Finding the perfect NERF gun can be tricky. Although these foam-dart blasters may seem simple on the surface, there is a lot to consider. New ranges are added to the NERF lineup every month, so it’s understandable if you’re feeling overwhelmed. For example, what is the difference between a Rival and Elite 2.0 blaster?

To help you navigate the ever-expanding NERF universe, we’ve put together a list of the best NERF guns available today. Each blaster is more suitable for a specific playstyle, so be sure to look through the entire list and pick out your favorite.

If you’re looking for something in a specific range, check out the rest of our series-specific top 10s.

1. NERF N-Strike Elite Infinus

NERF N-Strike Elite Infinus N-Strike blaster

Features

Fully Automatic

Motorized blaster

“Speed Load” Technology 

30 round dart drum 

Includes 30 Elite darts 

Requires 4 D cell batteries

Every once in a while, Hasbro introduces some game-changing technology to turn your blasting game on its head. Not only is the NERF N-Strike Elite Infinus an impressive motorized blaster in its own right (more on that later), but it features revolutionary “Speed-Load Technology” which allows you to constantly feed the blaster with darts without needing to remove the 30-dart drum. Reloading is a thing of the past with the Infinus!

The Infinus is a motorized fully-automatic blaster and is light enough to give you excellent agility on the field. One of the first things you will notice on the Infinus is a gaping hole just in front of the integrated shoulder stock – this is actually the speed loader! All you need to do is feed your darts through the hole, and they will automatically get loaded in the blaster. It is oddly enjoyable just constantly feeding the blaster as a stream of NERF mayhem heads your enemies’ way.

The Infinus includes 2 tactical rails (front and back) located on top of the blaster, which gives you a lot of options for customization. There are also four sling points located around the blaster, just in case you wanted to clip on a strap to keep things steady.

We haven’t been so excited by a blaster in a long time. The speed-load tech is truly game-changing. We’ll no longer have nightmares of being caught in the middle of a firefight and realizing we have to reload!

2. NERF ULTRA SELECT

Features

Fully-automatic 

Motorized blaster 

Integrated iron sight 

Integrated shoulder stock 

Includes 2x 10 dart clip 

Easy clip switching 

Removable shoulder stock (with clip storage) 

1x tactical rail 

5x sling attachment points

Includes 10 AccuStrike ULTRA NERF darts & 10 ULTRA NERF darts

Requires 6 C batteries

The NERF Ultra Select is the first fully-automatic ULTRA NERF gun – combining the phenomenal firing distance of the Ultra series with the terror only inspired by a full-auto blaster.

 

As a fully-automatic blaster, the Select is going to burn through your NERF ammo at an alarming rate, but thanks to the inclusion of a novel clip selector, you can load up two 10 dart clips at one time. Once you have exhausted your first clip, move the clip selector handle (located just under the barrel) to instantly switch to a fresh magazine. Not only does the clip selector mean you don’t have to worry about reloading, but it also allows for some very strategic thinking…The Select comes with both 10 long-distance ULTRA darts and 10 special AccuStrike ULTRA darts designed for precision. It won’t matter if your enemy is near or far, no one is going to be able to escape you now!

Now remember, as this is a full-auto NERF gun, you won’t need to pull the trigger for each shot. Once you have the accelerator button (located under the trigger) held down, all you need to do is squeeze the trigger, and a stream of foam hell is going to fly against your opponents. The integrated shoulder stock should also help you out with your accuracy as you go full Rambo on the battlefield.

With so much crammed into one blaster, the Select is surprisingly light – coming in at 4.24 pounds – but if you wanted extra support, there are 5 sling points located around the blaster to help spread the burden. If you want to add even more, there is even a tactical rail for you to throw on some attachments.

The undisputed King of the ULTRA series, the Select combines all of the best of the other blasts and squeezes them into a devastating package – it also looks pretty intimidating to boot!

3. NERF ULTRA SPEED

NERF Ultra Speed blaster

Features

Fully Automatic

Iron sights 

Integrated clip storage

2x 12 dart Ultra Speed clips

1x Tactical rail 

Includes 24 NERF AccuStrike Ultra darts

Requires 6 “C” batteries 

Looking to absolutely obliterate your rivals? The NERF Ultra Speed is a foam-dart death machine. With a fire rate of 7 darts per second combined with 24 NERF AccuStrike Ultra darts, the Ultra Speed will have your enemies left in the dust before they even know you were there.

