Not particularly timely, but as some readers know Nerf sent me a Rayven CS-18 to have a look at. It comes with 18 Firefly tech streamlines, Firefly tech magazine, and the blaster, all for $29.99 at most stores.
First, it comes in a pretty sweet bright green paintjob. I haven’t checked it under a black light yet, but I imagine it would come out very well. Besides that, the magwell is situated behind the trigger in the “bullpup” configuration. As a former Counterstrike addict, the first pic is the first thing I wanted to do when I got it. Steyr-Aug 🙂
Which brings me to my next point, the blaster is super comfy to hold! Even one-handed, the “stock” rests well against my shoulder, and the triggers are easy to reach. Clearly, whether you want to use this as a rifle or a pistol, you’re in good condition either way. The magazine release is that little orange button right by the magwell, unlike previous N-strike blasters that had the mag release by the trigger or somewhere similar.
Range-wise, you’re still look anywhere between 20′-30′, depending on the quality of your darts loaded. I did notice that using orange streamlines tended to fire shorter than the Firefly tech white darts. The blaster wins hands-down though on comfort to hold, and ease to carry. If you find the 18 round straight magazine a little too clumsy for you, I suggest using the 18 round drum. If you insist on using the 35 drum, I wouldn’t suggest combining it with this blaster. Sure the amount of shots is great, but it really counteracts what I think is the main utility of the Rayven, which is portability. Better to save the big drums for the bigger blasters. I don’t even like using a 35 round drum on the Alpha Trooper.
Is it worth the price? I think it’s worth adding to any arsenal. It’s another flywheel blaster, but the Barricade proved that the concept works how Nerf does it, and even moreso that you have a faster reload with a magazine system. On top of that, the glow darts and Firefly tech are pretty gimmicky, but in a good way. I like to think of tracer rounds or laser bolts firing when I’ve tested the Firefly mag, and the darts are surprisingly brighter than I originally thought they would be for the blaster. Definitely worth a look, but just make sure on the quality of the ammo, as that especially counts for the Nerf N-Strike Rayven CS-18!
Just in time for the holidays, I’ve been taking a look at Nerf N-Strike: Elite. This is a sequel to Nerf N-Strike, released back in 2008. It comes bundled with the Nerf Switchshot EX-3 blaster for approx. $59.99.
Well, before we take a look at the game let’s look at the blaster. The first version was a yellow blaster, this time around the blaster is blue. It’s still a pistol, and if you have a nitefinder it is roughly the same size. The plunger/barrel assembly is still removable to make space for the wii-mote in the shell, and yes that means if you feel like combining the parts to make a blue-yellow blaster, that’s available too. There is also a new accessory, the Red Reveal, but that’s more for the game than the actual performance of the blaster. Unmodded, I’d say it maybe gets about 20′. I haven’t removed ARs or replaced the barrel on it yet, but it’s pretty decent all the same.
Alright, the game. The first N-Strike game was kind of an on-the-rails-shooter and more a series of gallery shooting/puzzle games. It was alright, but lacking. The blasters were selected for you. The levels didn’t really offer a lot of reason to go back, and unlocking stuff wasn’t particularly earth shattering. No matter what blaster you did, all you had to do was point. Disregarding the outlandish story (we don’t exactly expect Shakespeare in most rail shooters and House of the Dead I’m looking at you), the simplistic artwork, and the questionably-stereotypical ethnic characterizations of some of the characters, the havok-style physics of the puzzle levels, simple mechanics, and unlockable blasters (they were still unlockable!) made the game worth a go-through, even for me.
In the first game you assumed the role of Shane, a kid who beat an arcade game secretly designed to be an aptitude test for asskickery and earned a spot in the secret Nerf N-Strike force, a group of preadolescents who fight the good fight with a stash of top-secret Nerf blasters. He was recruited by B.O.B.(yes, 80s reference), a robot servant for the N-Strike program. Along the way, you competed against other kids: Raven, Komodo, Jackal, and Tango. Ultimately you took on B.O.B in a final showdown and stopped a Robot Uprising.
