Zombie Strike is Hasbro’s zombie themed blaster line, launched in 2013 with the Hammershot and the Sledgefire and grown into 25 blasters. The styling is the point: chipped paint, faux bandage grips, survivor gear that looks like it has already been through something. We have covered the line here since the first Hammershot landed, so this is every model, what each one actually does, and which belongs in your bag.
What is on this page
- Quick answers
- Is Zombie Strike still made?
- Every Zombie Strike blaster at a glance
- The Zombie Strike pistols
- The shotgun, the Sledgefire
- The crossbow, the Crossfire Bow
- The lever action, the Slingfire
- The disc blasters
- Is there a sniper rifle?
- The 6 Zombie Strike sub-series
- The Zombie Strike melee weapons
- Zombie Strike darts and the 7 ammo types
- Zombie Strike and Humans vs Zombies
- Painting and modding
- Where retired Zombie Strike blasters turn up
- Where to get Zombie Strike gear
- Model by model, how each one loads
- Frequently asked questions
- Every Zombie Strike post on this site

Quick answers
- Launched: 2013. The Hammershot and the Sledgefire were the first two out.
- Ammo: Elite darts or Zombie Strike darts. The Magnus is the odd one out, it runs Mega darts. Two models fire discs.
- Age rating: our reviews of the Longshot CS-12 and the Crossfire Bow both list 8 and up. The rest of our reviews do not state one.
- Sub-line: Z.E.D. Squad, which stands for Zombie Epidemic Defense, a set of repainted classics released in 2014.
Is Zombie Strike still made?
No. Zombie Strike ran from 2013 to 2020 and Hasbro has retired it. Every blaster on this page is the used and clearance market now, which is worth knowing before you set your heart on a specific model.
The good news is that the ammunition never went anywhere. Zombie Strike blasters take standard Elite darts, so feeding one in 2026 is no harder than feeding a current-shelf blaster. That is the single biggest reason a secondhand Zombie Strike blaster is still a sensible buy.
There is also a successor. Hasbro brought the zombie theme back as a line simply called Zombie, starting with the Zombie Driller in 2023, and it has kept going since. It is not a Zombie Strike relaunch and the styling is its own thing, but if you want a zombie themed blaster on a shelf rather than on the used market, that is where to look.
Where the Zombie Strike styling came from
The look was deliberate, and it is why the line still has a following. Every shell is dressed as an improvised survival tool: a sawblade, a crowbar, a length of 2×4 with nails through it. A Zombie Strike blaster reads as scavenged rather than military, and that is the cleanest visual break from N-Strike that Hasbro has ever shipped.
Two details collectors ask about. The line was called Zombie Hunter in pre-production, and a SledgeFire prototype was photographed wearing that name and a different logo. The logo then changed twice in production: one version ran from 2013 to 2016, a second from 2016 to 2020, and a horizontal variant turned up in 2016. If you are dating a boxed blaster, the logo is the fastest tell you have.
Hasbro also ran a cartoon. Zombie Strike Stories was a YouTube mini-series, 14 episodes between 2014 and 2016, each one built around a specific blaster or soaker. There was a Target Set in 2014 too, around $10 at the time for a Jolt, a clip on sight, 3 targets and 3 darts.
One last note for anyone searching. Hasbro’s own alias list carries 2 alternate stylings you will meet in listings and on boxes, Zombiestrike as one word and Z-Strike. They are the same line.
Every Zombie Strike blaster at a glance
All 25 Zombie Strike blasters, oldest first, plus the 3 Z.E.D. Squad re-releases this site has reviewed. Where we have reviewed a blaster, the stated range comes from that review, which in most cases is Hasbro’s advertised figure off the packaging. Advertised range is measured at an angle rather than flat, so treat it as a ceiling and not as what you will see across a yard.
