Preview: Elite Alpha Trooper cs-12range test versus Original Alpha Trooper CS-18

Fired a few darts from my original Nerf N-Strike Alpha Trooper CS-18 and the new Nerf N-Strike Elite Alpha Trooper CS-12, and here’s what I got. From where I was standing, the original shot about 30′, while the Elite Alpha Trooper hit around 50′, at a pretty flat angle. Full review is being worked on!

Where the blasters lay denotes the cluster; original closer to camera than the Elite. The one Elite dart near the original was a ricochet that bounced back.

TEK RECON: KICKSTARTER IS LIVE (UPDATE) – Hammer Head, Havok

KICKSTARTER LINK IS HERE:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/graemebissett/tek-recon-the-first-real-life-video-game

Got word of this from the fine folks at Tek Recon – they’re launching a little early, and ON KICKSTARTER. I’ll let them explain in the press release below.

“TEK RECON: BRINGING VIDEO GAMES TO LIFE!
One of the most anticipated product launches of 2013 hits KICKSTARTER on May 9^th

TORONTO, May 8, 2013 – TEK RECON, one of the most anticipated new product launches of 2013 will be available for the first time through KICKSTARTER.COM on May 9^th@ 8am eastern standard time.

The goal of the KICKSTARTER campaign is designed to further enhance the development of the TEK RECON blaster and free app, and to get the product into the hands of early adopters and key influencers helping to create the first real life online video game. Through the course of 31 days fans will be able to fund the project through purchasing product, exclusive rewards, and bid on great prizes that include appearances in the television commercial and an all expense paid trip to present at E3; all contributing towards our KICKSTARTER funding goal of raising $50,000.

“Bringing TEK RECON to market through this KICKSTARTER project is the most ambitious and exciting launch in our company history,” stated Brad Pedersen President and CEO of TEK RECON Inc. “Two years ago we set out on a mission to bring video games, online connectivity and social interactive play together through innovation and great product design. The outcome, TEK RECON has come to life and created a phenomenal play experience that has exceeded our expectations.”

Gamers, adventure seekers and fans of technology, we need your help to create a revolutionary new way to connect and play video games with your friends IN REAL LIFE! Get off the couch and into the game with the newest and most realistic way to blast away on the field or anywhere. TEK RECON Blasters feature a first of its kind design with real trigger action and specially designed reusable “NRG Rounds” that blast up to 75 feet.

To optimize the battle and team experience TEK RECON developed a free “Real-Life Online Gaming” app to enhance blaster battles. Simply connect your mobile device to the blaster to bring video game styled play to life through mobile and GPS technology. The free TEK RECON App will be available for iOS and Android devices, enhancing real battle experience through an interactive heads up display, live chat, vision modes, and more.

The time is now to be one of the first to experience Real Life Online Gaming and change the way you play. For more information on this product and KICKSTARTER campaign please visit TekRecon.com.”

A look at the OS of the Tek Recon app

The Tek Recon Hammer Head. Approx. $19.99, 30 round capacity in a mag in the handle.

The Tek Recon Havok blaster, pump-action. Approx. $34.99 as of the listing I saw at Toy Fair. 90 round capacity last I saw.

So there you have it. On May 9th Tech4Kids (makers of Tek Recon) is willing to let fans endorse the product, assist in the development, and in return you can get the blaster early, or any number of other bonuses, including possibly a trip to E3? Interesting, indeed!

Tek Recon wants to make sure they get the blasters done properly, so here they are opening up to the wonderful world of crowdfunding. Their kickstarter page launches May 9th, so if you’ve been yelling “TAKE MY MONEY” since news on Tek Recon first came out, here’s your chance.

Between the interactivity of the mobile app, the new ammo type, and some of the neatest touches when it comes to aesthetics and user experience, I’m intrigued to try it out and see how it all works. I’ve been itching to get a more in-depth look at this since New York Toy Fair, and it looks close, so, so close.

I’ll post the link once the kickstarter goes live and definitely keep an eye on Tek Recon’s Facebook Page.

