The Best Nerf Rival Guns In 2023

Last updated: Today

Erin Carpenter

Top 5 Best Nerf Rival Guns 2023:

  1. Nerf Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster
  2. Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster
  3. Nerf N Strike Elite Strongarm Toy Blaster with Rotating Barrel
  4. NERF Zombie Strike Brainsaw Blaster
  5. Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike

There is something inherently awesome about nerf guns.

No matter what age you are, do you want to settle the score with your elementary school friends, duke it out with your colleagues during those long hours at work, or simply want to goof around a bit and get a healthy dose of the adrenaline rush, this neat toy is the perfect getaway to a world of fun and excitement.

The thing that makes it even more appealing is that unlike toys most of us had an opportunity to play with when we were young, nerf guns are harmless when they hit a target, so they are safe for the entire family. The most important thing, they don’t look like real weapons, and they are not sending wrong messages to the kids.

So, if you are keen to spice up your family weekends or bring some levity to your workplace, let us take a look at some of the most popular products on the market and try to find the best nerf rival gun the money can buy.

See Also: The Best Toy For 7-Year Old Boys


5 Best Nerf Rival Guns In 2023: Detailed Reviews

1. Nerf Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster – Best Nerf Rival Gun Overall

Image Credit: Amazon.com

We think there is no better way to describe Nerf Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster than pure joy Sure, this plastic joy packs a couple of compromises, but neither one of them takes away anything from this piece of high-octane fun.

Because of that, we would like to cover drawbacks first. The first thing we would like to mention is that the toy is probably too chunky and too hefty for the small children. Second, you are shooting out one missile at the time. That doesn’t even have to be a setback taking into consideration the unit’s grenade launcher style, but still – it’s worth mentioning.

But, once we move past these complaints, things only get better, and they go better with revenge.

The build quality – top-notch? The heft we mentioned above is not there without reason. Everything we got in the package felt well-made, sturdy, and resilient. The unit also packs 4 flipping dart gun barrels (incredibly gratifying visual experience) with 6 soft darts each, which brings us to a total of 24 darts in total – more than enough for casual backyard warfare. 

The three-position handle makes the whole thing incredibly easy to use, and the gun easily shoots missiles over 50 feet away.

So, yeah – rock-solid offer in spite of some minor nuisances.

Pros

  • Excellent design and build quality
  • 24 missiles in total
  • 3-position handle
  • Easy to use and reload

Cons

  • A bit too heavy
  • Shoots one missile at a time

2. Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster – Best Premium Nerf Blaster

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Putting the word “Rampage” in the name of your title does create a lot of hype. We have experienced times and times again that hype being obliterated when we finally put the product into use.

Fortunately, Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster is not one of these products. As a matter of fact, if you want to get your healthy dose of the outdoor rampage, we can’t think of a better product than this one.

What makes it so great?

How about excellent build quality? Seriously, this toy gun looks like it can go through hell or high water and still win you a couple of rounds at the end of the day. Related: The Best Water Gun

The second thing we would like to point out is that then shotgun-like design provides one incredibly comfortable grip and aiming experience that is, honestly, hard to match without a big-sized scope. Of course, the perks do not end here.

The gun also implements the automatic fire, packs as much as 25 missiles in its side-mounted round cartridge, and lets you shoot the targets as far as 90 feet away from you.

All in all, everything here feels premium. And that is one of the biggest complaints. If you only want a bit of casual fun, the gun may prove to be too pricey.

Pros

  • Premium quality
  • Able to reach targets 90 feet away
  • 25-dart cartridge
  • Ergonomic shotgun design

Cons

  • A bit too expensive
  • Darts can get jammed after continuous fire

3. Nerf N Strike Elite Strongarm Toy Blaster with Rotating Barrel – Best Affordable Nerf Rival Gun

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Some people are dead serious about their nerf guns – they want range, they want capacity, in short, they want real-life adrenaline-filled experience. If you consider yourself one of these people, you may end up disappointed with this small toy.