The rows marked “no review yet” are the blasters we have not had on the bench. Their capacity and mechanism come from the product listings, and their range column says “not stated” rather than carrying a number we cannot stand behind.
| Blaster | Type | Ammo | Capacity | Range as stated | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammershot | Hammer action revolver | Darts | 5 | About 60 ft in an unofficial test video, not a Hasbro figure | Read it |
| Sledgefire | Break action shell shotgun | Darts in 3-dart shells | 9 darts packaged, 3 per shell | About 50 ft | Read it |
| Crossfire Bow | Crossbow | Darts | 4 | 75 ft | Read it |
| Doublestrike | Hammer cocked derringer pistol | Darts | 2 | Not stated in our review | Read it |
| Fusefire | Disc blaster | Glow in the dark discs | 5 | Not stated in our review | Read it |
| Jolt | Single fire pocket pistol | Darts | 1 chambered, 1 stored | Not stated in our review | Read it |
| Ricochet | Disc blaster | Zombie Strike discs | 2, fired together | 27 to 35 ft from shoulder height | Read it |
| Ripshot | Slide-action, Single-fire, slam fire | Discs | 1 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Rough Cut 2×4 | Pump-action, Single-fire Multi-fire slam fire | Darts | 8 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Sidestrike | Pistol, ships with a holster | Darts | 4 | Not stated in our review | Read it |
| Slingfire | Lever action rifle | Darts | 6-round magazine, an 18-round is available | 75 ft claimed | Read it |
| Flipfury | Twin flip barrel revolver | Darts | 12, two 6-dart canisters | Up to 20 metres | Read it |
| Doominator | Bolt-action, Pump-action, Single-fire, slam fire | Darts | 24 | Not stated | No review yet |
| SilentStrike | Single-fire | Darts | 1 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Brainsaw | Pump-action, Single-fire, slam fire | Darts | 8 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Crosscut | Direct-prime-action, Single-fire | Darts | 2 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Clampdown | Direct-prime-action, Single-fire | Darts | 1 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Dreadbolt | Lever-action, Single-fire | Arrows | 1 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Outbreaker Bow | Direct-prime-action, Single-fire | Darts | 5 | Not stated | No review yet |
| RevReaper | Pump-action, Single-fire | Darts | 10 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Ripchain | Pump-action, Single-fire, slam fire | Darts | 25 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Wrathbolt | Bow-action, Single-fire | Arrows | 1 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Quadrot | Direct-prime-action, Single-fire | Darts | 4 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Alternator | Direct-prime-action, Single-fire, Multi-fire | Darts | 6 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Ghoulgrinder | Bolt-action, Single-fire | Darts | 10 | Not stated | No review yet |
| Clear Shot (Z.E.D. Squad) | Scoped single fire | Darts | 1 chambered, 4 on-board holders | Up to 70 ft | Read it |
| Magnus (Z.E.D. Squad) | Mega dart pistol | Mega darts | 3 internal | 85 ft on the box, owners report closer to 60 ft | Read it |
| Longshot CS-12 (Z.E.D. Squad) | Scoped clip fed rifle | Zombie Strike darts | 12-round clip | Up to 55 ft | Read it |
The Zombie Strike pistols

This is the biggest question people bring to this page after the line name itself, so let us do it properly. There are five small blasters in the line and they are not interchangeable.
Hammershot
Five darts in a revolving chamber, primed by thumbing the hammer back for every shot. It has a tactical rail and two sling adapters, and the grip carries a faux bandage wrap that set the look for the whole line. It is a front loading revolver in the same family as the N-Strike Elite Strongarm, and like the Strongarm it will slam fire if you hold the trigger and work the hammer. If you buy one Zombie Strike blaster, this is the one that still gets carried.
Doublestrike
Two darts, stacked one under the other, cocked with a hammer. It is a sidearm and nothing more, but the oversized western frame makes it one of the best paint canvases in the line. Close quarters, two shots, then you are running.

Sidestrike
A four shot pistol with an exaggerated front barrel and dart holders on the top and bottom of the frame. It ships with a holster, which is the real reason to own one, and the holster carries spare darts too. More punch than the two shot options, no other tricks.
Jolt
The smallest blaster in the line. Single fire, and you can keep a second dart vacuum loaded in the front. It weighs less than a quarter pound. This is the one that lives in a pocket for the moment somebody thinks you are out of the fight.

Flipfury
Twelve darts across two revolving six dart canisters, and a second trigger that flips from the empty canister to the full one. Three sling points, a stabilizing bar under the frame, and 20 metres of stated range. It is a pistol by shape and a primary by capacity.