Onward, to May 9th! And good luck to Tek Recon in making this work!

REVIEW: Skylanders Giants – Trigger Happy’s Dart Blaster from Mega Bloks!

Mega Bloks were awesome enough to send along a couple of samples from Toy Fair – Trigger Happy’s Blaster and Ignitor’s Flame Sword.

Trigger Happy’s Dart Blaster


Ignitor’s Flame Sword (size comparison to a Nerf Marauder)

What wonderful intellectual property are these devices for destruction from? The Skylanders Giants game, where a player uses a figure on a platform to connect to the video gaming device of their choice and play that character IN THE GAME.

Now, my past experience with licensed blasters is not very positive. At all. The Jango Fett blasters I have weren’t anything special, nor were the clone trooper dart blasters I picked up. On top of that, this is Mega Bloks’s first foray into making roleplay toys, so I was a little curious how these would stack up against past experience.

Thankfully, the stats spoke for themselves:

STATS:

Price: Approx. $14.99 depending on the store
Range: Anywhere from 30′-40′ (with darts NOT the ones included. The darts it comes with decreased the range to about just under 30′)
Ammo: Foam darts with a hard plastic, thin tip
Ammo Capacity: 6 darts before reloading

Darts that come with the blaster

Versus Nerf Elite Streamlines and current Dart Tag darts

Shot of the chamber

Air restrictors inside (and no, the cylinder does not pop out to reload.)

Annnnd the video:

So how did I like it? Sure, it was similar to Nerf Maverick but in a case like this it’s the aesthetics that are important because of the licensing. Folks who love the game (or have kids who love the game) are going to like this, as well as anyone (like me) who likes a gold-colored blaster (I played A LOT of Goldeneye on the N64). The cylinder not popping out was a surprise, but the side divots are nice touch to get around that. As you can see in the video, the divots don’t line up with the chambers on the cylinder. It would be nice if the holes had lined up WITH The divots, instead of trying to load the darts in on an angle, but the blaster would look a little odd and a little less symmetrical. I get that. The lack of a trigger guard bothers the showman in me as I can’t spin the blaster on a finger. But, that’s a nitpick.

Unfortunately, the included darts don’t do the blaster any justice. They drop the range and the heads are unforgiving if they did hit their target. Granted, a toy like this isn’t INTENDED to be shot at others, but things happen and I would have liked to see suction cups or something softer at the heads of the darts, if anything so the blaster would hit the ranges it does with regular Nerf ammo.

And the ranges are THE most surprising thing about this blaster. Once I loaded proper darts it got comparable range and performance to any Maverick I had (Strongarm doesn’t count, it’s internals are ahead of the Maverick curve but I had to include it for argument’s sake.) I was pleasantly surprised to say the least!

After being burned so much with licensed blasters in the past, I would take this into any stock blaster game as a good sidearm confidently. Per the usual rules around here, I won’t be modding this so I won’t write about possibilities.

Ultimately, I think it works as a sidearm if you’re into stock blaster games and the golden aesthetics remind me of sneaking around in my video game days. It’s not exactly the Golden Gun, but it’s closest I’ve gotten 🙂 Skylanders fans might get a kick out of the blaster as well, as the license is HUGE and the game is really popular. Trigger Happy looks like a fun character to play as well (judging from the videos, maybe an actual Skylanders player can sound off on him) so if you’re hurting for a unique looking sidearm or want to live the adventure with Spyro and friends, pick this up.

These are only the beginning too, at Toy Fair there was plenty more on the way, as shown below:

’til next time, chummers! Got a question? Post below.

WIN A SUPER SOAKER HOUSE PARTY! (Sponsored by Nerf and Cheetos)

Just like the title says. I ran across this promo on twitter, and thanks to houseparty.com it looks like entrants can have a chance to win a Nerf and Cheetos sponsored summer house party.