However, if you want to get a couple of cheap shots at your colleagues or to give your kids something affordable and safe to play with while you are doing some serious work, you may notice a lot of good things going on here.

So, as you can probably guess by now, this is not the product you will be able to squeeze a lot of mileage out. With only six projectiles fitting in the cartridge, any kind of serious nerf-gun game is out of the question.

But, if you are in for a bit of affordable, mindless fun, you will be glad to know that the gun is well-made, easily fits into hands of different sizes, and, surprisingly enough, reaches all the way up to 90 feet. The missiles are soft enough, so even if they are shot at close range, they can’t really hurt anyone.

All in all – this is one very neat and affordable toy gun that will bring a lot of fun to kids and casual users. Not bad at all.

Pros

  • Very affordable price
  • Solid build quality
  • Automated rapid fire
  • Excellent shooting range
  • Lightweight and easy to use

Cons

  • Only six darts in the cartridge
  • Aiming is not the best

4. NERF Zombie Strike Brainsaw Blaster – Nerf Rival Gun with the Best Gimmick

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Now, we have to admit that we had to throw our professional impartiality out of the windows with this one. We have way too many people who have grown up playing some version of “Doom” to escape the appeal of this chainsaw design. Come on – the foam saw blade even spins when you pull the handle.

And even if you are not an avid fan of this video game franchise, you have to admit that attacking some of your friends or coworkers with the nerf gun looking like this power tool makes the whole thing even more appealing. 

On the other hand, we have to admit that bringing the armed chainsaw to a child’s birthday would be a step too far, even if it’s a toy. So keep it to yourself and your personal escapades.

How about other features?

Well, they are far from excellent but still great for casual afternoon fun. The build quality is sold, the gun shoots the missiles at a reasonable range and features an incredibly gratifying pumping mechanism that will help you feel each shot you fire. 

Sure, you will be able to store only foam darts at the time, and sure, you will be able to shoot only one at the time (works well with the pumping mechanism, though), but hey – you get a damn chainsaw.

Go for the direct hit!

Pros

  • Extremely cool gimmick
  • Good build quality
  • Gratifying pumping mechanism
  • Solid range

Cons

  • Only 8 darts in the cartridge
  • Poor aiming

5. Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike – The Most Versatile Nerf Rival Gun

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Last but not least, we have Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike – a product poised to bring some variety into the same old nerf gun market (without having to mount a chainsaw on top of the gun). But how to do that when all the missiles are made from foam?

Ptarget in any way that feels most appropriate at the moment?

Sure, still a gimmick, but a gimmick that brings in a lot of variety in your combat hours nevertheless.

The assortment you get here is as follows – 10 darts used in a bottom-mounted cartridge, 4 front-charged mega darts, and one huge missile you shout out of the top-mounted missile launcher.

It is also good to know that the materials are damn good. Seriously the plastic feels hard as nails while still being incredibly lightweight and easy to use.

Another thing we would like to point out is that the missiles have a very good trajectory – you won’t have any problem aiming your targets to oblivion.

Of course, there are some drawbacks. First of all, despite all the exciting features, this unit is too expensive for a regular toy. Also, after shooting a couple of consecutive projectiles, the gun tends to get jammed from time to time.

So, a great if somewhat compromised product that offers tons of fun.

Pros

  • Three types of darts
  • Excellent design
  • Quality materials
  • Great trajectory

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Gets jammed from time to time

The Things You Should Check To Get The Best Nerf Rival Gun

So, these were our top five contenders for the illustrious title of the best nerf rival gun on the market. Now that we have sorted out their main strengths and weaknesses let’s quickly go through some of the most important considerations that will help you to find the product that best suits your needs. 

After all, nerf rival guns are toys, and, being such, their overall appeal will largely depend on the needs of the users. So, it’s always good to know what options you have on the table and what features work better than others (especially if you are buying a nerf gun as a present).

So, without further ado, let’s quickly cover some of the most important considerations you will need to take into account before buying a nerf rival gun.

