Nerf Rival Pathfinder Review

Editor’s note: thanks to Hasbro for sending this as a free review sample!

A new year brings a new series of Rival blasters, this time boasting improved accuracy over the old. The flagship of this group, the Pathfinder, aims to be the Rival equivalent of the Alpha Trooper. However, among other things, magazine compatibility holds the blaster back from its true potential.

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Nerf Rival Pathfinder Mag Compatibility Fix

It’s been noted by others in previous reviews online that the Rival Pathfinder doesn’t like older magazines. The reason? It latches onto a plastic ridge that was added in 2019. I still have a review to write after an upcoming war (and testing), but for now we have a solution.

The magazine catch mates with that surface in particular, and holds the magazine up far enough to engage the ball release button. Original Rival magazines, lacking that extra plastic, sit too low to engage that button. With the shims glued on that surface, you’ll be able to use the magazines in the Pathfinder.

The files are on my Thingiverse!

Dart Zone Seeks Feedback!

This was a fun thing to see in my Inbox. As per the email:

We’re entering the next phase of Dartzoneblasters.com and we want you to be part of the action! The best website is one that helps you get right to the info you need and the products you want fast so you can get back to flinging foam.

Your impressions can help shape the look, feel, and function of our new website, so don’t hold back! We can take it.

Follow this link if you want to chime in!

JustSoFun K2 Hyper Blaster Review

It’s not a strict rule, but I tend to keep away from “knockoffs” unless they’re genuinely interesting. This is one of those times. After seeing it on Amazon (and Aliexpress as well), I had to see what was going on.

The K2 looks like a Rival Takedown at first glance, until you see the ball hopper. It does indeed fire Hyper rounds, and while it’s not the most powerful thing on the block, it works well. And it makes me wonder why Hasbro missed a fun opportunity like this.

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Rekt Jury Revolver Review

Umarex entered the dart blaster field in 2020 with the OpFour rifle and the OpSix single shot pistol. Powered by 12g CO2 cartridges, the two blasters met with mixed reviews, due to inconsistency from the former and low velocities from the latter.

Now, the next blaster in the line, the Jury, is available online. Is this revolver an improvement on previous products? For sure. Is it perfect? Not quite. But does it have a place? Provided you have a venue for it, of course!

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Nerf Star Wars The Mandalorian Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster Review

Blasters like this are extremely hard to rate. Sure, it’s an obvious choice for a dart blaster. But after making (and delaying) the Nerf LMTD version, Hasbro releases a regular one at less than half the price?

Alas, consumer priorities are the ultimate factor here. Are you in need of a relatively inexpensive cosplay prop that you can paint? Are you a kid wanting to me Din Djarin? Do you just like quirky blasters in general? If so, it’s a nice blaster to grab. Anyone else? Perhaps not. Continue reading

Adventure Force Water Strike Gatling Blast Review

Prime Time Toys/Dart Zone has been on a roll in the soaker department. Last year, they released the Adventure Force Hydro Burst (now the Typhoon Burst) exclusively through Walmart. I reviewed it, finding it a fun addition to the arsenal with its unique spring-powered mechanism and actual trigger.

This year, they’ve taken the concept and made a blaster that’s bigger and goofier. With a larger reservoir, lever prime, and a spinning barrel, the Water Strike Gatling Burst is a welcome addition to modern water warfare.

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