Nerf has long been known for making some of the most impressive toy weaponry kids can buy, but its foam dart blasters aren’t exactly known for their power or accuracy — until now. At Toy Fair 2015 in New York this weekend, Nerf will officially introduce its new Rival line starting with a pair of blasters that are capable of launching an inch-thick foam ball at speeds of up to 113km/h. Not surprisingly, the new line will also include face masks for added safety.
For comparison, those foam balls will be travelling at about a third of the speed of a paintball, according to Bloomberg who broke the news. And that’s an apt comparison because Nerf is hoping the new line will keep teenagers interested in its toy blasters instead of moving on to playing Paintball or laser tag as they grow older.
The $US50 Rival blasters will actually come in either red or blue designs to help promote the idea of teens battling in teams against each other. And while the foam balls won’t cause any harm when they hit someone at 113km/h, getting hit in the eye with one won’t be a pleasant experience. So the $US15 face masks are actually an optional accessory that parents across the country will almost certainly be insistent their kids buy and use. [Bloomberg via Blaster Labs]
Pictures: Hasbro via Bloomberg