Besides actually hitting your target with the sphere itself, I think qualifying a tag with this thing is going to be tough. Grass, concrete (that’s why I put the posterboard down, to show the spread a little better) is tough with this style of ammo. A grenade the way I see it is dynamic, and… well… explosive. This isn’t. People throw ballistic balls and socks during Humans Vs. Zombies games, but for $7.99 even that’s a little pricey to act as a replacement for much cheaper alternatives (hell, one game I used large marshmallows.)
In any event, buyer beware on this one…. maybe use them as tossable large ammo, but if you’re looking for a grenade type device this isn’t it.
Store purchased: Meijer (a big box store like Target) Cost: $7.99 Included: 3 “grenades” and 750 rounds of dry ammo (no container, have a bowl handy. Obviously, if you use the xploderz ammo depots you won’t be able to get the ammo back out).
PPretty sure these dropped in stores, but what’s a little more info out there?
The 2013 NERF SUPER SOAKER line includes:
NERF SUPER SOAKER ARCTIC SHOCK Water Blaster
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Ice cubes in a NERF SUPER SOAKER blaster? Get ready to give friends a soaking shock of Xtreme cold with the new SUPER SOAKER ARCTIC SHOCK water blaster. Featuring a wide mouth 25 fluid ounce clip that can fit ice cubes for a sub-zero blast, this pump-to-fire water blaster delivers a steady stream of icy water to shock your friends. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
NERF SUPER SOAKER SWITCHSHOT Water Blaster
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Intimidate the competition with the SUPER SOAKER SWITCHSHOT water blaster, which allows players to deliver extreme soakage by choosing one of four different spray options! Additionally, the SWITCHSHOT water blaster boasts a 20 fluid ounce detachable banana clip and detachable shoulder stock so fans can tailor their blaster for each water battle. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
NERF SUPER SOAKER HYDRO PACK
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Outlast and outsoak your friends with the Xtreme capacity of the NERF SUPER SOAKER HYDRO PACK. Featuring a three liter water reservoir, this water backpack connects to any SUPER SOAKER clip system blaster, keeping players fully stocked and ready for action. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
NERF SUPER SOAKER SHOTWAVE Water Blaster
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $14.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Featuring an exposed clip for easy reload, the SUPER SOAKER SHOTWAVE water blaster is pump-to-fire for quick release during battle. The mid-sized water clip fits on all clip system SUPER SOAKER water blasters (each sold separately) for maximum customization and can hold up to 10 ounces (.3 L). Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
NERF SUPER SOAKER FLASHBLAST Water Blaster
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $8.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Stealth enough for a sneak attack and compact enough for easy concealment, the SUPER SOAKER FLASH BLAST water blaster features a cocking slide for quick trigger fire action or slam-fire for non-stop soakage. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
NERF SUPER SOAKER DOMINATION DRUM Accessory
(HASBRO/Ages 6 & up/Approx. Retail Price: $9.99/Available: Spring 2013)
Upgrade the capacity of any clip-system SUPER SOAKER water blaster with the SUPER SOAKER DOMINATION DRUM accessory. The massive water drum holds 37 ounces of water – perfect for keeping the water battle going. SUPER SOAKER blaster sold separately. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.
Nerf Vortex Diatron. When I first saw it, I thought:
And as far as Nerf blasters get, this is about as close as I feel you can get to one without buying this:
Quick Stats:
Price: Approx $19.99 Ranges: 30-40′ @ Flat shooting (See video)
Ammo Type: Vortex Discs Ammo Capacity: 12 discs (load 10, prime, then load 2 more) Orientation: One-handed, ambidextrous handling possible Tactical rails? Yes, but not very comfortable (Read on) Stock Attachment? Possible Dual-Wield? Not really
Annnnd Video:
The Nerf Vortex Diatron looks cool, first and foremost. At least, I think so. The Vortex discs give it decent range, and it’s part of the “MultiShot Madness” campaign that Nerf is running with it’s RoughCut and Triad, but that being said it’s a great thought but not without some reservations.