This new incarnation plays out a little differently. Gone is the static comic art, replaced with full 3D models of the characters. They’re cartoonish, but the mouths move and thankfully they give the characters a bit more personality. Each character specializes in a special class of blaster; Shane has the rounded selection between shotgun-type blasters and a Nerf Recon, Tango specializes in heavy type blasters, including the Nerf Raider CS-35 and a huge RPG, Komodo is all about high ROF which includes a maverick, and Raven is the sniper with long-range blasters like the Longshot CS-6.
Each character with four blasters, each blaster is customizable in a variety of ways. ROF, Damage, color, ammo type, and magazine type are among the choices, so unlike the first game there is a vast number of ways to affect your gaming experience on multiple playthroughs. You have to shoot energy canisters during the course of each level in order to pay for the modifications (yes, internet community I mean YOU) so be warned, it will take some time to afford everything. And multiple playthroughs.
The interface is on-the rails shooter, point and shoot according to the crosshairs on the screen. You select the character you want to play, and you can cycle through your blasters using the d-pad on the wiimote. The A button activates a scope (if your blaster has it) and you reload by shaking the blaster. Don’t let the presence of your comrades fool you though, the shooting is still all you. They won’t cover your butt, but the voiceovers add a nice bit of humor through a level. The voice acting is decent, and I definitely laughed my fair share at the intentional jokes in the voice track.
A new addition from the first game is the red reveal. It’s an attachment to the back of the blaster, and during certain parts of the game you flip up the little red screen to show against your tv. Certain colors come out against the red and you pick out the particular bits that show up, shooting them with your darts. The red reveal can also indicate weaknesses on the enemies you encounter, so kudos to EA for making it work and integrating it so well. I will admit, I tried a couple of times to see if I really needed the red reveal, and definitely did. Sometimes the shading is just too close to be sure. And if you don’t get the puzzles right, be ready for a fresh volley of missiles to come after you.
Not gonna lie, I wish aiming was more like “Duck Hunt” and didn’t require the crosshair to follow on the screen, but the blaster definitely doesn’t lag and is appropriately responsive. And don’t let the Nerf name fool you, there are three difficulty settings and on the highest one I am not afraid to admit I was yelling at the screen due to the difficult time I was having at certain points. Not because the blaster wasn’t reading my shots, there were just so many dang enemies on the screen!
So is it worth it? I’m a fan of nerf blasters and a fan of shooters, so that’s already a selling point for me there. As simple as this game is, it was still a lot of fun and between certain plot points the story’s got a good “wtf” moment I didn’t really see coming, mainly because I didn’t expect that from a kid’s game.
I had fun with it, and thankfully the game wasn’t a rehash of the first, as sequels end up. There’s a blasting range to test out other blasters, but no extensive puzzles like the last time. And if you get lonely bring along a friend or just use the 2nd player as an excuse to take on the robot horde with a blaster in each hand. And seriously, can you really go wrong with shooting hordes of robots? I don’t think so.
I don’t have a vidcap setup, but it looks like there’s already plenty of video out there on the gameplay. Here’s one from http://www.thesportsgamer.com
Give it a go, and when you’re done blasting stuff indoors don’t forget to reinsert the barrel assembly and play outside! Clearly, when choosing a way to play in and outdoors, it’s Nerf… or nothin’.
– Stampede
Special thanks to my extra eyes, ChicagoJo and Crystal Burke!
Longshot CS-6 Ammo: new streamline darts RoF: six shots/clip and bolt action = really fast.
One of the newest toys out right now is the Longshot CS-6. It is advertised as “the longest nerf blaster ever!” Part of the n-strike line, the Hasbro definitely seems to speak the truth with this blaster at roughly 3 ft. long.
