2010 Nerf Guns

In total, 6 Nerf guns will be getting some major appearance upgrades. 5 of which will be clear, and one will be released with an all new look (no pictures yet). The mystery doesn't stop there, as Hasbro is releasing these 5 clear Nerf guns as a countdown to what they claim to be the greatest blaster they've released to date. So while this one blaster remains a mystery until September 9th 2010, we do have a scoop on the rest...

Out Early 2010

Nerf N-Strike Longstrike CS-6 - Longer than the Longshot, this blaster sets a new record by being the longest ever. But, does this new Nerf sniper rifle beat the Longshot entirely? For answers, check out our comparison of the Longshot vs Longstrike.

Nerf N-Strike Deploy CS-6 - Part blaster part flashlight, this thing transforms from each mode with a push of a button., making it the tactical Nerf gun of the year.

Out Later 2010

To "Clear the Way" for the mystery blaster, 5 of Hasbro's most popular Nerf guns will be released as clear versions up until September 9th 2010. Which will be available transparent?

• Deploy
• Raider
• Recon
• Maverick
• Nite Finder

For pictures and a video, check out the post we dedicated to these special edition clear Nerf guns.

The Hyperfire is also set to be re-released in a single player pack, complete with a new look. No pictures yet, but we'll update you as they come out.

Last but not least is the mystery blaster, of which we will have to wait patiently until pictures and vids leak on the net

All in all, 3 completely new Nerf guns will be released in 2010 (Longstrike, Deploy & mystery blaster), and 6 will be released as special editions!

We can only imagine what the mystery blaster will be...

Looks

Hands down, the Longstrike wins this battle. Whether you are walking down the toy isle, or getting ready for a Nerf battle, if you catch a glimpse of one of these on a shelf or in a friends hands, this blaster will demand your attention. Its sleek design and sheer length are more than enough to turn heads.

Performance

Out of the box the two perform just about the same. But take a look whats inside the two and you'll see a vast difference in potential.

Now, this probably isn't important to those that do not mod Nerf guns, but if you are a modder, you'll see that the Longstrike has internals just like the Recon, which happens to limit the potential of range it can get when modified. The Longshot on the other hand has a direct plunger design, which has been known to achieve nearly 100ft in distance when modified.

Price

Now, because the Longstrike is new for 2010, it comes with a "new" price tag. The Longshot is cheaper, but in a couple months, or come next year, they should be about the same price.

Conclusion

If all you care about is looks, then hands down the Longstrike wins. However, if you are into modding, then the Longshot is definitely the way to go.

They both have their advantages, so again, all it boils down to is preference.

For the sake of the article though, one of them needs to be declared a winner, so given the above characteristics I believe the Longshot wins because it is cheaper and has more potential for range.

You however, may think otherwise.

New from Nerf as of spring 2010, the Nerf Longstrike is a sniper rifle that out-looks, and out-lengths the popular Longshot CS-6.

Yes, that's right, longer than the Nerf Longshot, and longer than any Nerf gun ever made!

The Longstrike CS-6 came straight out of the popular Nerf N-Strike Wii video game. Rocking at nearly 4 feet in length, and with futuristic styling, it even LOOKS like it belongs in a video game.

This blue sniper rifle comes with the standard 6 round clip that comes with most N-Strike Nerf guns, but can be interchanged with the drum clip that comes with the Raider for those times where extra ammo is needed.

Similar to the Longshot, the Longstrike has a detachable barrel, which can be removed if you wish to have a smaller profile. What's cooler yet, is you can also swap out the scope and barrel attachment that comes with the Longshot onto the Longstrike.

Types of Paints

Not just any can of spray paint will do, in fact, it takes a special type to get this paint job done. So far, as far as paint goes, two types have been widely recommended by experienced modders. The most recommended spray paints are:

• Krylon Fusion - For Plastics
• Vinyl Dye - For Vinyl and Fabrics

Both of which will bond to the plastic, ensuring a longer life to your sweet paint job.

