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 Nerflooks to be on a collision course with the UK Toy Fair, who knows what goodies they’ll reveal.). The F2A Facebook pageis 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!
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!
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!
io9 broke the news initially months ago, and now the samples are in! Well, they’ve been in, as Basic Nerf has been doing his thing and after tooling around with these for a bit, I’ve got something to say.
F2A jersey not included 😛
Firing video:
Stats:
Nerf Zombie Strike Sledgefire Approx. $27.99, available August 1, 2013 Target Exclusive Includes: 9 darts (bright green, but like an Elite streamline) 3 shells (3 darts per shell) 1 ZombieStrike SledgeFire blaster
The Rundown:
When I first heard about it, I was intrigued. It looked like a grenade launcher, but it fires a spread of darts like a shotgun effect. I was also skeptical. Shells. The bane of my existence since the double shot.
I never liked the idea of shells. They were necessary to fire the blaster (unless you retooled it), if you ran out of them you were in trouble, and it doubled the reload time (dart->shell, shell->blaster) for maybe 30′ of power. Not worth the trouble, and good only if you liked the aesthetics, wanted to be a cowboy, or had a yen for shotguns without the shotgun spread.
BUT THIS BRINGS ME TO THE SLEDGEFIRE.
To fire it, you pull the hammer down to move the barrel and “break” the blaster in half. You load the cartridge into the back of the barrel, and click it shut. Pulling down the barrel is what primes the mech. Pulling the trigger fires. Lather, rinse, repeat for 2 more shells, then it is time to reload.
As a blaster, this is fun. I loved the Nerf Barrel Break, and the whole motion of breaking the barrel here and loading the shells is very much a device to enhance the roleplay aspect of being a zombie hunter. From the click of the barrel to feeding and locking the cartridge, it is a very satisfying experience to use it. It also nice the shells don’t totally eject, that you have to pull them out to set them back in the stock to reload.
Range-wise, I got maybe a little over 50′ angled. The video shows 30-40′ flat. To be fair, the Triple Shot got 1 dart to shoot decently, and the other 2 fell way short. Interesting bit, (confirmed with AFON via chat). That the Sledgefire gets all 3 to fly relatively close to each other is a vast improvement. Of note, in the description, it says –
“Zombie hunters fend off large hordes with ease using the ZOMBIE STRIKE SLEDGEFIRE blaster. A new triple dart shell-system allows for simultaneous multi-shot blasting and quick dart reloads on the run while extra storage space for darts keeps zombie invasions at bay. With the SLEDGEFIRE blaster it won’t matter if the approaching undead are the fast kind or the slow kind – they’ve met their match. Blaster comes with three NERF SHELLS and nine NERF ZOMBIE STRIKE darts. Available exclusively at Target.”
but does not mention Elite-style ranges, as the Crossfire Crossbow description does. So, don’t expect to get huge ranges with this, but enjoy the up close touch of a 3 dart blast 🙂
My fave part about this blaster is the spread is reminiscent (to me) of the old Blastfire, Hornet, and Lightnin’ Blitz blasters, but this one has a speedloader, which is very handy.
But, if I had to gripe, it’s that it seems to only shoot Elite-type streamlines. As the video shows, original streamlines and dart tag darts would get stuck in the barrel or not launch at all. Depending on your field of players and the variety of ammo, this could be a big deal to you about having to make sure all your streamlines are Elite styled.
Overall, is it worth the $30? I’d say cautionary. It would make for a good sidearm (although a bit long to holster, maybe a sling) but the shells, limited amount of them, and reloading doesn’t work well for a fast-moving, trigger happy play style. If you find yourself in the thick of a horde rush or firefight, you might be better served with a turreted blaster or the something mag fed. If the cartridges were/are going to be sold separately, I think I would change my tune. But having only 3 cartridges available right now is a big hindrance.
HOWEVER, the bright colors (I like the color scheme, it looks crazy), the comfortable stock, tactile feedback from loading the blaster, and having a slightly larger spread of darts per shot can mean millimeters between a miss and a tag. For me, on the aesthetics alone, it is worth the purchase, and hitting the 40′ mark at a 3 dart spread is great for a last ditch shot. It just might save you a respawn. Just for the gimmickry of it though, this is totally a lot of fun and worth a go.