Taken from their site, here’s the prize:

“Host a NERF SUPER SOAKER Block Party

Kick off Father’s Day Weekend with the entire neighborhood at your own NERF SUPER SOAKER Block Party. NERF SUPER SOAKER blasters will set the stage for an exciting summer for kids of all ages as they soak each other for the ultimate outdoor fun. Bring out the family fun and snack on your Simply CHEETOS^® White Cheddar Puffed Corn. Fire up the BBQ and soak up summer with your neighbors at your NERF SUPER SOAKER Block Party.
Your exclusive Party Pack will contain:

NERF SUPER SOAKER blasters
Simply CHEETOS^® White Cheddar Puffed Corn
Special Host Coupons”

Read the full rules HERE: now sign up and good luck!

Snapfire 8 – closer look (Review, Repost of Demo video)

Back at last year’s Toy Fair I posted this winner of a video –

and it took… a long time to get to the U.S. It was out overseas at first (due to the popularity of Dart Tag in those areas as opposed to the lukewarm reception here) and only recently did I finally spot one in a Toys R Us. Approximately $19.99, it’s that semiauto manual pistol some of us have wanted for a long, long while. Personally, I remember this old video by SGNerf:

AND FINALLY…. FINALLY….. I got to take a look at a production version Snapfire 8 up close!

More after the break>>>>

Stats:

Toys R Us exclusive ($14.99 or so)
Front-loading, 8 shot turret
2 settings, “Power” & “Speed”

Twist the dial in order to go to either “speed” or “power”

Fires streamlines and taggers
No tac rails (as this is Dart Tag)
Ranges: 50′ on “Power” (flat) and 30′-40′ on “Speed”

Annnd, size comparison:

Now to the task at hand:

“Does switching between Power and Speed do anything?”

As has been noted by other owners, the trigger pull on the Snapfire 8 feels a little weird. It’s a bit longer of a pull than I initially expected, most likely to both prime and release the catch the mechanism. The “Power” setting makes the trigger harder to pull (not unexpected) while the “Speed” setting is a lot easier to pull the trigger but at significant drop in range. Gives the impression of using versatility and modular play, but I think I would just keep it on the “Power” setting as pulling the trigger a little harder isn’t a big deal to me. “Power” might be tough for a 6 year old though, so parents be aware that you might have to help a little to fire on the “Power” setting.

Other than the trigger, the Snapfire 8 was decent. It got decent range on either setting and while the trigger was weird, it just took a little practice for me to get the hang of it. The big sell to me is the true semiauto one-handed operation- no pumping needed (like a Blastfire) and no batteries (pick one, there are tons of flywheel blasters to name out there.) This feature is also why I needed to dual-wield them, in spite of the risk of reloading both at the same time.

The Snapfire 8 handles well and with taggers it is pretty accurate. I personally got a kick out of it because I’m a big fan of semiauto pistols (lots of John Woo films growing up), although the trigger is weird. The round turret makes holstering/pocketing one a little tough, but nothing a good pair of cargo pants can’t fix. I suppose the lack of any sling points isn’t terrible either, but it would have been nice have some place to clasp one on in case my pockets get full of darts. The handle seemed a good size, it didn’t feel like I had to hold it weird or that I was enveloping the blaster with my hand, which was a good touch as well.

I think the speed/power setting was a bit unnecessary except for a few select occasions, but it’s a gimmick and needed to bring some different functionality to the table in addition to the true semiauto firing. Now and again I did have a hiccup with pulling the trigger and a dart not firing, but that could be either poor dart fit or user error. The same thing happened with the barricade, that if you didn’t pull the trigger correctly, darts jammed. With the Nerf Dart Tag Snapfire, you have take the same care when firing, as the blaster has to move all its parts correctly to fire properly.

Overall, I give the Snapfire a middle of the road. On the one hand I love love love the semiauto action, but the weird trigger pull holds it back a little as that affects the reliability of the blasters. For folks who don’t like carrying a lot of n-strike magazines on them, this is another good addition based on the mobility you have with this vs. a Swarmfire, or even a Speedswarm (not to mention a Speedswarm has that split-second rev time and suffers a bit on the rate of fire). Is it a must-buy? Depends on how much you want that semiauto electric free experience. Personally, I needed to try it and here I am.

