Nerf has released some amazing information today, only a few days ahead of New York’s Toy Fair: the release of a new series of enhanced blasters! The N-Strike Elite blasters are a series that boast ranges more than twice that of their original N-Strike counterparts! From the short blurb, we know that this release will be similar to the releases of the previous two years; a few Elite blasters will come in August, and one big one will come on 9-9-12.
From the silhouette in the image at the page linked to above, it appears as though there will be at least 3 blasters initially, with a 4th (and most impressive) coming in September.
This Elite Series is definitely a big win for all of us in the Nerf Nation, because it proves that the amazing designers and engineers at Hasbro don’t want to disappoint the older segment of Nerf fans, like us here at the Adult Fans of Nerf (not that they’ve ever disappointed us). It also shows that they aren’t done pulling tricks from their hat, and they’re still able to surprise us!
Nerf keeps throwing us firsts. We like it, keeps the game fresh, keeps people talking. There has been lots of talk about the first blaster released from Nerf’s new Light it Up series; the Rayven. I’ve heard the comments, this design isn’t very popular right now. Let me assure you, this unique blaster is worth every penny.
The Rayven’s design is a major cause for concern throughout the community, the bullpup idea not sitting well in the stomachs of many a fan. The bullpup puts the clip and firing action behind the trigger saving on space and weight. I like the feel of the Rayven, it fits nice against my shoulder and the angled foregrip out in front makes the blaster very stable while aiming. This design doesn’t differ much from that of the original glow in the dark blaster; the Firefly, which can’t technically be called bullpup as the firing action was on top of the trigger, not behind. That being said, the Rayven is a lightweight, compact fly wheel powered blaster of awesomeness. It really is. Aside from the green paint job which I don’t really care for this thing has all the right things going for it. It uses only 4 AA batteries, making it as efficient to power as the Barricade and stole my favorite feature from the Nitron; a second trigger on the grip to activate the fly wheels only when needed, not only saving battery life but keeping stealth a factor in play.
My least favorite thing about the good old Firefly was the giant flash that went off when you fired, it was annoying and totally gave away your position which is not ideal when dealing with a night fire situation. Thanks to the Rayven’s new clip which charges darts individually as they move up the 18 round straight clip using 4 UV lights mounted at the top of the dart slide(where you load the darts into the clip) there is minimal risk of alerting your enemy to your presence. The clip itself uses 3 AA batteries making the Rayven a total battery load of 7 AA’s which isn’t that bad. The blaster is comfortable in both right and left hands and is not too difficult to dual wield if you so desire(it kinda makes you feel like a badass). (more…)
Finally Nerf has released information and pictures on the Light it Up Series Blasters! The Rayven CS-18 and the Lumitron use ‘Firefly Technology’ (glow-in-the-dark ammo) to Light Up your battles! Instead of a built-in flashbulb ‘light charger’ like the original Firefly Blaster, these blasters use special clips with tiny LEDs in them to charge the dart/disc just before firing. (more…)
Starting this month, the Barrel Break IX-2 and Longstrike CS-6 are available in the Toys R’ Us exclusive Sonic Green. Then, in December the Stampede ECS and Barricade RV-10 get the sonic treatment! Check after the break for more pictures of the new sonic series blasters.
Today, you can finally get your hands on the wonderfully innovative Vortex line of blasters. They are truly a herald as to what the creative minds at Hasbro can come up with, and a bright beacon for the future of the entire brand! So go to the nearest store that carries Nerf products and pick one up! Within the coming weeks we will have more detailed reviews of the entire line!
NerfNation prompted you to come up with questions during the Vortex Event to ask the guys in charge of Nerf Blasters, and here are your answers! Brought to you first by AFoN and the wonderful Nerf PR people!
Anticipation is building as the release date for the Vortex series grows ever closer. Ever since Nerf held their exclusive media event in New York but a short couple weeks ago, we have been buzzing over our experience with this innovative disc blaster series. Now that we’ve seen what these blasters can do, it’s time to spread the word to one and all with a preview review of the remaining 3 blasters of the Vortex series. Check out our full review of the Vortex Vigilon by following this link.
The Vortex series oozes SciFi goodness from every inch of their highly detailed forms. With their out of this world designs, toxic neon color scheme and a dramatic naming convention adding to the alien allure, the Vortex series stakes its claim as an entity far removed from the very familiar N-Strike series. Add the introduction of new mini frizbee inspired ammo in the XLR Disc, and it is clear that Nerf can do pretty much anything with some plastic and a bit of foam. (more…)
This week at La.venue in New York, Nerf held a media only event to preview the Vortex series of blasters to launch on 09/10/’11 and we at AFoN were privileged enough to get an invite. Last year at the event kicking off the Stampede we were blown away with the attention Nerf gave to showcasing the blaster, as well as celebrating 5o years of Nerf fun. This year, the event took on an energy as unique as the Vortex line itself. Impressive displays showcasing the all stars of the N-Strike series as well as the N-Force, Dart Tag and Super Soaker lines adorned the entry to the event as well as a big screen playing Nerf commercials.(more…)
Mr. S and I were fortunate enough to be invited to New York again this year, and the party was a great! That was a hell of a time! Mr. S will have a full wrap-up later, but I just wanted to let everyone know what’s coming.
Let me say, that we were both blown away by the amazing Vortex line of blasters! Not only do they have great ranges, but they are accurate and have revolutionary launch systems that can’t even compare to the N-Strike Line (save for the Nitron, which uses flywheels, but even that has elements that make it amazing).
Check back later this weekend for a preliminary review of the Vortex Blasters, and details of the wonderful event!
The Vortex series is set to launch on 9/10/11, and we at AFoN have a special invitation to attend the pre-release media event in New York. In preparation for the event, our friends at Nerf have gifted us a little sneak peak with the Vigilon, the first blaster in the series.
The Vortex series is unique in many ways; not only do they use a completely new ammo in the Vortex disc, they utilize an innovative new firing mechanism. I was expecting the discs to feel like a cut down ballistic ball, man was I wrong. The discs are composed of foam wrapped around a squishy rubber or plastic center making for a sturdy, bouncy thing that really looks like a mini frisbee. (more…)
