What is the Best NERF Gun?
A question that comes up a lot is “what are the best NERF guns?” Well the answer is….well, it depends!
Below are our favorite ones for just having fun, but the articles above and below this are there for those of you that want more.
We have linked out to the full reviews of these blasters as well as to Amazon (hover over the Amazon button to get the prices) If you click through to Amazon we may get a commission (it is how we keep the site running!) but it will not affect the price you pay.
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NERF RIVAL Nemesis MXVII-10K
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NERF RIVAL Artemis
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NERF N-Strike Elite Stryfe
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Zombie Strike Hammershot
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NERF N-Strike Elite Alpha Trooper
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NERF N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike
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Remember we said that the answer to “what is the best NERF gun?” is, “it depends!”? Well the reason depends on what you want your blaster for.
If you play in any NERF wars you will be part of a team and your role will determine what sort of blaster you need – oh and to distinguish NERF guns from real firearms, most people use the term “blaster” and “dart” for bullet regardless of the shape.
OK, but without being too technical if you are going to get stuck into a NERF war you’ll need to understand your role, strategy, and tactics.
Your role is usually driven by the type of NERFer you are, and the type of blasters you have. In NERF wars most players will carry more than one NERF gun; the main one, usually termed a “Primary” (read our guide on Primary NERF Guns here) and a “Secondary”, usually smaller and used as a back-up or for a specific purpose. Some even carry a “Tertiary”, usually a small, single shot pistol, for that last gasp
Of course for some people it is about how much they have to spend, so I have written a guide to my picks for the blasters to buy under $15, under $30 and under $50.
Below is where I go into a bit more detail on why I like those top picks, so for a bit more info, read on
My Top NERF Gun Reviews
NERF Rival Nemesis
This blaster is an absolute beast! It is fully automatic and fires at over 100FPS with Rival High Impact ammo that are so much more accurate and predictable than N-Strike Elite darts.
If that was not enough it comes with a monstrous 100 round capacity courtesy of a gravity fed hopper. This hopper is what gives the Nemesis the edge over the Khaos and anything else for that matter.
The Nemesis is not only the best blaster in the NERF Rival range, it is simply the best unmodified blaster, full stop!
As with all of the Rival range it is available in red or blue, or if you don’t care, just see which is the cheapest at the time you buy and get that, but whichever you choose, make sure you get one!
You can read my full review of the NERF Rival Nemesis here >>
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NERF Rival Artemis
Another top pick from the Rival range, this compact little beast also fires the round Rival darts, which are far more accurate than Elite darts and have higher muzzle velocities too.
You can also partially load its 40 dart hopper actually making it more practical than the magazine fed blasters. The priming handle is also much better placed than the Apollo making it my pick of best springer in the Rival range.
All in all this is a really impressive little blaster that packs a remarkably big punch….I love it!
You can read my full review of the NERF Rival Artemis here >>
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NERF N-Strike Elite Stryfe
An oldie (in fact it is being discontinued, sadly!) but I use one as my secondary a lot of the time. If you add a stock and a some bigger magazines it makes a really good semi-auto primary too.
Versatile and reliable, it is a classic blaster.
You can read my full review of the N-Strike Elite XD Stryfe here.
Zombie Strike Hammershot
This is my fave member of the Zombie Strike line. It is essentially a revolver style NERF blaster with 5 shots in the cylinder. However what makes this blaster cool is that you can prime it with your gun hand – most need to be primed with your other hand. This, along with its size, makes it an ideal secondary blaster.
You can read my full review on the Zombie Strike Hammershot here.
NERF N-Strike Elite Alpha Trooper
An oldie but a goodie – still the blaster I take out more often than not. It is spring powered, so quiet, reliable and magazine fed.
It can also slam fire so you can fire a lot of foam quickly if things get tight.
You can read the full review of the Elite N-Strike Alpha Trooper here
NERF Elite Rapidstrike
This was the first full-auto blaster of note from NERF; good ergonomics, magazine fed and pretty reliable for a fly-wheeler.
Yes, the Hyperfire (see my review here) has come along which has a better rate of fire and is more accurate, but I find it jams too often (the conveyor belt system doesn’t seem to like older darts) and the design of the grip makes it uncomfortable for me to use.
So I prefer the Rapidstrike to the Hyperstrike. It would come higher up the list, but to get the best out of it needs modification – stronger motors and a battery pack make it an awesome blaster. Still a very good one out of the box though.
You can read my full review on the N-Strike Elite RapidStrike here.
Latest NERF Gun Reviews
NERF Mega Mastodon Review : The Mega, Mega Nerf N-Strike Blaster
The Mastodon is the embodiment of mad, bad and dangerous to know!
A fully auto MEGA blaster is an awesome but bewildering prospect – so how does it fare?