The shotgun, the Sledgefire

The Sledgefire is a break action, sawed off shotgun style blaster. It fires three darts at once out of a shell, ships with three shells and nine darts, and the shells store in the stock. You break the barrel, drop the shell in, close it until it clicks, and fire.
The honest limitation is reload speed. Three darts go out fast and then you are reloading a shell by hand, which is slow when you are moving. That is what keeps it a mid tier pick rather than a primary. It is also the closest thing Nerf built to the Double Barrel Break IX-2 in that era.
Full write up: the Sledgefire review. If you are shopping shotgun style blasters across all lines, our roundup of the best Nerf shotguns covers the rest.
The crossbow, the Crossfire Bow

Four darts, real bow arms, and 75 feet of stated range, which puts it at the top of the line for reach. It is one of only two crossbow style blasters Nerf built in that period, the other being the Rebelle Guardian Crossbow, and the Zombie Strike version takes a wider variety of darts where the Guardian is fussier.
The trigger pull and the bow action are what sell it. It is also a strong cosplay build for the same reason.
Full write up: the Crossfire Bow review. More crossbow style options.
The lever action, the Slingfire

Nerf’s first lever action rifle. Six round magazine standard, an 18 round magazine is available, and every throw of the lever cycles a fresh dart so you can cock and fire on the move. There is a jam door at the chamber, a tactical rail above the barrel that takes N-Strike scopes and attachments, and several bandolier points. Hasbro claims 75 feet.
The lever is the whole appeal. Nothing else in the line feels like that.
Full write up: the Slingfire review.
The disc blasters, Ricochet and Fusefire

Zombie Strike shipped two disc blasters, which surprises people who assume the line was darts only.
Ricochet front loads two discs and fires both at once with a slide action. Our review puts it at 27 to 35 feet fired from shoulder height, which is short, so treat it as a close range sidearm. Fans of the Vortex Proton will recognise the feel.
Fusefire holds five glow in the dark discs in a compartment built into the front of the blaster, with a quick load slot. One hand each, and yes, people run two. The glow is the point, the discs mark where your shots went in low light.
Is there a Zombie Strike sniper rifle?

Not a sniper rifle in the strict sense, no. The two scoped blasters in the line are the Longshot CS-12 and the Clear Shot, and both are Z.E.D. Squad releases.
The Longshot CS-12 is the longer of the two. It carries a long range targeting scope, a 12 dart quick reload clip, and a stated range of up to 55 feet. It was released on August 3rd, 2014 as the successor to the older Longstrike CS-6, and our review lists it at 8 and up.
The Clear Shot is a spring powered single fire blaster with a scope that has a printed reticle in it, four on-board dart holders, and up to 70 feet of stated range. It launched as a Target exclusive with four darts and the scope in the box. The scope slides off cleanly, which is why it is one of the most repainted blasters in the line.
So: for reach, the Crossfire Bow and the Slingfire are stated higher than either. For a scope and a clip, the CS-12 is your answer.
The 6 Zombie Strike sub-series
Zombie Strike is not one flat catalog. Hasbro split it into 6 sub-series, and each one changed something real: the ammunition, the electronics, or whether the shell was new at all. The sub-series names are the fastest way to work out why 2 blasters wearing the same green look nothing alike.
Z.E.D. Squad, the repaints

Z.E.D. stands for Zombie Epidemic Defense. It is a 2014 sub-line inside Zombie Strike that reintroduced older Nerf blasters in Zombie Strike colors rather than designing new shells. The three we cover are the Longshot CS-12, the Magnus and the Clear Shot.
The Magnus is worth calling out because it breaks the line’s ammo rule. It fires Mega darts out of a three dart internal magazine, primed with a spring action slide, and it sells as a two pack with one orange and one blue blaster and six Mega darts. The box says 85 feet. Owners report closer to 60, and accuracy gets inconsistent past about 25 feet, which is normal for dart blasters generally. There is a manual jam release button on it, which was a genuinely thoughtful bit of design.
All three Z.E.D. Squad blasters we cover are described in full further down, in the model by model section.