What You Will Need

• Black spray paint
• Additional colors of your choice
• Sandpaper
• Screw driver
• Masking tape

The Steps

If this is your first time, you should stick to just painting the shells. I highly advise that you do not paint the internals of any of your Nerf guns until you get some experience. You could easily gunk up the inner workings, right away or later on down the road when the paint starts wearing off. Until you get some experience painting Nerf guns, I'd recommend you stick to just painting the shell.

With that said, here are the steps:

• Get your halves - Using a screw driver, disassemble your blaster to remove the pieces of the shell you wish to paint.
• Start sanding - Sanding is an important step that should not be overlooked. It will give you a longer lasting paint job by providing more surface area for the paint to bond to. You want the shell to feel rough, so sand it till it feels that way (it doesn't take long).
• Wash the pieces - After a good sanding, wash the shell pieces. You want the paint to bond directly to the plastic, not the dust from sanding, or any other impurities.
• Prime it - This is done by spray painting the shells with a thin coat of your black spray paint. Painting it black will allow your 2nd coat to stick out, much more than it would if you ONLY spray painted the shells with your color of choice.
• Wait a bit - Let your base coat dry. This often takes 20 minutes or so.
• Tape it up - If you want your Nerf gun to have black accented parts, then cover them with masking tape to keep your 2nd coat from covering them. If you just want one solid color, then forget this step.
• Add some color - Using your color of choice, spray a thin coat over the part of the shell that hasn't been taped.

Once the paint has dried, you can either use some model paint to touch it up for some extra accents, or put everything back together.

The last step of course is admiring your work

See The Steps in Action

This isn't my video, but it covers the basic parts of painting a Nerf gun, and should give you a visual reference of everything that was covered above.

Painted any Nerf guns recently? If so, does your masterpiece beat these painted nerf guns?.

Few Nerf guns can live up to the capabilities of the Nerf Deploy - if any for that matter. This fact makes the Deploy a unique blaster, one that with a flip of the switch can become a handy tool.

As its name suggests, the Deploy CS-6 can hold 6 darts with the standard clip. However, like all N-Strike Nerf guns it is compatible with the 35 round clip that comes with the Raider.

Back to what makes it special.

There are two modes for this blaster (Watching the video below will make things clear if you don't understand the description). The first mode is a flashlight, the second is a Nerf blaster.

How does it transform? By pushing the button on the carrying handle, the clip will flip to the side and the grip will engage. Very cool.

It is definitely one of the more easily carried blasters out there.

Retailing at $19.99 in most places - it's also one of the more affordable.

Image taken on 2009-12-26 19:18:25 by Jason_Percival.

When it comes to Dart tag, speed and capacity is important. The more darts your blaster can carry, the better, because when it's just you and 4 opponents you have to be able to defend yourself.

You can't always count on your team, because sooner or later, your team is going to let you down, and when that time comes, you'll wish you had the Hyperfire.

With a 10 round capacity, and a rate of fire that's made to intimidate, the Nerf Hyperfire is a worthy Nerf gun to have in a battle.

You can find this blaster in a 2 player set for $49.95, which is a small price to pay for the dual Hyperfire blasters you'll have for when that time comes.

1. Flying Through The Air - there's nothing cooler than diving through the air AND hitting someone with your own dart.
2. Surprise Ambush - The more elaborate, the better.
3. I'm on Your Team - The Art of War once said that the ultimate warrior wins a battle without fighting... we say the ultimate warrior wins a battle by convincing the opposing team he/she is on their team, and then shooting them in the back.
4. Leapfrog - Kinda like leapfrog, except the jumper has a Nerf gun.  Works great whenever the enemy is laying down behind cover, and the only way to get them is to, well... jump over their cover and blast 'em at the same time.
5. Headshot - The ultimate kill.  It just never gets old.

What are your 5 favorite ways?

“The use of simulated weapons on campus violates regent policy,” said Molly Bosley, a spokeswoman for the CU Police Department. "Given the climate of what has happened in this country lately, we are taking precautions by banning the use of these simulated weapons on campus.”

