The foam blaster category is a competitive space, and this fall market leader Hasbro dropped the curtain on an entirely new segment: NERF Ultra.
Boasting “the farthest-flying NERF darts ever,” the line debuted with the NERF Ultra One, a motorized blaster touted as being “the gold standard” for distance, accuracy, and speed.
At first glance, the NERF Ultra One is a great-looking blaster with a lot of style. The sleek, sharp lines and largely orange-and-white color scheme (peppered with gold and black) recall some of the Stormtrooper blasters that Hasbro has released under the NERF Star Wars collection over the past few years. The blaster also has some real heft to it. Powered by four C-cell batteries, the NERF Ultra One holds up to 25 darts in its rotating drum, with on-board storage for an additional eight spares on the blaster stock.
The darts themselves are interesting in that they’re proprietary and only work with the NERF Ultra blasters, assuming that others will join the One down the line. The darts are a composite crafted from lightweight foam; they have a different look and texture than the darts that blaster enthusiasts have been using for years. They also feature a new flight tip design and “Aerofin technology” at the back of each dart.
Motorized blasters have a tendency to be really loud, and the NERF Ultra One is no exception. You won’t be stalking opponents in a covert nature with this one, though the distance might make up for the lack of quiet on approach. Judging by the unscientific measurements taken by playing in our yard and neighborhood, the NERF Ultra certainly fires farther than any other blaster in our arsenal, though I can’t say for sure if it’s actually “up to 120 feet” as advertised. It’s probably pretty close. From an accuracy standpoint, the results are mixed, but still pretty good, though the darts are a bit fickle and need to be loaded carefully to avoid jamming — a common issue with all foam dart blasters.
Overall, the NERF Ultra One is a fun blaster that was quickly in demand among the combatants in the neighborhood.
Photos: Hasbro, the Pop Insider