Biosquad, the ones that fire Zombie Repellent
Biosquad arrived in 2015 with 2 blasters, the Abolisher ZR-800 and the Eraser ZR-100. Both fire darts. Both also take a canister of green Zombie Repellent, which Hasbro sold in its own can as a Silly String style product. A refillable water canister drops into the same slot, so you can run them wet instead.
One thing people get wrong: the Nerf Wiki is explicit that Biosquad is not a Super Soaker sub-series, even though the blasters can shoot water. It is a dart line with a second barrel.
Power Shock, lights and sound
2 blasters, the Revoltinator in 2019 and the Contractor in 2020. The gimmick is built-in lights and sound effects rather than anything mechanical. This was the last sub-series Hasbro shipped, which makes the Contractor one of the final Zombie Strike products to reach a shelf.
Survival System, the customisable ones
Fall 2018 into 2019. The Scravenger and the Nailbiter, plus the Chopstock and Twinslice accessories that bolt onto them. Think Modulus with a scrapyard paint job: the whole point is swapping parts around. If you have seen the Scravenger listed on our complete list of all Nerf guns and wondered where it belonged, this is the sub-series it came from.
Revenge, the water line that fires goo
3 Super Soakers, listed by the wiki as 2017: the Contaminator, the Infector and the Zombinator. They fire water, or they fire Infectizide, a goo you mix yourself from a powder packet. One packet makes about 12 fluid ounces of it.
The art direction on Revenge is the odd one in the line. The packaging suggests the blasters are being used by the zombies rather than against them, which is the only place Zombie Strike ever flipped that around.
Micro Shots, and why the count is arguable
Micro Shots are single shot miniatures built on the Jolt shell, sold 3 at a time from 2018. 6 of them are Zombie Strike blasters shrunk down: the Hammershot, the Crossfire Bow, the Rough Cut 2×4, the Crosscut, the FlipFury and the Doublestrike.
Here is the wrinkle, and we would rather show it than tidy it away. The Nerf Wiki lists Micro Shots as one of the 6 Zombie Strike sub-series, and the same wiki documents Micro Shots as a cross-brand line that also covers Fortnite, Marvel, Overwatch and Star Wars. Both statements are on that wiki. We count it as a sub-series because the Zombie Strike line listing does, and the miniatures are genuine Zombie Strike shells.
The Zombie Strike Super Soakers
The line ran wet as well as dry. 5 Super Soakers carry Zombie Strike branding, and a 2013 re-release of the Point Break shipped inside a twin pack on top of those.
- DreadShot (2015), 24 fluid ounces, fires from 2 barrels at once, with a tank that glows in the dark.
- Extinguisher (2015), a small pump action soaker whose translucent tank lights up when you pull the trigger.
- SplatterBlast (2015), the big one, firing from 4 nozzles at once.
- Dreadsight (2018), 20 fluid ounces, no trigger at all, with an integrated scope on top.
- Ripstorm (2018), which carries a sawblade above the muzzle that you can drop into the stream to break the water up.
Treat the capacity figures as approximate. On 2 of these soakers the manufacturer’s own listed capacity and its marketing copy give different numbers, and on the Ripstorm the marketing sentence disagrees with itself. We are reporting what is published rather than picking the number we like. Full history and the current shelf equivalents live on our Nerf Super Soakers page.

The Zombie Strike melee weapons
Zombie Strike was never only blasters. Hasbro sold a run of foam melee weapons under the same badge, and they are the part of the line people remember and then cannot find.
- Zombie Machete (2013), the one most people picture. A foam blade on a moulded grip, styled to match the chipped survivor look of the blasters.
- Strikeblade (2014), a shorter blade designed to pair with a one handed blaster so you could carry both.
- Z-Bat (2014), a foam bat, and the bluntest object in the range.
- Deadsaw (2016), a foam saw blade that leans hardest into the line’s power tool theme.
A further set of melee weapons was released under the Z.E.D. Squad sub-series, made by Perpetual Play Group rather than Hasbro directly.
All of it is discontinued, and the melee pieces are harder to find secondhand than the blasters. They were cheaper, they got played with, and fewer survived in a condition anyone wants to sell. If you want foam melee you can actually buy today, the current equivalent is the N-Force range, and our guide to the N-Force sword covers what is still on shelves.