In light of the popular Nerf game Humans vs Zombies, many college campuses have been faced with disgruntled faculty and campus police, complaining that Nerf guns on campus are disrupting classes and creating hazardous conditions.  More specifically, a campus faculty can be quoted saying:

“The university doesn't want to come across as a giant institutional killjoy,” said Hilliard. “But if a student has a Nerf gun in their pocket pants or coat, and only the handle is showing, a cop or a passerby wouldn't know what it is.”

Read more: http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_13911286#ixzz0h88cvrxX
Coloradodaily.com

While this definitely could be seen as an issue, as campus shootings like the massacre at virgina tech have created quite the scare these days, does it still make a ban on something as harmless as Nerf guns right?

It is apparent that some level of security measures be taken on campuses, but one must ask, how far is too far?

Having been the official Nerf gun of the 2009 Nerf Dart Tag World Championships, you can be sure the Furyfire is a serious Nerf gun built for competitive play. It also quite possibly is one of Nerf's toughest guns yet.

The Furyfire is pump action, and can hold up to 10 darts - more than the Recon, Maverick, and Longshot to name a few.

Coming in two different colors, and with a site at the end of the barrel, you should have no problem distinguishing the opponent and siting them in.

A lot of Nerfers also admit it gets great range too, out-shooting the Maverick and Nite Finder, and attaining 25-30 feet in range.

To reload it you simply pull the trigger to auto-advance the chamber and individually load each dart as the chamber rotates.

You can find the Furyfire at most major retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Toys-R-us, as well as online in 2-player packs for just $39.99.

This definitely is a must have Nerf gun if you plan on competing in the 2010 Nerf Dart Tag Championships, as it may be the main blaster for the event yet again. Training with one will give you a leg up on the competition, getting you closer to the $25,000 grand prize

Dew Tour Event Dates

• June 25-27
• July 23-25
• August 12-15
• September 16-19
• October 14-17

While the dates have been set for each stop, the locations are still pending.  In 2009 Dew Tour made stops in Chicago, Boston, Portland, and Salt Lake City, so it is most likely they will pick new locations for 2010.

For those of you unaware, the NDTL (NERF Dart Tag League) holds regional tournaments in each stop of the Dew Action Sports Tour. There are two age divisions you can sign up for: 8 - 12 and 13 - 17. Each division will compete against teams within its division, so you will never compete against teams with players more than 4 years older than you.

Those fortunate to live in or near the cities visited in 2009 were given a shot to compete in a regional qualifying tournament.  The teams that placed went on to compete in the 2009 World Dart Tag Championship, which kicked off in Orlando on October 17th, 2009.

Video Recap of the 2009 Dart Tag Championship

What was the grand prize for 1st place you may ask? $25,000 BONES. That's a lot of green, even after splitting it amongst the team.

Details You Should Know

• Team Size - Teams of 4
• Age Divisions - 8 to 12, and 13 to 17
• How to Register- Visit http://reg.hasbro.com/Nerf/DartTagLeague/ to register for the newsletter.  Once registered you'll be given access to the members only site and emailed updates on the NDTL.  You should also fill out this team registration form and FAX it to the address provided.
• Where Regionals Will Be - Locations are undecided currently.
• Game Format - Timed capture the flag elimination.
• Tournament Format - Round robin. Every team plays every team. The 2 teams with the most points in the end advance to the finals. The winning team from the finals gets to go compete for the $25,000 prize in the championship tournament.
• Nerf Gun Used - Last year it was the Furyfire blaster.   Still no word on what will be used this year.

2010 is yet again set to be an exciting year for the newly established Dart Tag Championships.  It represents a 2nd chance for Nerfers like you to test your skills in an exciting fast paced game format with a $25,000 grand prize.

Will you be ready for the 2nd NDTL Championships?

This is great news, because not only will your Transparent Maverick have company, but you'll also get to use those leftover LED's you have laying around after you did the light-up mod to your Clear Maverick.

What's that? You never did the mod?! Well then... now you pretty much have to, don't you?

What Nerf Guns Will Be "Clear-ly" Available?

• N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35
• N-Strike Recon CS-6
• N-Strike Deploy CS-6
• N-Strike Nite Finder EX-3

Also re-joining this mass clear release of Nerf guns is the N-Strike Maverick REV-6.