First, let’s take care of the good. The MultiShot function works! It fires 2 discs, and they both launch out of the top barrel.
Top barrel, only one disc shown but needs 2 to fire.
Also, higher capacity than a Vigilon, hence the common misconception that there are 2 barrel and one disc flies out of each. It’s shaped as such to make room for the higher-capacity internal magazine:
There’s a tac rail on top, and if you’re aiming the blaster the priming lever is on the left, the disc release/jam clear is on the right. The mag release switch is on both sides of the handle. The rear part of the blaster can have stocks and such attached, adding to the customizable options of the blaster.
So the blaster’s multishot is a nice change of pace from what we’ve seen with the Vortex line so far, the paintjob is pretty cool, and the design is fresh from science fiction. It fires pretty decently too, within the normal tolerances of a stock blaster, hitting anywhere from 40-50′. The discs are stacked vertically when they exit the barrel and spread apart, with the bottom disc getting the lower end of the range, while the top-stacked disc goes a few feet further. The thing is Vortex discs are so unpredictable in flight sometimes you do run the risk of getting tagged no matter what you do.
That being said, there are some issues to consider about the Nerf Vortex Diatron. While the mag release IS on both sides, the priming lever and jam release placements might be problematic for lefties. Also, the Diatron’s a bit tougher to reload than the Vigilon. It’s a lot easier to palm 5 discs and slam them all in at once as opposed to the 10, 6 of which you might be able to bunch in, and individually reload the rest. Thankfully, the extra shot trick still works (check the video for that). The Diatron REQUIRES 2 discs loaded to fire, and it jams if there’s only one. In the video I show how to troubleshoot the Diatron if only one disc loads on accident for some reason, but I see many people not reading the manual and wondering why their blaster is broken and the trigger is not pulling. So, it’s a bit touchy. One concern I have read about on other reviews is the Nerf Vortex Diatron’s priming lever is flimsy and counterintuitive. I agree that the priming lever is definitely not something I saw from this blaster in the preliminary photos, but what’s done is done, and if you can fit this with your playing style, then game on. As for the arm being flimsy, I disagree on that. I think it feels pretty robust and don’t see it breaking on me in the heat of the game.
Range-wise, the Diatron was on the low side for Vortex blasters I thought. One of the discs only flies about 30′ while the other gets standard Vortex ranges, and I would have liked to see similar power put on both discs. There’s an inherent inaccuracy with Vortex ammo, so that’s no surprise that the effective range is maybe 30-40′, and the discs slice severely after that.
One final thought is that I really would rather use this as a sidearm, but the Diatron’s so big it won’t even fit in my super-sized Grabit Pack.
Overall, is this worth the $20? It’s no Pyragon, but the Diatron could be a fun little blaster in its own right. If you liked the Vigilon, this is right up your alley. If you like Dead Space but can’t afford a replica Plasma Cutter, this is your option right here (my cousin worked on the game and he agreed it looks pretty close). The multishot feature is a bit disappointing in the disparate ranges between the fired discs, but I had no problems with the feature actually working. And… ultimately, the Nerf Vortex Diatron looks really cool! Whether you use Vortex discs or not or you play indoors or out, try it out and maybe you’ll find it does in fact work for you. Try before you buy, if you can!
I’ll get the full review up soon enough, but in the meantime, here’s a quick video on how the Nerf Vortex Diatron fires, and even a troubleshooting tip. Enjoy!
Long story short, an entertainment company named Paragon has entered into a joint op with Nerf to create Nerf arenas and stores around the UK. You can play and buy! More as this develops, I have some research to do. 🙂
Nerf Vortex Pyragon against the Lumitron and a Clear Raider
Ah, the Nerf Vortex Pyragon. The Nerf Raider CS-35 ended up being one of my favorite blasters, I would decimate entire teams with the right timing to apply the slam-fire. Would the Pyragon match it in utility, and even outdo it in range and reliability?