For starters,the LS is composed of two weapons: rifle styled blaster and a front pistol that connects to the barrel, probably to keep with the theme dictated by the Titan/Unity Power system. the pistol is front-loaded, allowing one round before needing to reload. The rifle is an entirely different matter. it utilizes a clip system, not unlike the sawtooth and electric eel of years past. Six shots, and without the need for shells. The gun uses a bolt-action mechanism which loads the darts from the clip. pull back on the lever, fire, and pull again.
performance As can be expected from a clip-style weapon, the Rate of Fire is high. Depending on your phyisical abilities one should be able to empty a whole six shot clip in at least 3 seconds, and that is estimating on the slow side. Ranges depend on stock vs. modded. The highest recorded data on range is 97-100′, while stock the gun can get around 35 feet. Naturally, ranges can vary depending on the mods performed, dart ammo used, and outdoor conditions (if applicable.) Accuracy can be a little off as well, the new streamlined ammo tends to spiral widely upon firing.
BELLS & WHISTLES The blaster comes with 2 clips, at six rounds apiece. There’s a rail for an included scope to attach, as well as an extendable stock that doubles as a holder for the second clip. The front sidearm also attaches and removes from the main longshot weapon quite easily.
Streamlined ammo is not readily available at this time but it is possible to convert stock ammo for use in a Longshot by removing the collar.
Aesthetically, I do love how the LS feels and moves when shooting, running, etc. The rail on top has since had an additional accessory released for it, a take-off on the light a Nite-Finder has. Don’t get excited it is no laser sight or anything just your basic red flashlight. Just the quirkiness of having a sight on a Nerf weapon was enough to sell me on it. Even stock, the gun is a heck of a lot of fun and in the end isn’t that enough?
Man, it’s been a long time since the last entry. In the past few months though, a lot has happened. The Magstrike and Longshot came out, to both thunderous applause (kind of) and whispered cautions (if not outright assdickery.) So the run-down:
Magstrike: 10-shot, fully auto or (relatively) semi-auto depending on how the weight of your trigger finger.
Aesthetically, the thing looks pretty sweet albeit a little like a paintball gun. The bladder/stock adds to this effect. Basically a sleeker looking Powerclip (see http://www.nerfcenter.com for pics of the Powerclip) the thing rattles off a spray of ammo among the ranks of the Wildfire and RF-20. The ammo fires out of a 10-barreled clip that auto advances from the internals through the top of the gun. The system is meant to be used for dart tag games and variants, hence the inclusion of the goggles and vest along with 20 dart tag darts. Depending on your tastes you can choose Church or Sarge. I mean, red or blue. The clip can be loaded with either stock ammo with suction/whistler tips, but more on the effectiveness of that later. Sizewise, the gun has a bit of heft to it, for even a grown adult such as myself, and the stock fits rather comfortably against my bicep when using both hands. Honestly though, this gun is made for guns akimbo.
I said it. AKIMBO. JOHN-WOO CALL ME “TEQUILA” STYLE. If not for the 25-30 pumps needed to prime the weapon, not very feasible in a long-drawn out skirmish. However, one can do the job QUITE nicely. 10 shots, reloading is a snap by pulling out the spent clip from the top of the weapon and sliding the fresh one in with little effort. Despite the split-second break that an RF-20 or Wildfire does not experience in reload, the Magstrike is the victor in target reliability.
The Wildfire and the RF-20 used a circular, 20-barreled design which got the darts towards the target, but in 20 different locations so the darts had a wider spread but no consistency. With the magstrike firing from a single point (well, 2 since the dart holes are staggered in the clip)the darts at least follow a more similar trajectory where the variance is less than it would be on a wildfire or RF-20. In situations where inches mean the difference between making your shots and falling into retreat, I like the magstrike.
