Prepare to Upgrade your Nerd Arsenal

Nerf's new Vortex blasters: who needs darts when you're shooting discs?

By Ben Kuchera | Published September 29, 2011 1:49 PM

Remember when Nerf blasters were simple, toy-like affairs? Times have changed, and now we have heavy, belt-fed, battery-chugging monstrosities that appeal to cubicle warriors as much as to children. Our house has a long history of Nerf wars using each new generation of guns, so when I heard that Nerf was releasing an entirely new line of blasters with discs instead of darts, I was both excited and a little hesitant. Would it really be fun to shoot my children and pets with tiny frisbee-style projectiles?

The answer is yes. The new discs travel greater distances than the darts, the mechanism for firing is easier on young hands, and the first wave of guns are fun to use.

A picture of all four blasters next to a PS3 game for reference. These are some large weapons.

Above, you can see the four guns we're going to review, and we will render a verdict on each one individually. A few notes: the green discs these guns shoot aren't hard exactly, but the guns do spit them out at a good clip. At close range, you can expect a slight sting; be careful with children. (I learned this by lining my kids up and shooting them at different ranges to see whether or not the discs hurt. Everyone learned valuable lessons during my testing.)

Also, standard Nerf darts cut through the air and begin to lose altitude quickly. These discs actually catch the air and can fly significantly longer, though if you don't hold the blasters level you may see the discs bank after a few dozen feet. Here's a quick range test I shot in my back yard.

Range test

The bottom line: if you're getting into it with an opponent who's packing the standard darts, you have quite a reach advantage.

The Vortex Nitron

The 20 disc clip can be used on the Praxis as well.

This $39.99 blaster holds up to 20 discs, features a light-up scope, and requires six "C" batteries. It may not feel heavy at first, but once you load all those batteries, you're going to gain some heft.

The battery-powered Nerf guns are hard to aim with any precision. There are actually two triggers. You have to hold down the bottom button to spin up the firing mechanism, and if you hold down the traditional trigger with that bottom button held down, you fire the discs. The firing rate isn't fast, although it is fun to use any Nerf gun that features automatic fire. You also don't have to work the mechanism or cock the gun before each shot, which might make this gun ideal for smaller children, except for the size and weight issues.

The scope is fun, and it lights up green and moves in three speeds. It does wobble more than I'm comfortable with when attached to the gun; during a hard battle, you run the risk of the scope falling off.

Full Auto

The 20-disc clip is great, and it can be used in any of the other Vortex guns that take a clip. Fully automatic fire makes this fun to try, but if you're actually hoping to put discs on target, this isn't the best gun. Especially with the high price tag, this is more of a gimmick than a gun you'll want to take into battle.
Verdict: Skip

The Vortex Praxis

The Praxis has a very satisfying shotgun-style pump

Okay, this $25 blaster is way more my speed. The clip holds 10 discs, and the shotgun-like pump action means you can pump out a good number of discs in a very short time. This gun has good range, fires discs with enough force to sting in a very slight way, and is fun to use. When I went child hunting, this is the gun I took.

Hunting children

Clearing jams is simple thanks to the sliding door on top of the blaster. This is one of my favorite guns in the Vortex line, and when you add the 20 disc magazine from the Nitron, it's even better. The removable stock could be a little more sturdy, but the gun works fine with or without it.
Verdict: Buy

Photo illustration by Aurich Lawson

Nerf's new Vortex blasters: who needs darts when you're shooting discs?

By Ben Kuchera | Published September 29, 2011 1:49 PM

The Vortex Vigilon

The Vigilon

The Vigilon has an MSRP of $16, it holds five discs, it's easy to load and cock before firing, and it looks like something out of Robocop. I don't have anything negative to say about it, and in many ways I find this blaster a better sidearm than my standard Maverick. I know that may sound like heresy, but seriously—the way this gun reloads makes it easy to dump in more discs and it takes less weight to cock than the Maverick. My younger children have a much better time with it.

The vigilon opened to show how discs are loaded. By pushing the orange tab with your thumb, the built-in clip snaps back. Pull back on the rear portion of the gun to cock.

I love this gun. SO MUCH.
Verdict: Buy

The Vortex Proton

The Proton

The Proton is only $10, and although I used this gun for my range test above, I wasn't impressed with it at first. It feels a bit wimpy in the hand and it doesn't have a striking design, but I did find one use for this gun that makes it a great addition to the line: it's very easy for kids to use.

Loading the Proton is simple. Pull back on the plastic ring on the rear of the gun, put in a single disc, and then thumb the orange tab to snap the assembly back into the gun. You're ready to annoy a cat or dog!

Most Nerf guns that require you to cock the blaster before each shot can be hard on small hands, but even young kids will be able to pull the Proton's ring out to load the single disc and then hit the tab on the side to load the gun. My two year old thinks this is the best thing since sliced bread simply because it's not hard for him to load and use, and it still has good range. It wouldn't be my favorite gun in a fight, but it's not bad, especially if you have smaller kids or children with slight dexterity issues.
Verdict: not my bag, but thumbs up for children and ease of use

Summing up

The Vortex line of guns looks and feels different from the classical Nerf weapons, but their lighter feel and pull makes them even better for younger kids. Heck, even my wife likes these, and she's usually not into my Nerf arsenal. These guns may feel light, but they've each survived a child's birthday party and several wars; they don't look likely to break easily. As for the green discs, they're easy to find in most cases, but there's little to no hope of recovery if you're firing in a grassy field. Plan accordingly.

Be sure to shop around; I've listed the MSRP for each model as provided by Nerf and linked to the guns on Amazon, but you can often find them cheaper at different retailers.

I liked three of these four guns, and my skepticism toward battery-powered Nerf toys remains intact. I can actually pump the shotgun-style gun faster than the fully-automatic gun can fire, and the shotgun will always be ready to go. There's nothing worse than girding your loins for a serious Nerf war only to find your batteries dead... and then you trudge off to grab new batteries and dig up your screwdriver while the other team is already shooting you in the head. No thanks.

These are great additions to the Nerf line of guns, so long as you stick to the human-powered blasters. Changing the batteries in the Praxis can be just as expensive as some of the smaller guns—and wouldn't you rather spend your money on expanding your armory?

Photo illustration by Aurich Lawson

Shameless Screen Grab(s) courtesy of Ars Technica 

If you haven't played (yes, One plays - though not as frequently as One would like) "Wanted" with Nerf guns, you haven't lived. Curve the Bullet - try it. Great Villain movie, and a great music download to get in the right mind set. 

YOU are a member of the Fraternity of Assassins. Nerd out. 

-Lord Malignance