 

The Ultra Speed blaster is a clip-fed, full-automatic NERF gun allowing you to unleash a hail of darts without having to continually pull the trigger. The Ultra Speed comes with 2 specialized 12-dart clips and has a clever storage slot located under the shoulder stock so you won’t have to worry about running out of darts as you launch into the carnage. One thing to note though is that because the Speed has specialized clips, you won’t be able to use any of your other Ultra or NERF clips here.

The NERF Ultra Speed blaster also comes with 24 NERF AccuStrike Ultra darts, meaning you can bring two full clips onto the field with you. It almost feels unfair that this blaster not only fires darts at a rapid pace, but as these are Ultra AccuStrikes, it is also deadly accurate!

To start blasting, simply load the clip into the underside of the Speed, hold down the acceleration button to power up the motor, and pull the trigger to fire. The Speed features a drop-down grip just under the muzzle to help you keep a steady aim and there is even an integrated iron sight on top to help you place those tough shots.

If you are looking for some serious firepower and don’t want to compromise on accuracy, we seriously recommend getting the Ultra Speed. Do remember though that batteries aren’t included so you’ll need to pick up 6 “C” batteries to get this bad boy started.

4. NERF Elite 2.0 Flipshots Flip-32

NERF Elite 2.0 Flipshots Flip-32

Features

Manual blaster 

Front loaded

Flip-shot blaster 

Fire two darts at a time

32 dart capacity (4x 8 shot barrels) 

1x tactical rail 

Includes 32 Elite 2.0 NERF darts 

When we first saw the NERF Elite 2.0 Flipshots Flip-32, it blew our minds (not literally, we’re okay). It feels like Hasbro threw the rulebook out the window when conceiving the Flipshots sub-series of Elite 2.0.

 

Blasters in the Flipshots sub-series have a unique feature, the ability to “flip” their barrels and instantly give you a new set of darts to unleash on your enemies. The mechanics are pretty cool; to “flip” all you need to do is pump the handle (located on the underside of the blaster) and you can keep on shooting. There is even a handy locking mechanism which stops the barrels flipping unexpectedly as you tear across the field.

The ability to instantly reload your NERF gun would be scary on any blaster, but the NERF Flip-32 features four, eight dart barrels – giving you a staggering 32 dart capacity before you even have to reload! The barrels themselves are front-loaded, so it’s worth a little preparation time before any fight, as you really don’t want to be sat in the middle of a blaster fight loading up.

The Flip-32’s tricks don’t end there; oh no – not only will you be flipping and firing, but thanks to a special trigger, you can actually fire two darts at once! Pull the trigger halfway to pop off one dart, but engage it fully and two pieces of foam hell will launch your opponents’ way. Now, as you might expect, packing so much firepower, the Flip-32 is a chunky beast. Coming in at just under 6 pounds, it will certainly give you a workout, but thanks to the integrated shoulder stock, it’s pretty comfortable to handle, as long as you’re relatively stationary…To prime the Flip-32, there is a handle located under the trigger which you will need to push forwards and back before each shot, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be firing off NERF salvos at rapid speed.

This is truly an amazing NERF gun. The flip innovation completely changes blasting as you can carry a serious amount of ammo with you at all times and not have to worry too much about the next reload. The fact it comes with 32 Elite darts in the box also means that a purchase will also considerably increase your ammo supplies.

5. NERF Modulus Longstrike

Features

Manual blaster

Bolt-action 

Includes barrel extension, distance scope, bi-pod stabilizer 

Includes 3x 6 dart clips 

3x Tactical rails 

3x sling mounts

Includes 18 NERF Elite darts 

Wow, Hasbro really went all out with the NERF Modulus Longstrike. Unlike many of the blasters in the Modulus range, the Longstrike comes with a ton of attachments straight out of the box. It may be a little more expensive than other guns, but trust us, it’s serious value for money.

The base blaster is a bolt-action, single-shot NERF gun that makes use of 6 dart clips (loaded at the bottom) – allowing for easy reloading and simple firing. What makes the Longstrike an absolute winner (at least in our eyes) is the bundle of attachments. If you’re after a little more stability, you can attach the included blaster stock – which will not only steady your aim but also has space for you to store 2 entire (included) six dart clips; no need to return to the ammo dump, you’ll always have clips to spare. Next on the attachment list is the (included) barrel extension. The extension won’t enhance your range, but it will allow you to slot in the (included) flip-down, bipod stabilizer. Once you’ve loaded on all the extras, the only thing left to do is decide where you want to attach the (included) distance sight (either on the front or back of the blaster).

The Longstrike is tremendous fun and the fact that you get all of the attachments out of the box is a real treat. The thing we like most about the Longstrike is that if you remove all of the attachments, you have a very compact blaster in your hands, meaning you can tweak and customize your blaster for any situation – 10 out of 10 must-have for any customization fans.