Zombie Strike darts and the 7 ammo types in the line
The line runs on Elite darts and on Zombie Strike darts, which are a recolored version of the Elite dart. That is the useful part: if you already own Elite darts, they feed these blasters. The exceptions are the Magnus, which takes Mega darts, and the two disc blasters, which take discs and not darts at all.
Darts are only part of it. Counting every sub-series, Zombie Strike spans 7 different ammunition types, which is more than any other Nerf line has ever run. Here is what takes what.
| Ammo type | Which Zombie Strike blasters take it | Still made? | Refills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zombie Strike darts | Almost the whole line, from the Hammershot to the Ghoulgrinder. A recolored Elite dart, so Elite darts feed them all | Yes, as Elite darts | Elite dart refills |
| Mega darts | The 2 Z.E.D. Squad blasters, the Longshot CS-12 and the Magnus | Yes | Mega dart refills |
| Arrows | The Dreadbolt and the Wrathbolt. Not the Outbreaker Bow, which is bow shaped but fires ordinary darts | Yes | Arrow refills |
| XLR discs | The Ricochet, the Ripshot and the Fusefire, covered in the disc blaster section | No, the Vortex format is retired | Used and clearance discs |
| Water | The 5 Super Soakers, and the Biosquad and Revenge blasters as their alternate ammo | Yes, it is water | Your tap |
| Zombie Repellent | Only the Biosquad Abolisher ZR-800 and Eraser ZR-100. A green string product sold in its own can | No, discontinued with Biosquad | None, used market only |
| Infectizide | The 3 Revenge soakers, the Contaminator, Infector and Zombinator. A goo mixed from powder packets | No | None, used market only |
The practical version: if you are buying one Zombie Strike blaster today, it almost certainly takes Elite darts and you are fine. The other 6 ammo types belong to specific sub-series, and 3 of them cannot be refilled at all any more.
Ammunition sources: the Nerf Wiki pages for each ammo type, checked 2026-08-16.
More on dart types across every line: our guide to Nerf darts and bullets.
Zombie Strike and Humans vs Zombies
Zombie Strike exists because Humans vs Zombies existed first. HvZ is a tag game that spread across college campuses, played with blasters, and the line reads like Hasbro’s attempt to put an official product behind a game people were already playing.
The Sledgefire in particular was built with that crowd in mind, and the line’s whole survivor look makes more sense on a campus field at night than it does on a shelf.
Our full rundown of the game, including how it is actually played, is now in the Humans vs Zombies section of the Nerf war games page.
If you are actually playing one, we built the packing list for it: the HvZ loadout checklist covers what to carry, what to leave at home and how much ammo is enough.

Painting and modding a Zombie Strike blaster

This is where the line earns its keep. The shells are already themed for wear and damage, so you are not fighting the design, you are finishing what it started.
The ones worth painting, in order:
- Ricochet. Old school lines, a long slide, and enough steampunk in the shape to take brass and wood tones. Plan on a couple of coats over that slide.
- Doublestrike. Oversized western frame. Matte grey reads as old west, black and deep maroon reads as something stranger.
- Magnus. The oversized chamber and slide are pure science fiction. It is the best sci-fi canvas in the line.
- Clear Shot. The scope comes off, so you can detail both parts separately without masking around it.
- Sidestrike. Burnt red and cream handle already, and a matte black front barrel turns it into something that looks well used.
The full method, sanding through clear coat, is in the paint guide, with the rest of the workbench stuff at the modding hub.
Where retired Zombie Strike blasters actually turn up
Hasbro stopped making this line. That changes where you shop.
Amazon can still show you a product page for most of these, but with no buy box it cannot sell you one. eBay is where they genuinely change hands, so these searches are live listings rather than dead pages.
| Blaster | What it was for | Look here |
|---|---|---|
| Hammershot | The one everybody starts with, hammer-action revolver | Hammershot on eBay |
| Scravenger | Two 12-dart clips and the most kit in one box | Scravenger on eBay |
| SlingFire | Lever action, the showpiece of the line | SlingFire on eBay |
| Brainsaw | Blaster with a spinning foam saw on the front | Brainsaw on eBay |
| Outbreaker Bow | Bow-style, three darts at once | Outbreaker Bow on eBay |
| Wrathbolt | Compact crossbow-style single shot | Wrathbolt on eBay |
| The whole line | Job lots, often cheaper per blaster | Zombie Strike lots on eBay |
Buying used, the 3 things to check.