Get a Peek

For a limited time you can get these special edition N-Strike Blasters at your major retailers come sometime before September 9th, 2010, which for those of you that recognize, is the same time the Raider came out in 2009. 

What's the Special Occasion?

One must ask though, what's the special occasion?  Looking further into the release, we found that NERF is releasing these special edition blasters to "Clear The Way" for a brand new blaster in the N-Strike line.

As said by Hasbro:

“This year, NERF fans will experience great product advancements across all of the NERF segments and we’re especially excited about the introduction of the collectible Clear Series Special Edition Blasters,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, director of global marketing, Hasbro. “This new, unique series of blasters is the perfect way to honor some of our most popular N-STRIKE products and to clear the way for the newest blaster landing on 9.9.10!”

NERF has really outdone themselves this time, as they also stated this blaster will be the most impressive yet, topping the Vulcan EBF-25 and Raider CS-35.

No word on whether it will be a blaster from the hit Wii Nerf game.  We can only hope...

History of HvZ

The first game of Humans vs Zombies dates back to 2005. It took place at a Goucher College, where it was invented by Brad Sappington and Chris Weed. At Goucher College the game had become a quick success, as students quickly spread news of the game over the internet and word of mouth. You could say it spread like a plague.

Now jumping 5 years after its advent to the present, Humans vs Zombies has infected over 200 campuses, including other establishments such as military bases, high schools, and summer camps. It even has been mentioned on the popular show "The Colbert Report."

Humans vs Zombies Rules

Humans vs Zombies is a game played much like tag. There are two teams, the zombies and humans. The zombie team starts with one lone zombie, who's only goal is to infect (tag) as many humans as possible, and must tag a human every 48 hours or die of starvation.  All zombies wear bandannas or some kind of marking to distinguish themselves as a zombie.

To defend themselves, Humans are equipped with Nerf guns or balled up socks.  Zombies are only eliminated from the game by starving.  Instead, when they are hit by a Nerf dart, or hit with a balled up sock, the are stunned for 15 minutes. Whenever a Human is tagged by a zombie they become a zombie.  For Humans to win, all zombies must starve to death.

Setting Up a Game

The creators of Humans vs Zombies have created a guide to starting a game in your area. This guide covers:

• Planning your game - Making a calendar, setting up missions and managing game length
• Writing a plot - Optional, but adds to the fun
• Hosting your game online - Options for running your game
• Advertising - How to market your game and register players

If you plan on hosting this game on a college campus, necessary actions need to be taken to ensure the game is a success.  Sure, you could always throw up a game of HvZ in a day, but be ready for resistance from campus staff, especially when they see fools running around with Nerf guns outside their classroom.  Needless to say, you should exercise certain precautions before battles break out in the library and Nerf guns get banned by your campus.

Before any game is started though, you should at least discuss a couple of things:

• Set Safe Zones - Do you want to get infected while on the crapper?  How about while doing a layup in a varsity basketball game?
• Boundaries - If a Human makes a break for Mexico, would that be fair?
• Modified Nerf Guns - How powerful is too powerful for a Nerf gun?  People will modify their Nerf guns for this game, you better believe it!
• What Will Distinguish Zombies - How will humans be able to tell who is a zombie, and visa versa?  Will everyone where certain colored headbands, armbands, or custom shirts?
• How You Will Keep Track - It is important you find a way to keep track of how many zombies and humans are left in the game.

These are the minimal boundaries you should set to ensure a fun and most importantly, fair game.

Humans vs Zombies Documentary Video

Here's a documentary charting a game of Humans vs Zombies at Ball State University.  As you'll see it is without doubt a fun game to play, one that gets more enjoyable and epic as more participate.

If a game has yet to take place in your area, get one started!  All it takes is a hopeful leader to get an event going, and a bunch of zombie movie buffs to further spread the world.