While the price is a bit high even for this (much less 2 of them like I got) if you want that flywheel-free semiauto experience, this is your chance to get it, though it takes some practice. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go watch some 80s era Hong Kong action flicks 🙂

Nerf Rebelle – Rename update!

Quick news from the Nerf sources:

The Nerf Alpha Girl Mission Kit I reported on back in February has been renamed:

NERF REBELLE SWEET REVENGE Kit

(HASBRO/Ages 8 & up/Approx. Retail Price $19.99/Available: Fall 13)

The NERF REBELLE SWEET REVENGE Kit is a girl’s best friend and includes the accessories she needs to take on any NERF REBELLE mission in style. The star of the NERF REBELLE SWEET REVENGE Kit is the bold five dart revolving blaster, which features a cool purple deco and bright magenta accents. Pull back on the lever to ready the blaster and press the trigger to send darts soaring through the air up to 75 feet. Add style savvy during non-stop, action-packed adventures with the included pair of NERF REBELLE VISION GEAR eyewear. Taking a break from the excitement? Players can stow their blaster and extra darts in the included hip holster, and take the NERF REBELLE action with them wherever they go. Includes blaster, five collectible darts, and belt clip holster. Available at most major retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

And in case anyone doesn’t remember how this thing shoots:

(Non-Nerf) It Came From Toy Fair – interview with Saban re: Power Rangers and a new Digimon??

Crossposted from another blog I keep!

“Hi there, it’s been a good long time since I put anything here (my duties Nerf-wise at Foam From Above keep me busy) but I have some particularly awesome news to share here and well, everywhere.

So, the past 3 years now I’ve flown to the New York Toy Fair (mostly on blaster business, but I do other random geekery there too, such as Power Rangers) and was invited to interview Saban executives on Power Rangers and the news of a new series from Digimon (long story, it’s answered in the questions). Being an eternal fan of the Dragonzord and Agumon, well, I had to take the chance! I was thrilled to even have been on the list that got this blast. Follow me, fellow Digi-destined and Rangers.

I was initially going to do an interview there, but storms and scheduling had other plans. As it stood, I ended up doing an over email interview courtesy of their VP of Toys and Hardlines. What follows is a direct copy-paste of my questions and the answers. You’ll also see a number of questions that I solicited from the fanbase via twitter (@vasthestampede, that’s me!) so hopefully you all will dig what I found out.
(Saban answers are in BOLD)
[[MORE]]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions. I’ve been a big fan of
Power Rangers since Season 1 (and even through the Disney years) and Digimon as well. Needless to
say, I was excited to learn that Saban had regained MMPR, compounded with news of a new Digimon series.

First off, I thoroughly enjoyed Super Samurai, and was a bit teary eyed to see it end. What can you
tell us about the direction that the Power Rangers line is going in, merchandising and marketing wise?
I feel that with seeing t-shirts and hoodies at Hot Topic (I have a red ranger hoodie and green ranger t-
shirt myself) there’s a renaissance of sorts when it comes to Power Rangers.

You are definitely right. There are many Power Rangers fans just like you who have been loyal and followed the Power Rangers closely for the past 20 years. We always make sure to cater to that audience of “super fans” with collectible items like limited edition action figures, DVD box sets and throwback products like the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers line at Hot Topic. In fact, new items just became available on April 1 in stores and online! Be sure to check them out in-store and at www.hottopic.com.
There’s lots of product coming out this year to celebrate the 20th Anniversary, and much of that you will get to see unveiled at Comic-Con. Plus there is a whole line of Power Rangers
Megaforce for the “super fan” and brand-new Power Rangers fan alike. We are lucky to have such a large audience from kids to adult, going 20 years strong!

With some of the die-cast toys and figures I’ve seen, there’s a definite gear towards the collectors in the U.S. (hello, Legacy Morpher) when back in the 90s I don’t think quite the same level of merchandise was out there, at least in the U.S. Did Saban grow with their fans?