- Springs weaken with age. Ask whether it primes firmly. A tired spring is the most common fault on a 10 year old blaster.
- Darts are not included as often as listings imply. Budget for a refill either way, and Elite darts fit these.
- Battery bays corrode. On anything motorized, ask for a photo of the contacts.
Where to get Zombie Strike gear
Pick a blaster, add darts, done
Every blaster below runs on standard Elite darts, so if you already own a bin of them you are ready today. Nearly all of it is spring powered, which means no batteries and nothing to charge. The line is retired at retail, so you are shopping stock rather than shelves.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. They cost you nothing extra and they are what keeps this catalogue updated. See our affiliate disclosure.
| # | Buy this | Then this ammo | Batteries | Eye protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scravenger, two 12 dart clips, 26 darts, barrel extension and a detachable shield. The most blaster for the money in the line. | Elite 2.0 80 dart refill | Light only, see listing | Safety glasses |
| 2 | SlingFire, lever action, 6 darts. The one everybody wants to hold. | Elite 2.0 50 dart refill | None | Safety glasses |
| 3 | Brainsaw, 8 darts plus a spinning saw blade on the front. The signature Zombie Strike look. | Elite 2.0 50 dart refill | None | Safety glasses |
| 4 | Outbreaker Bow, string drawn, 3 darts. Quiet, and it feels different from everything else. | Elite 2.0 50 dart refill | None | Safety glasses |
| 5 | Wrathbolt, single shot bow, 3 darts included. The cheap entry into the line. | Elite 2.0 50 dart refill | None | Safety glasses |
Prefer the matching green ammo? The Zombie Strike dart refill is the colour-matched option, but any Elite dart works just as well. If a blaster above is sold out, this search shows what is in stock today.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases.
- Nerf Zombie Strike Hammershot on Amazon
- Zombie Strike dart refills on Amazon
- Nerf Elite 2.0 50-dart refill, which feeds every dart firing blaster in this line
Model by model, how each one loads and fires
The table near the top of this page is for scanning. This is the part worth reading before you buy one secondhand: what primes it, how you reload it, where the spare darts ride on the blaster, and the thing about it that never made the box. Everything below comes from our own reviews of these blasters.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon link in this section is an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
| Blaster | What primes it | How you reload | Darts carried on the blaster | Age rating as stated | The honest limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Shot | Spring, single fire | One dart into the chamber by hand | 4 holders, one on top and three under the barrel | Not stated in our review | One shot chambered, so the scope is doing more work than the rate of fire |
| Sidestrike | Spring, primed per shot | Four shot chamber, front loaded | Clips on the top and the bottom of the frame, plus the holster | Not stated in our review | Past the four shots and the holster there are no other features |
| Jolt | Hand primed, single fire | One dart at a time | 1 chambered, 1 vacuum loaded in the front | Not stated in our review | One shot, then you are reloading in the open |
| Flipfury | Spring, plus a second trigger that flips the canisters | Flip to the full canister, then hand load both | 12, six in each revolving canister | Not stated in our review | Twelve is the whole magazine, and refilling means loading two canisters |
| Crossfire Bow | Bow arms drawn back | Four dart chamber, loaded by hand | 4 | 8 and up | Four shots at the longest stated reach in the line, so it is not a volume blaster |
| Longshot CS-12 | Spring, press trigger | Swap the 12 round quick reload clip | 12 in the clip | 8 and up | Stated at 55 feet, which is 30 feet under the Magnus figure on its own box |
| Ricochet | Slide snapped back | Two discs front loaded, fired together | None, the two loaded discs are all of it | Not stated in our review | 27 to 35 feet from shoulder height, and it empties in one trigger pull |
| Magnus | Spring action slide pulled back | Three dart internal magazine, hand loaded | 3 internal | Not stated in our review | Mega darts are bulkier, so you carry fewer, and they cost more than Elite darts while being just as fragile |
| Sledgefire | Break the barrel open at the hinge | Drop in a three dart shell and close it until it clicks | 9 darts packaged, 3 per shell, 3 shell slots in the stock | Not stated in our review | Loading a shell by hand while moving is slow, and that is what keeps it mid tier |
Clear Shot, the scope that comes off
Spring powered, one dart chambered, and four more riding on the shell: one holder on top and three under the barrel. The shape is close to the older Stormfire, and close enough to the Sidestrike that the two read as a matched pair on a shelf.
