people and they will lose the magazine.  Typically the magwell has been strong enough to not drop the mag on me, but it did once so far.  Depending on your mag, it might drop.  Depending on your mag, it might jam.  In this instance, the location of the release is cool, but the classic orientation on the sides might have made more sense.

Mag release is right behind the magwell.  You might hit it trying to avoid revving the accelerator trigger.

Does that justify a $39.99 purchase?  Considering the fun I’ve had using this (when it works) and that stores have a return policy, maybe.  It really is a ton of fun as a blaster and having something full auto is a welcome function I’ve missed with the Elite line so far.  Slam Fire just isn’t quite the same.  Hopefully my videos are a bit helpful in making a decision, but ultimately it rests on you as a player to see if this is your style.

Aesthetically, this blaster made me think of the carbine from “Aliens” and the adjustable stock made it either comfortable or usable for closer quarters.  Also… the accelerator trigger means dual wieldings 🙂  And that makes all sorts of things awesome:)  Happy hunting!

Questions?  Comments?  Did I miss something?  Need more info?  Shoot me a message!