After the break-
TRICKS:
REVIEW:
A couple of outdoor games with this, and it is definitely worthy of standing next to the Raider, if not outright overshadowing it. Even the Rampage pales in comparison to what the Nerf Vortex Pyragon brings to the table. It was impressive enough to see in action at the Nerf Elite Hailfire release party earlier this summer, but of course there’s no substitute for having the blaster in-hand 🙂
So let’s get down to it! The Nerf Vortex Pyragon comes with the Pyragon, a 40-disc capacity drum, manual, 40-discs, and your hopes and dreams. No scopes, no stocks, no blast shields. It’s $39.99 at most retailers. Thanks to Nerf, I got a sample. Would I get another one from the store? Most likely 🙂
FUNCTION: It’s comfy. In particular with the lightningstorm stock, as pictured here:
And the foregrip fits nicely for adult hands. Ergonomic is the Pyragon’s middle name, from what I can tell.
The Nerf Vortex Pyragon can be considered the Rampage/Raider/Alpha Trooper of the Vortex line, due to the slamfire capabilities. Advantage to Vortex on this one though, because the slamfire on the Pyragon is smoother, more robust, and more reliable than the slamfire on the N-Strike blasters. Just a cloud of discs all flying at you in a matter of seconds. It’s firepower, it’s elegant, it’s reliable. A winning combination.
The drum is piece of work as well. There’s the stem which serves as the main chamber, but then 4 auxiliary chambers inside the drum. And when one empties, it automatically rotates to the next chamber until empty. That’s why you’ll run out really fast, but maybe not before you tag an entire team with just one drum.
A lot of people liked the Praxis, but the Pyragon has it and the Lumitron beat in spades. What it trades in a little bit of width is more than made up for in reliability and slamfire. Not to mention the drum serves as its own turret mount 🙂
Quick word of warning… use caution if you put the Pyragon drum into a Lumitron or Praxis. I found the priming arm triggered the mag release mechanism and inadvertently dropped my drum a couple of times to the ground because of this. I didn’t have an issue using the drum with a Nitron, but the Nitron does admittedly fire slower than the Pyragon.
Also, I tried attaching a sling to the Pyragon, but it looked a point of attachment was not available on the Nerf Vortex Pyragon. With that much awesome, I’m thinking the design team figured no one would want to carry anything else if they had a Pyragon, hehe.
Range-wise, the Nerf Vortex Pyragon hits pretty much what you’d expect from the Vortex line. I’ll let the video do the talking here.
Anywhere from 50-70’+ depending on angle. I had a slight breeze, which could attribute to the slice my discs were experience. That being said, I was very pleased taking it out onto the field a couple of times and taking care of business. It is still small enough to be mobile even with the large disc drum. I crawled and roadie-ran through a few jungle gyms with it during games and didn’t feel the pinch for mobility at all. The thumb hole in the foregrip feels more secure when holding the blaster, especially when using slamfire. And as proven, it’ll fit grown hands –
Thanks Rogue!
In any event, the Nerf Vortex Pyragon is a solid buy. Between the drum and the improvements over the mechanisms introduced with the Praxis it’s a good upgrade/addition to your playstyle if you favor a heavier hitting kind of mentality with a shock and awe approach to unloading a swarm of discs, or just having a lot of ammo on-hand for surgical strikes. The drum is designed with a lot of nice touches (etched numbers, a snazzy logo) and it’s just satisfying to keep hearing that click when you decide to unload the entire thing. Cleanup is not as much fun, but when is it ever?
Run out and get one, seriously. You’ll feel better about yourself. 🙂
Back at New York Toy Fair, I Nerf Firevision gear, and it was pretty awesome. While not intended for play in ABSOLUTE darkness (yeah…. sure…. no one’ll try that…) being able to see the the various equipment (football, basketball, etc.) brightly illuminated up to 100′ is pretty neat.
Now while sports are the forte of this line, I had to wonder what kind of applications these lights and reflective surfaces had for other purposes. And if there’s something we love to do here at the House of Foam, it’s repurpose items for all kinds of stuff. (Not mod though, can’t do that. Hi Nerf!)