Now go spread the infection

But before I reveal which I believe is the greatest out there, let me define what factors I use to rate and qualify a toy dart gun as the best:

• Number and Ease of Mods - A worthy contender should have a plethora of great modifications, of which should also be fairly easy to implement.
• Versatility - It can easily be used in a number of scenarios. From close to longer range campus hall battles in a game of Humans VS Zombies, it should do it all.
• Speed - These toys aren't exactly the most accurate, and one way a great nerf gun will compensate this for is by offering faster rates of fire through ease of cocking. The easier it is to cock and shoot, the more chances you have to hit what your aiming for. Hey, sometimes its all about numbers.
• Ammo Capacity - Since accuracy can be an issue, having more ammo is a great counter. The last thing you want to do is lose a battle while scrambling for more ammo... its not pretty. With that said, a great nerf toy will carry a good amount of ammo on the unit itself or use a clip that you can carry extras of.

Because accuracy and distance can be added to Nerf guns through a couple modifications, I did not include them in the above list.

So What is the Best Nerf Gun Out There?

In consideration of the above list, the best one I have come across is the N-Strike Recon CS6. I've shot the Vulcan, Firefly, Longshot, and a couple of others from Buzz Bee, but the Recon stands out above the crowd.

Some say the Maverick is a good choice, and while I like it, I still feel it falls short of the "best" classification.

Why? The Maverick doesn't offer a sleek and quick clip loading feature. It also doesn't carry as much ammo.

The Longshot can also be argued as a worthy contender because it in fact uses a clip, but needless to say... its more weight than its worth. The sheer size of it can be considered a big downfall.

Last but not least, the new N Strike Raider, which boasts of a 35 round drum magazine seems to be promising... but yet... because of its "slam fire" operation, it isn't all that accurate. It is fast, but not accurate.

All of these fall short of the The N-Strike Recon CS6, which is compact, lightweight, can carry 2 six round clips (a max of 13 rounds if you use the extra stowaway dart storage in the grip), fast and easy to fire, and is extremely versatile.

The stock, barrel, flip-up site and scope can all be easily removed and reattached. Take off the barrel and leave the stock on and you have the perfect weapon for tactical situations where steady shots are needed.

Remove the stock and other accessories and you have a pistol that can be stowed away in a back pack for protection in a campus wide (or city wide) game of Humans vs Zombies.

At an affordable price of $19.95 it is a great buy considering what comes with it. Other nerf guns like the N Strike Raider cost around $40, but as I said above, it still just doesn't offer the level of versatility as the Recon.

Also, for $40 bucks you could buy 2 Recons, or one with a crap ton of clips!

Priced at $150, this top quality Longshot may be outside of a normal nerfers price range, but those of the underground nerf culture will more than likely scoop this one up.

You can learn more about this labor of love on its eBay auction page (update: auction has ended, link is dead) where it is for sale.

See more of his work.

The Nerf Rapid Fire 20 is undoubtedly one of the best Nerf guns that Hasbro has made.  The AS-20 is powered by pumping air into the gun.  This air allows for rapid firing action.  When set to auto fire the AS-20 gives the user the feel of a automatic weapon.  Firing at about eight rounds per second, this gun will thrill the oldest of Nerf fans.

If being stealthy is what is called for, the slower speed gives the shooter accuracy, wherever they may aim.  The Nerf Rapid Fire AS-20 holds up to 20 rounds in the chamber at one time.  When released, the sound of the air coming from the chamber, only adds to the excitement of firing this automatic weapon.

This Nerf gun is quick and accurate enough for adults yet small enough to be fired by children as young as six.  No matter what the battle may call for, the Nerf Rapid Fire AS-20 is the Nerf gun that will be ready to please.

The Nerf N-Strike Attack Unit is a great addition to any Nerf arsenal!  This system comes fully loaded with 6 N-Strike Blasters in two different colors, and 12 sonic micro darts that can shoot up to 35 feet.  The two color combination make them great for team play!

The Blasters offer quick priming and reloading.  They are easy to handle and transport.  These features make the N-Strike Blasters the perfect weapon to use at the end of a battle when other ammo may be gone.  They have the N-Strike Tactical Rail system for scopes or lights.  They can also be attached to other Nerf weapons or clipped on a belt (clip sold separately).

Nerf lovers everywhere agree, the N-Strike Blasters are powerful Nerf guns packed into a compact size and provide hours of fun!

The price varies from store to store, but can be found at most major toy retailers for approximately $30.