Absolutely, yes. For many of the reasons listed above. We have fans from age 2 all the way to age 40 at this point, since the show has been around for 20 years. With a continuous growing fanbase, there is constantly a need to adapt and grow with the fans, so that’s what we aim to do with the products as well.

What can you tell us about how far into the future you planned your Power Rangers shows? I
understand there’s still so much out there work from:)

Without giving too much information away, we plan a year or so in advance.

People have been mentioning the Legacy morphers are awful hard to find right now, to the point of physical altercations trying to get them. Is this something Saban or Bandai needs to address?

We’re thrilled that the Legacy Morphers are such a hot item, but never intend to make it difficult for fans to purchase them. Toys R Us will have them back on shelves by mid-May.

Onto Digimon! I’m excited. The movie was fantastic, and I followed the show up to Frontiers, then lost track of it. What can you tell us about the new series? Figures? Cards? Are we talking a whole new multimedia push for Digimon? When will all this break? Will we see the show first, then the toys and games?

In February, we announced the new animated series, Digimon Fusion (the sixth installment of the hugely successful Digimon franchise), which will air on Nickelodeon later this year. Digimon Fusion will take today’s tech-savvy kids inside an adventure-packed digital world, where the heroes’ courage is matched only by the fusion of their teamwork, loyalty and humor.
The series features all-new Digimon action and
excitement following Mikey, a human boy, who is transported into the digital realm and must team up with his new “Digimon” or “Digital Monster” friends before their world is deleted once and for all. New fusion powers allow Digimon to combine and fuse their abilities to create endless battle possibilities. The series will be distributed internationally (outside of Asia) by MarVista Entertainment.

As far as the consumer product line goes, nothing has been announced yet so you will just have to wait and see!

How did Saban reach the conclusion to pick up Digimon? Not that I’m complaining.

The Digimon franchise was brought to the U.S. in 1999 by Haim Saban’s Fox Family Worldwide. It was a no-brainer to bring the franchise to Saban Brands last September and keep it “in the family.” It was an exciting addition for us and a perfect property to help grow our entertainment brand portfolio.

The trends I’ve been seeing (for a couple of years now) are ways to make the toys “combat” each other, whether with a card system or something else. Power Rangers kind of has this, will Digimon
have a combat system? This is also assuming there will be a new string of Digimon toys.

We are still in the planning phases of development of licensed products that will help bring the show to life, so more to come on that.

Digimon has a strong following, and I do run into people who get misty-eyed remembering the original series. Can you comment if there is a collector’s side of the house, to maybe get a die-cast angemon or something to that effect?

Again, we are still in planning phases of development so we cannot confirm anything at this time.

SPEED ROUND:

I wouldn’t even have this opportunity without the fanbase, so I corralled some questions from twitter to bring them along for the ride. I understand if some of the answers are farther down the line for the
year, and entirely expectant that you can’t comment on some of these questions.

When will the Megaforce line will hit Latin America?

We have yet to announce a date.

How many sets and boosters are planned in the new Power Rangers Collectible Card Game? Support
for the 2 years of the show?

The Collectible Card Game will continue through the two years of the show and beyond. The card game
includes rangers and villains from the entire 20 years of history.

Are there plans to release the sentai series shiken in the U.S., and will there be a same release with jp
gosei great?

Again, apologies, but we cannot comment at this time.

When can we see planned releases of the Anniversary toy line (power morpher, Japanese Import
Zords, etc)?

Along with our licensing partners, we showcased a great assortment of Power Rangers Anniversary toys during the American International Toy Fair in February. New Power Rangers Megaforce products were on display for the all-new season, as well as some items inspired by the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series to commemorate the 20th anniversary year. All products are expected to hit shelves throughout the year. Fans will get to see more unveilings at San Diego International Comic-Con as well.

Will we see the release of the Lauren Red Ranger figure in edition to the UK version already out?

She was released in November 2012 in the U.S. as a chase figure.

Any plans to extend the anniversary line into the 2014 season of Megaforce?

We cannot confirm at this time.

Can you disclose anything about the Mystery Ranger release in America, or Ranger Keys? Will we see
those brought over?