Quick rundown – (prices are approximate)
Hyperball set with either red or green frames – $9.99 Nerfoop set with either red or green frames – $14.99 Nerf football set with red or green frames – $19.99 Red or green frames sold separately – $5.99
And now, the video! We would use an objective-based game where zombies (we only had 3 red pairs of frames available, so the starting zombies got those) had to find the hyper ball after it was hidden by the humans. Game ended once the zombies got the “brain”. Humans just had to survive with the brain as long as they could.
Let’s go to the tape!
Personally, I’m a big fan about how vibrant the light is (the green illuminates a bit more visibly than the red) and it just shows up on camera so well. Definitely see what all the hoopla is about with Firevision, maybe you’ll find a game that works for it too 🙂
The Nerf brand’s been busy this year, releasing a whole bunch of things. The N-Strike line had a couple of repaint offerings, in the Gear Up and Whiteout series
along with additions to the transparent green Sonic Series (Barrel Break, Barricade, Longstrike, and Stampede)
Ultimately, if you know someone who HAS GOTTA catch’em all, then go nuts on the repaints. Performance-wise I didn’t notice much difference from the original releases so there’s nothing new feature-wise here. The real draw is following Nerf’s “it looks cool!” policy because I’ll admit, the neon green and whiteout paint jobs look pretty darn cool.
Main event: the new Nerf Vortex line as the centerpiece! Find prices and more on my previous post here: NERF VORTEX BREAKDOWN
“XLR” disc technology = increased ranges and a new clip system. The discs are made of a plastic disc with a foam rim. The discs fly pretty well, but they do carry in a high wind outside. Honestly, so do darts. How much of this is a problem for you is up to you.
Yes, this also means yet ANOTHER ammo type to start collecting in large quantities, but for what it’s worth the discs are not only soft, but they seem pretty durable. The guys at Adult Fans of Nerf did an informal “stomp test” at the release party, and the discs did not squish very badly at all. The clips with the Praxis and the tactical kit have a 10 round capacity, but the Nitron comes with a 20 shot clip (2 of them if you can find the special Wal-Mart only package.)
The increased ranges are pretty awesome considering previous Nerf offerings, albeit there have been reports of some user issues. Some key points to keep in mind are to not be a spaz when using the blasters. Make sure you perform a complete motion manipulating foregrips, triggers, slides, or other priming mechanisms when using the blasters. Moving too fast is what causes mechanisms to grind. It’s a new dimension to add to gameplay, and maybe worth your time this holiday season. Aesthetically and ergonomically speaking, I really enjoy using the Praxis. The stock is a little flimsy compared to the Raider’s, but the pump-action and general feel of the blaster is very comfy. The pump-action makes aiming a little more consistent than with bolt-action or pull-back blasters for me, so this works for my playing style. The only problem is what I have with N-Strike blasters, reloading the clips can slow down the action at a game when you run out. Little details like the thumb-release on the Proton and the Praxis are those indicators that Nerf did go the extra mile in designing the blaster’s exterior.
Questions? Comments? Let me know, otherwise see you next time for my overview of the N-Force line! Also find me on twitter: @vasthestampede!
“Rail Strike” (powered shot) – 8 shots, disables enemy in 4 hits, slower reload than other modes, slow RoF (Rate of Fire)
“Sonic Strike” (powered shots) – 6 shots – disables enemy in 3 hits – slower reload and RoF
Attachments:
Rapid Fire Striker – Significantly more shots than normal “Laser Strike” mode, and in full-auto so impossible to really count amount of shots – disables enemy in 8 hits, slow reload, HIGH RoF
Enemy Scanner –
Detects enemy strikers in the surrounding area, aesthetically functions like a sonar, beeping in the direction players on other teams can be found, also increases damage from built-in weapons
Thanks to the fine folks at Light Strike, they sent along the above items for me to take a look. All I can say is, “Impressive, most impressive.”
First up, your basic Striker. It’s a pistol, with four buttons on top and the power switch. Volume, shield, team select, and four weapon settings: Laser, stealth, pulse, and sonic. It’s missing the “Rail Strike” the Assault model has, but you don’t have to hit a reload button. Thematically, it’s as if the blaster “overheats” and needs to cool down. The Striker also has a flip-up sight which is a nice touch, a jack for headphones. It feels really good in-hand, the handles are a good size and fit both kids and adults (my 9 year old nephew had no trouble using it).