EDIT: (forgot to mention these earlier)
Stencils! Zombie-themed stencils were included with the blaster to decorate appropriate targets:)
Nerf Zombie Strike Stencils!
P.S. – It’s been a crazy week, but don’t worry I’ll update this review with pics of attachments/stocks ASAP.
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 🙂
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:
Not much need be said about this. The Nerf Arena at Quest in Merry Hill is operational! Looks like the attendees have had a bunch of fun, so here’s hoping they keep it going. All the best, Quest! This looks much bigger than the original NDTL inf For more info on the stats and specs of the arena, feel free to refer to my other post: or contact Quest at: info@thequest.co.uk Maybe check them out on Facebook?
So way back in October, I ran across the story about Paragon Entertainment striking a deal with Hasbro/Nerf to create Nerf Arenas. Well, the project came to fruition in a Place Called Quest:
Merryhill, I am jealous.
So the arena opens this Friday, but a pro shop of sorts and target range started up a few months ago. So, what does this mean? The UK’s planning to have a bunch more locations like this set up, and anyone who might remember 2009-2011 might remember the Nerf Dart Tag League.
Old video of mine (before I had my current cameras, obviously)
Quick history lesson – from 2009-2010 the Nerf Dart Tag League was an event that ran/traveled alongside the Dew Tour Action Sport Tour, going to a number of cities and holding events in BMX, Skateboarding, whatever. I was fortunate enough the BMX tournament stopped in Chicago, so of course I went (it was actually going to this event that got me on Nerf’s radar, and the rest is history.)
A pro video of the event:
So this format carried on for 2 years, and then in 2011 the format changed to a one-day tourney in Florida, separate from the Dew Tour and the gigantic inflatable arena was replaced by a more traditional field. Louie C3 was there, and I believe Rogue paid him a visit in that final year of the NDTL.
Some of the stats on the original battledome (the original NDTL was run by a different company, and the stats of their battledome follow):
“…100-square-foot inflatable dome for the NERF Dart Tag Tournament games. Measuring a monstrous 40 feet wide by 20 feet high by 76 feet long, the dome featured an interior maze of obstacles, home bases, and recharge centers.”
The Quest version looks WAY BIGGER, judging by the relative size of the people inside vs. where the walls, doors, obstacles, and so on. Count on it, I studied as much of the original dome as I could back then and burned it to memory.
EDIT: The new arena is “…25m x 10m. That’s 250 sqm or 2500 square feet!” (quoted directly from Paragon Entertainment)
Quick aside: Visit Quest’s Facebook page so you can have a chance to be one of the first to play in the arena, win passes, or qualify as the Biggest Nerf Fan they’re looking for! Good luck to all of you!
Games inside the dome were fast-paced, frantic, and awesome. Darts bounced off walls, people vaulted (and often crashed) into cover, and lord knows I hurdled a step or two in order to cap the flag. However, this was also with Nerf Furyfires, and the tech has changed a lot since then. The larger dome helps with the longer ranges, but I also wonder… in the promo shots those are clearly Dart Tag blasters, but I imagine Nerf Elite and other non-velcro ammo might be allowed? (Going to necessitate a follow up here, will update on my Facebook page.) While Capture the Flag and Elimination might be the order of the day, I am curious as to what other game types might evolve from this whole setup.
EDIT : Vortex, Elite, Dart Tag, all will be available for use at the arena! (Which they will provide on loan, you don’t have to bring anything they have it all for you. Try before you buy!)
While venue sizes might differ, the UK is going to see a few more of these pop up, and then hit other markets from there. As for the U.S. goes, no word on that yet but bet I’m following that news very carefully. But I think it’s safe to say that Nerf’s going international in a big consistent way. And if that happens, then the possibilities are endless!
In any event, enjoy the arena, England. Make it successful, that way they see there’s a proper market out there just waiting for this.
Thanks to Extreme Nerf for the heads up on these videos – a couple of them about the Nerf N-Strike Elite Alpha Trooper! Recently posted, and it’s in German, but the posts are out there.
Unboxing:
Demo Range-testing/Firing of sorts: (angled a bit, some wind, but pretty cool all the same)
Enjoy!
And again, thanks to Extreme Nerffor finding and sharing.
Some of the newest stuff I spotted at Toys R Us recently, among them the zCurve Huntress bow, Rip Rocketz, Buzz vs Zurg Toy Story pack, and a Nerf double dart Strongarm.
Foam From Above 