NERF Modulus Tri-Strike Review – Is this 3 in 1 Blaster worth your money?
The NERF Modulus Tri-Strike is a spring-powered blaster with some cool modular attachments that fire Mega darts and a Missile.
But is this just a gimmick?
NERF Modulus Regulator Review – Full or Semi Auto at the flick of a switch
The Modulus Regulator allows you to swap between auto, burst-fire, and semi-auto…something we have been crying out for.
But does it work?
NERF Rival Perses Review – the MXIX-5000 sub machine gun
The Perses is the sub-machine gun of the Rival range. However, this means it has less ammo and an 8 round per second rate of fire.
Will this be an issue?
NERF Rival Zeus Review – Is the semi-auto MXV-1200 Blaster any good?
The NERF Rival Zeus is the original semi-automatic blaster in the rival line.
Since then things have moved on, so is the Zeus still worth considering?
NERF Megalodon Review – Just what does this Mega Blaster think it is?
The NERF Mega Megalodon is a spring-powered, 20 round, cylinder fed blaster blaster with slam-firethat you shoot from the hip.
Strange, but is it any good?
NERF Rival Hypnos Review – Is the XIX-1200 Any Good?
Is the NERF Rival Hypnos just a re-modeled Apollo or does it have more to offer?
How does it stack up against the hopper-fed Artemis? Find out here >>
NERF Rival Prometheus Review – the MXVIII-20K Under The Microscope
The Nerf Rival Prometheus MXVIII-20K is a monster, featuring a 200 round capacity and a rate of fire of 8 rounds per second
However, it is expensive and features some odd ergonomics, so will this stop it taking Nemesis’ crown?
NERF Rival Kronos Review – Our Full Test Of The XVIII-500
The NERF Rival Kronos is a spring powered pistol with a five round internal magazine.
This blaster should be the missing piece of the Rival puzzle. But is it any good??
NERF Rival Nemesis Review – We Test The Mighty MXVII-10K
The NERF Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K has replaced the Khaos as the big hitter in the Rival range, and how. Full auto with Rival power and accuracy and a monstrous capacity of 100 rounds through its gravity fed hopper.
On paper it looks like the ultimate NERF gun, but how good is it in reality? Find out here >>
NERF Rival Apollo Review – First Test Of The XV-700
The NERF Rival Apollo XV-700 is the entry level blaster for the Rival range, with some interesting design quirks. But how good is it as a blaster?
NERF Doomlands Lawbringer Review – The Full Test
The NERF Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer is a post-apocalyptic styled blaster, dominated by a large 12 round drum and a firing mechanism similar to the Hammershot, so it can be used one-handed, but it does not feature slam-fire.
It is an unsual specification – spring powered with no slam-fire and no magazines usually imply a secondary weapon, but the size and capacity imply it should be a primary. So where does the Lawbringer fit in the world of NERF blasters?
A Brief History of NERF Guns
The original Nerf foam was a happy accident. Back in 1969, Reyn Guyer, the inventor of Twister, was working on a new game based on cavemen and throwing spongy rocks. The game never came to anything, but they soon realized the foam “rocks” people could throw around indoors were much more fun.
Parker Brothers turned the rocks into balls and released them under the NERF brand and they were a huge hit as NERF’s foam ammo is safe for limbs and fragile furnishings.
The 1990s saw the first rudimentary NERF blasters to fire these balls. While BB guns are too dangerous to fire at other people, and water guns require a warm day and open space, the NERF blaster provided the perfect solution – fun and safe indoors or out.
Foam projectiles have come a long way in that time. They developed into the go-to toy shooter and now sport advanced features such as battery-assisted automatic fire and wild arrays of modification and upgrade kits.
Of course, NERF still makes balls, and other throwing toys, but it is these soft, safe blasters we love so much here. So much more than just a child’s toy these days, there are also countless clubs and societies for kids and adults alike to arrange and play NERF wars. In fact, some of the biggest, most creative companies have fights with Nerf guns, bows, and spongy artillery to relieve stress and build camaraderie.
About Blaster Piece
Hi, my name is Chris. I put Blaster Piece together to provide the best NERF gun reviews, tips, and advice. Featuring everything from rapid-fire, magazine-fed blasters to tiny single shot pistols, anyone who still gets a kick out of action movies will understand the appeal of these foam blasters!
NERF pioneered these soft fire tys in the 1990s and they have now evolved into the amazingly exciting world it is today. NERF now boasts several ranges of blasters, including their standard dart firing blasters such as the Elite N-Strike, Modulus and Zombie Strike alongside the monster Mega range and the higher powered Rival range.
However these days NERF’s hardware has been joined on the scene by some great alternatives and there are some new kids in town such as BOOM Co and Buzz Bee.
So to celebrate this reign of foam, we have created Blaster Piece for soft-core shooting kids of all ages!