The reason it gets repainted more than anything else in the line is that the scope slides straight off, so both halves can be detailed without masking around the join. Two builds come up again and again: the R-101C Carbine from Titanfall, whose Holosight is a near match for this scope in size and shape, and a Call of Duty style ACOG on an M4A1, which is mostly black paint and a little detail work. One tip that saves a scope: tape over both viewing ends before you spray, or you will paint the lens shut.
Sidestrike, the one that ships with a holster
Four shots out of an exaggerated front barrel, fired as fast as you can work the trigger, with dart clips along the top and the bottom of the frame. The silhouette reads as an energy weapon out of a Fallout or Mad Max world, which is half of why people buy it.
The holster is the practical part. It carries spare darts of its own, and it is the reason a pair of these is easy to run at once when a single blaster in each hand is not. Against the Doublestrike it is twice the shots and empties at least as quickly, which is the whole argument for picking it. For paint, a beaten bronze body with a matte black front barrel turns it into something that looks built in a shed rather than bought.
Jolt, an N-Strike blaster in Zombie Strike colors
The Jolt did not start here. It is an N-Strike design from 2011 that the line picked up and repainted, which is why it has turned up in so many colorways: the original Gear Up scheme, N-Strike orange and black, N-Strike Elite orange, blue and white, and the Dart Tag Stinger run in blue, orange and two shades of grey.
It will feed four kinds of ammunition: whistler darts, Elite darts, Zombie Strike darts and collectible darts. Inside there is one main operating piece and three moving parts, the trigger mechanism, the plunger and the plate, which is why it is the blaster most people open first when they want to see how a spring blaster works. Under a quarter of a pound, so it disappears in a pocket until somebody assumes you are out of the fight.
Flipfury, twelve darts before a reload
Two revolving six dart canisters and a second trigger that flips from the empty one to the full one, so the second six arrives without taking your hand off the grip. Three sling points and a stabilizing bar under the frame for propping it on a knee.
The darts in the box are blunt ended, and refills for them sit on the shelf of anywhere that sells Nerf, so ammunition is never the problem with this one. The body is light plastic, which matters more than it sounds: it carries quietly, and quiet is the only advantage a twelve shot blaster has before it starts firing.
Crossfire Bow, the reach in the line
Real bow arms, four darts, and 75 feet of stated range, which puts it at the top of the line. Our review lists it at 8 and up, one of only two blasters here that states an age at all.
The dart flexibility is the quiet advantage over the Rebelle Guardian Crossbow, the only other crossbow style blaster of that period: the Guardian is fussy about which dart it takes and this one is not, so you reload it out of whatever is in the bin. The futuristic frame is also why it keeps showing up as a costume prop, and it takes a science fiction paint scheme without much shaping work.
Longshot CS-12, the clip fed scope rifle
In the box: the blaster, the long range targeting scope, twelve Zombie Strike darts and the quick reload clip that holds them. A press trigger, up to 55 feet stated, and 8 and up on the packaging. Word of it leaked out of the UK before the release, which is most of the reason the launch had an audience waiting for it.
Worth being straight about the number: 55 feet is 30 feet under what the Magnus claims on its own box, so the CS-12 is the answer for a scope and a twelve round clip, not for raw distance.
Ricochet, two discs at once
Heavy plastic, a chunky barrel, and a grip large enough that priming it is easy for smaller hands. Snap the slide, and both front loaded discs leave together. Stock colors are bright orange with a green barrel and brown accents on the grip.
It looks like the classic Resident Evil Magnum Blaster, which is the reason it takes a battle scarred metallic finish so well, and the long slide and barrel carry enough steampunk shape for brass and wood tones. Practically, buy spare discs before your first game, because a blaster that empties in one trigger pull runs dry faster than you expect. Run it as a sidearm behind the Hammershot or the Sledgefire rather than as a primary.
