Christmas is traditionally a time when families gather round the table and share a delicious meal, swap stories and over indulge on all sorts of things. Here at NERF Reviews HQ we do things slightly differently – we use the holidays as the perfect excuse to get our hands on the very latest blasters and shoot our loved ones across the dinner table.
Our Christmas gift guide takes out all the hard work out of festive blaster shopping. We’ve found the very best blasters for this holiday season so put your feet up, have a look and choose the perfect gun. If you are looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or just fancy treating yourself – you have come to the right place.
The Big Present: Modulus Tri-Strike
If you want to make someone very happy on Christmas day or you want to get yourself a killer blaster, then we would definitely recommend the Modulus Tri-Strike. With almost limitless customizable options, thanks to the inclusion of NERF’s tactical rail system, the Tri-Strike is ideal for anyone who likes to tinker with their blaster.
What makes the Tri-Strike so special is that it’s really 3 blasters in one. Simply clip on the included MEGA dart barrel extension and Missile launcher and you have yourself a formidable triple threat. Don’t want all the added weight? Take off anything you don’t want and you are good to go!
If you want to add on some additional attachments, head over to our Modulus page and take a look at all of the options.
The Best Present for Beginners: N-Strike Elite Strongarm
If the Tri-Strike sounds a little too complicated or you prefer a more traditional blaster then the N-Strike Elite Strongarm might be right up your street. There are no upgrades or attachments making it perfect for beginners.
The Strongarm features a rotating drum which holds up to six Elite darts, that means you won’t have to keep reloading after each shot. To make things even easier, the Strongarm has two modes of firing – pull the trigger for a standard shot or use the “slam fire” slide to rapidly unleash darts.
The Strongarm is a simple gun but still an absolute classic.
What’s in the box?
1 N-Strike Elite Strongarm blaster
6 Elite darts
Instructions
The Best Motorized Present: The Best Automatic Blaster
The CS-18 N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike is perhaps the best automatic blaster money can buy. Perfect for those who just want mow down their enemies and don’t care about how much ammo they use.
As an automatic, the Rapidstrike is a little more complicated than your standard blaster. Instead of having to manually cock the gun before each shot, the Rapidstrike relies on an “acceleration button” for priming. Simply hold down the acceleration button (listen out for the whirring motor) and pull the trigger. The Rapidstrike has an impressive fire rate and thankfully features a specially designed see through clip that let’s you keep an eye on how many darts you have left – never unexpectedly run out of darts again!
If you don’t mind spending a bit more of your hard earned cash, then we would highly recommend getting a Rapidstrike.
What’s in the box?
1 CS-10 N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike
18 dart clip
18 Elite darts
Instructions
Requires 4 C batteries (not included).
The Best Present for (Zombie) Snipers: ZED Squad Longshot CS-12
The ZED Squad Longshot CS-12 is the smaller cousin of the the N-Strike Longshot CS-6 but is much <much> cheaper and has a very cool Zombie Strike skin (we do have a lot of love for the Zombie Strike range…). What makes this such a great gun is the inclusion of a collapsible shoulder stock – extend for added accuracy on those long range shots and collapse down again when you are on the move. The firing mechanism is nice and simple aswell, all you need to do is pull back the side mounted priming handle and you are ready to shoot. Attach the long range targeting scope and start picking off your enemies one by one! (We should add that the scope doesn’t actually “zoom” but it is a nice touch and does let you focus on one target).
If you like to take a bit more time picking off your opponents or just fancy having a go at sharpshooting then you can’t go wrong with the Zombie Strike ZED Squad Longshot CS-12.
What’s in the box?
1 Zombie Strike Zed Squad Longshot CS-12
12 dart clip
12 Zombie Strike darts
Instructions
The Best Present for Enthusiasts: Rival Apollo XV-700
The Rival series is made for competitive play. The blasters shoot faster, further and require specially designed high impact rounds. If you love NERF guns but are looking for a new challenge then the Apollo is going to be right up your street.
Hasbro went back to the drawing board when they cooked up the Rival range. Featuring a ambidextrous (meaning it can be loaded from either side of the blaster) clip and top mounted priming mechanism, the Apollo is built for ease and speed. Once you have loaded up you are ready to start firing rounds up to 20 fps faster than your standard blaster!
Because the Apollo fires rounds at such an alarming rate please play safely. The Apollo features a trigger lock which stops you firing the blaster by mistake but we would recommend picking up a Rival Face Mask for added protection.
What’s in the box?
1 Rival Apollo XV-700
1 easy load magazine
7 high impact rounds
Instructions.
The Ultimate Present: The MEGA Maston
The MEGA Maston is perhaps the most intimidating blaster that Hasbro has ever released. With a 24 dart rotating drum and automatic fire, the Mastodon will make anyone think twice when facing you on the blasting field.
The Mastodon is actually the first automatic MEGA blaster and it is impressive. The blaster is actually so large it includes a shoulder strap to help carry the weight! Once you have loaded in 24 MEGA darts <phew> you are ready to start tearing up the field. Hold down the accelerator button, pull the trigger and watch your opponents scream in panic.
If you want to ensure that Christmas day is memorable (and don’t mind MEGA darts flying around everywhere) then definitely get a MEGA Mastodon – the ultimate NERF blaster.
What’s in the box?
1 MEGA Mastodon blaster
24 dart rotating drum
24 MEGA whistler darts.
Note – requires 6 D batteries (not included)