This gun is by no means perfect though. While a good mechanic, the gun itself seems prey to unreliable performance. The clip barrels may/may not hold the darts if the clip is held facedown. If the darts slip, this means that they will not have the air focusing behind them and instead it will travel around the darts, affecting range and power. I found this especially true of stock sonics, micros, and firefly refills. Even some taggers may be too thin for the barrels on the magstrike clip. I recently took my magstrike out onto the field of battle and ended up switching to my trusty Blastfire because my darts always fell short of the target. Literally, someone managed to avoid all my shots because the darts fell a foot short of where I expected them to end up. That’s partially user error too and fugly ammo, but all the same I didn’t have any taggers at the ready to try out instead. Another issue reported (but not witnessed by me) is misfiring. I don’t recall that happening but that necessitates study. At nerfhaven, someone noted the clip slides back into the body of the Mag, making it possible that empty barrels would fire instead of the loaded ones. A fix has been posted, involving layers of electrical tape. I need to test it range and accuracy wise against the wildfire, rf20, and with tagger ammo loaded in order to ensure the reliability of the initial action. Sadly, I do not own one of the Powerclips so testing the reincarnation against the predecessor is no possible. Right now I want to believe in the Magstrike and further testing/usage is necessary, but I can’t say I feel comfortable enough to call it an “arsenal standard.”
Alpha Strike – a label I took from Battletech. Some mechs had the ability to fire all their weapons (lasers, machine guns, missiles, etc.) at once. There are a group of foam blasters that do the same thing. At the press of a button, they will unleash all darts at once.
There are only three foam blasters that fit the bill: the Hornet, from the N-strike Unity Power System™ (Hasbro), the Blastfire, and the Big Salvo. The Hornet and the Blastfire have six and five shots respectively, while the Big Salvo has only four. Each one though has the option of unleashing all shots at once.
FIRING:Granted, the mechanism for firing are different as shown below:Hornet/Blastfire: A single “blast” button. The Blastfire’s is located on top of the gun; the Hornet has its located on the side. By pulling the trigger it is just a semi-automatic shot.
The Big Salvo: The mechanism is a little bit different. You have to pull the trigger quickly. If you pull VERY slowly, it releases the air in each barrel one at a time, in a semi-automatic fashion. It releases the air very quickly even if you do one shot at a time, which means you may only get two shots off if you pull slowly.
TACTICS:There are advantages to using these guns over fully automatic weapons like the Rf20 or the Wildfire. For one, the air leak isn’t as bad between times holding down the trigger, with the exception of the Big Salvo which leaks as you press the trigger. (I have never held a PC so I cannot include it.)
The Hornet requires 20-30 pumps but at a bigger range for a higher rate of fire (six shots which is the most in this group of weapons), while the Blastfire needs six for five shots and the Big Salvo 8-10. (This is without overpressure plugging.) The rate of fire is good too because there is no recocking mechanism and you don’t have to repump between shots. Just one shot after the other if you choose without the craziness of the larger weapons.
However, the ammo is different between all three. I choose to not do barrel replacements (lack of time and material) so the stock barrels remain on the Hornet and the Blastfire. Therefore I use stock ammo, normally Dart Tag darts. The Big Salvo barrels are a little larger so I can use Mega Stefans in them after removing the air restrictor. The arrows the Salvo comes with are worthless, IMO. The fins are not sturdy at all and are reminiscent of dollar store missile launchers. Mega Stefans crammed down the barrel are a better option. Big Salvo barrel do not hold stock ammo tightly at all.
The Blast button is a key option to have. It can be used to clear a room or a last ditch shot against someone who is really good at dodging. At close range, the option to Blast your target can be a key moment in any confrontation on the field.
However, all three guns are sizable. The Hornet is about the size of the Firefly and the Blastfire is just as wide, but not as long as the Hornet. None of the barrels are centered though either which can make aiming difficult. But still, no reloading as with a single-shot and faster than the reload time of a Maverick (one of the fastest multi-shot guns out there to reload right now, IMO).
I have not had the opportunity to go akimbo with these guns yet, but I do plan to in the future. More to add as I am able to do that.
Foam From Above 