Magnus, Mega darts out of a pistol
One of the very few pistol shaped blasters built around the Mega dart. The body is sturdy, the trigger and slide are crisp, and there is a manual jam release if the slide ever binds.
The honest trade is ammunition. Mega darts hit harder and carry further than Elite darts, but they are bulky, so you carry fewer of them for the same pocket space, and they cost more while being just as easy to chew up. For paint, the oversized chamber and slide are pure science fiction: the Lawgiver from Judge Dredd and the Ares Predator from Shadowrun are the two builds that keep coming back.
Sledgefire, break action shells
Release the hammer, open the barrel at its hinge, drop a three dart shell into the hollow tube, close it until it clicks. The stock holds three shell shaped compartments, so your reloads travel on the blaster rather than in a pocket.
Nothing else Nerf built in that era had the sawed off shape with a pistol grip. The closest comparisons are the Buzz Bee shotgun style blasters and the older Double Barrel Break IX-2, and this one is the better made of the three. Painters usually take it black with a fluorescent green, which reads a lot more like the theme than the stock orange and blue does.
Practice targets are the upgrade nobody buys and everybody should. The Nerf Zombie Targeting Set is the Nerf branded option, and it works with every dart firing blaster on this page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nerf Zombie Strike?
A zombie themed Nerf blaster line that launched in 2013, running Elite and Zombie Strike darts, styled to look like survivor gear. The first two releases were the Hammershot and the Sledgefire.
How many Zombie Strike blasters are there?
We cover thirteen on this site, including the three Z.E.D. Squad releases. Every one of them is listed at the bottom of this page.
What is the best Zombie Strike blaster?
For most people, the Hammershot. Five shots, hammer action, a rail and sling points, and it is the blaster that still gets picked up years later. If you want reach instead, the Crossfire Bow and the Slingfire are both stated at 75 feet.
What is the longest range Zombie Strike blaster?
By stated range, the Crossfire Bow and the Slingfire at 75 feet, then the Clear Shot at 70, then the Magnus at 85 feet on the box although owners report closer to 60. Those are advertised numbers, not bench numbers.
Do Zombie Strike blasters take Elite darts?
Yes, the dart firing models do. Zombie Strike darts are a recolored Elite dart. The Magnus is the exception, it takes Mega darts, and the Ricochet and Fusefire take discs.
Every Zombie Strike post on this site
- Nerf Zombie Strike Hammershot
- Nerf Zombie Strike Sledgefire
- Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire
- Nerf Zombie Strike Crossfire Bow
- Nerf Zombie Strike Doublestrike
- Nerf Zombie Strike Sidestrike
- Nerf Zombie Strike Jolt
- Nerf Zombie Strike Ricochet
- Nerf Zombie Strike Fusefire
- Nerf Zombie Strike Flipfury
- Nerf Zombie Strike Clear Shot
- Nerf Zombie Strike Magnus
- Nerf Zombie Strike Z.E.D. Squad Longshot CS-12
Related pages: the Z.E.D. Squad sub-line and the full model by model breakdown are both on this page, Humans vs Zombies and every other game mode is on the war games page, and there is the paint guide, the modding hub and every Nerf line on the site. For the other retired lines, see Vortex and Dart Tag.
Buying one of these for somebody? A free Nerf wish list adds the Elite darts these take, plus eye protection, and gives the family one link to work from.
Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire
The Slingfire is Nerf's first lever-action rifle, and the lever is not a gimmick bolted onto a normal blaster. It primes and cycles in one motion,...
Nerf Zombie Strike Doublestrike
The Doublestrike is the smallest thing in Zombie Strike and the one that gets dismissed fastest. Two darts, no clip, no motor. That is the whole...
Nerf Zombie Strike Fusefire
The Fusefire is a Vortex disc blaster wearing Zombie Strike colours, and almost nothing written about it says so. It holds 5 discs, our archive...
Nerf Zombie Strike Hammershot
The Hammershot is the blaster that started Zombie Strike, and it is still the one people ask about by name. Five darts in a revolving chamber, a...