Next, there’s the Assault Striker, a rifle unit. In addition to to the same buttons the Striker has (but integrated into the body of the tagger, as opposed to the four buttons on top) It has the same weapon settings as the pistol, with the addition of the “Rail Strike” setting. There’s also an additional “fingerprint scanner” that players must use to activate the blaster before it can be fired and a semi-auto (three round burst) mode, and single shot mode. The bread and butter of the Assault model is it’s modular capability. You buy an attachment like the rapid fire system, refractor cannon, scope, or enemy scanner and it changes the functionality of the striker. So IN ADDITION to the settings it came with you now can expand your repertoire and play style depending on what attachments you’re using. Attachments, that ACTUALLY do something! And good range, reliability, and utility right out of the box.
The strikers themselves overall have a nice weight, easy trigger action and just holding the trigger sends out a constant stream of shots. And just because Wowwee makes “Paper Jamz” that doesn’t mean these strikers are paper. It’s a robust plastic! The strikers also come with an additional target that changes color based on your team selection, both for practice and if you want to add a layer of challenge to your traditional gametypes.
The strikers have their target on the front of the blaster. This positioning leaves it easy to take some liberties, through testing we found hiding the blaster behind your back makes it easy to hide the sensor. With the targeting vest this isn’t possible, as the sensors are out in the open, and maybe going prone is the only way to block the sensor after this. Also, with more than 2 players putting the blaster behind one’s back won’t work with proper tactics. One other thing is that when you play with just the blasters, a player can switch teams at any time. It would be easy to switch teams without the vest, either on accident or if you were trying to cheat. Also, respawning is done by just turning the striker on and off, so less scrupulous individuals might exploit this as well.
Now nevermind the strikers already get pretty much 50’ out of the box, but you’re also getting a multitude of different strikers in each unit, balanced out in power vs. rate of fire vs. reload time. Throw in the attachments, the vests, the added factors of the ITS (Intelligent Targeting System) and you’ve got the makings for some pretty intense games in an immersive experience not really shown by anything else out there yet. You heal, respawn, set timers, sentries, medic stations, and there are some serious pieces here for a grand game time puzzle. The trick is just getting through that initial investment of all the pieces being sold separately, plus batteries. Have no fear though, the attachments don’t require batteries. Just the strikers, ITS, vests, and targets. Each piece adds to the gameplay – vests make players able to heal each other, and the ITS has a number of different functions. If you’re willing to make the investment you really wouldn’t regret it, there is definitely some serious potential for you and your friends depending on what you devise. Light Strike provides the items, but the replayability and variety is definitely on the part of the play
A pretty serious oversight though has to be on the visibility of the lights on the strikers outdoors. IN bright light, it’s near impossible to read any of the light displays on the strikers. In the video below, you might be able to see what I’m talking to about. Bright sunlight just washes out the colors under the frosted plastic sections of the strikers.
Here’s how a little play went:
Pros:
No clean up
Big ranges out of the box – 50’+, under 100 w/Scope attachment
Different play styles – high RoF./quick reload vs. high-power
Easy to track hits
Easy to pick teams
Out of the box, ready to go.
Reloading at the press of a button
Expand game play w/ other purchases, ITS and chest, targets – initial expense can be a hit, but really adds to the gameplay
Customizable experience
Lights are fun and bright, exciting to watch and fun to hear
Accuracy seems pretty spot-on
Negative:
Expensive to get started, must remember you get multiple blasters with each toy.
Lights difficult to see in bright outdoor light
Easy to cheat
Respawning is too easy – easy to refill health and reset without anyone noticing
Easy to switch teams after a game has started
There is the chance this might add to gameplay as well (find the spy) but very easy to swap colors if players want to screw up a game type (this might happen on accident as well
Some weapons might be broken – the Scope outranges AND has a high RoF with the Stealth Shot. Might need regulation on the part of the players, or it might not be as bad with more players.
Foam From Above 