1. Safety Considerations

This topic may seem all-encompassing, but we would like to move it off the table first. Because nerf rival guns are, after all, the toys that are shooting out the high-velocity objects, and this single fact can prove to be quite troublesome, especially if you are buying the unit for the youngest of children. 

Keeping all this in mind, we would like to point out that, even if they are ejecting the projectiles, they are made soft from and can’t cause real injury. If you shoot them, the target will feel them, but won’t experience any discomfort.

However, some kids are more easily scared than others, and even the sudden impact of the soft objects or the noise produced by gun may cause them irritation. Also, although the projectiles are soft, the very guns are usually made of hard plastic, so we would advise you to keep them away from toddlers.

If you want to introduce your kids to this type of toy, wait until they start attending elementary school.

2. Build Quality

And now, let’s move to some more practical considerations. By their nature, nerf rival guns are the toys that are destined to sustain a lot of abuse. They will be thrown away, dropped on the concrete, and who knows what else.

So, it is in your best interest to find the unit that will be able to go through this hell. Fortunately enough, the things here are pretty simple, and you won’t have to deal with a lot of different material options –most of the units are made from plastic.

As long as this plastic feels hefty, wholesome, and durable in your hand, you are good to go.

3. The Projectile Range

The primary consideration here is where you want to use the nerf gun. Most of the kids’ birthdays or office challengers will be able to squeeze a lot of fun out of these toys even with only a couple of feet of shooting range.

However, if you want to move the fun outside and engage in a real backyard war, you will probably need something packing more muscle. You will need, however, to keep one thing in mind – the longer reach always comes with higher velocity.

For instance, the units are able to reach the lengths as long as 100 feet are shooting out the missiles at the speed of 105 feet a second. That is something you definitely want to keep away from your children.

4. The Cartridge Capacity

Some nerf gun sessions tend to break out into a real-life war. Well, we are sorry to break the bad news, but that feeling of adrenaline rush you get when you are anticipating your opponent’s next move will pretty much be destroyed if you need to walk along the battlefield and pick up the darts or balls you have shot earlier and slowly put them back into the cartridge.

So, if you are dead serious about your small nerf rival gun engagements, get yourself a unit that packs as many projectiles as possible.

5. The Type Of Missiles

Last but not least, the missiles you are shooting out of your nerf rival guns are way too easy to misplace in the heat of battle. The chances are that after a couple of battles, you will need to restock your supplies. 

It is in your best interest then to find the toy that uses the universal missiles that can be easily purchased online.

Read More: The Best Transformers Toy


Final Thoughts And Recommendations

So, there you have it – five most popular products competing for the title of the best nerf rival gun. Boy, did we have fun while we were testing these units. That, however, didn’t make our job any easier. If anything, we had so much fun with all of them only made picking up the top three even harder. 

But, being the professionals we are, we had to put emotions aside and eliminate two guns from the completion. Here are the final results.

Best nerf rival gun overall: Nerf Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster

  • This toy gun may have some slight drawbacks, but it packs such a killer price-value ratio it is incredibly hard not to look away from them. And the “value” part plays a huge role here. Even when we put aside a lucrative price, we still get one incredibly well made and satisfying nerf gun that will bring you endless hours of adrenaline-packed joy. 

Best premium nerf rival gun: Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster

  • Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster is a product that is tight, precise, and easy to use. Oh yes, we forgot to mention – you also have the option to rapidly fire 25 consecutive darts without having to recharge. All in all, an excellent purchase. The only serious drawback is the price that ranks this gun as our premium pick.

Best budget pick: Nerf N Strike Elite Strongarm Toy Blaster with Rotating Barrel

  • You ever wanted a cheap way to duke it out with your friend, family, or colleagues while feeling like a tough, battle-ready gunslinger? That is probably the best way to describe the fun we had with this toy. Sure, some other units may offer better quality, more bullets per cartridge, but at this price? Hardly.

About Erin Carpenter

Erin Carpenter has over 15 years experience in the diamond industry working with Artic Canadian Diamonds, Anglo-American Diamonds. She is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as USA Today, Forbes, The New York Times and more.