6. NERF N-Strike MEGA Motostryke

NERF N-Strike Mega Motostryke

Features

Motorized blaster

Semi-automatic 

10 dart, transparent clip 

1x Tactical rail 

Sling mount

Integrated shoulder stock 

Includes 10 NERF Mega darts

Requires 4 “C” batteries

Well, doesn’t the NERF Mega Motostryke look awesome? We’re not sure if it’s the dappled red textures painted across the blaster or the serious chunky size but we are in love with this gun. Throw in the fact that this is a motorized semi-auto with a transparent clip and you may never look at another NERF gun in the same way.

The Motostryke is a solid blaster, weighing just over 5 pounds; everything on the blaster is big. There is an oversized blaster stock to help you keep stability in your shots, a chunky fore-grip, and even a hook for a sling (in case it gets too heavy). To get shooting, you will need to load up your 10 dart clip, slot it into the bottom of the blaster, and hold down the motor-acceleration button.

The Motostryke is a semi-automatic NERF gun, so you will need to pull the trigger for each shot, but if you have a quick finger, you won’t lose too much time on opponents touting full-autos. You’ll also be able to keep an eye on how much ammo you have left thanks to the transparent clip!

As you have probably worked out, we really like the Motostryke – it’s big, mean, and has everything included

7. NERF Rival Takedown XX-800

NERF Rival Takedown XX-800 blaster

Features

Manual blaster

Includes 8 High Impact rounds 

Breech-loaded 

Tactical Rails

The Rival Takedown is a down-and-dirty one-shot beauty. With an inbuilt 8-round capacity, breech loading, and a pump-action priming mechanism, and a relatively low asking price, the Takedown is one of our favorite Rival blasters to date.

As a breech-loaded blaster, the Takedown is exceptionally easy to reload and doesn’t require any fiddly drum changes or break chambers. Even as you sprint around the field, you can pop more rounds into the breech and be good to go for another shot.

Though this is a single-shot blaster, the pump-action priming means you can get shots off in rapid succession, and it is light enough to be fired from one hand (duel-wielding, anyone?!).

Like all Rival blasters, the Takedown includes a trigger guard for added safety. Throw in two tactical rails located on the top of the blaster, and you have a very neat package indeed.

We absolutely love the simplicity of this blaster – a must-have.

8. NERF Elite 2.0 Phoenix CS-6

NERF Elite 2.0 Phoenix CS-6 blaster blaster blaster

Features

Semi-Automatic 

Motorized blaster

Includes 12 Elite darts

Includes 6 dart clip 

Includes removal scope

5 tactical rails 

Requires 4 AA batteries

Well, well, well, Hasbro has gotten a lot of things right with the Elite 2.0 Phoenix. Perhaps it is symbolic that the best 2.0 has to offer is named after the bird of rebirth, but then again, perhaps we are just trying to stretch a metaphor.

The blaster is a small, lightweight, motorized marvel. It sports 5 tactical rails and stock attachment slots, so you can customize this blaster in almost every way imaginable. Pair the customization options with a lovely 6-dart clip and large targeting scope, and you have found a match made in heaven.

Note that this is a semi-automatic blaster, so even though it is fully motorized, you will need to pull the trigger for each shot. Though the Phoenix may not max out ammo capacity or fire as many darts as a full-auto, it is perfect for agile players who want to stay mobile when blasting.

9. NERF Fortnite AR-L Blaster

NERF Fortnite AR-L Blaster

Features

Semi-Automatic 

Motorized blaster

10 dart clip 

Includes 20 NERF Elite Fortnite darts

1x Tactical rail 

2x Flip up sights 

Requires 4 AA batteries

The NERF Fortnite AR-L is a semi-automatic, motorized blaster modeled on the legendary skinned Fortnite AR. If the canary yellow color style doesn’t quite do it for you, there are a few choices available (our favorite being the Durrr-Burger).

Aside from our excitement that we can now recreate some of our favorite Fortnite moments in real life, the AR-L is a tidy NERFing machine. Hasbro hasn’t just phoned it in for a quick cash grab here; the AR-L has all of the features that you have come to love from other ranges.

The generous inclusion of 20 darts combined with a 10 dart clip means that not only can you stay on the field longer, but you’ll also have enough darts to fill an entire clip for easy reloading. Trust us, you are going to need those extra darts as the inbuilt motor means you are going to be popping off shots as fast as you can pull the trigger. To make sure you aren’t firing blindly, the AR-L features two flip-up sights and a long tactical rail located on top of the blaster; so even if the sights don’t help, you can always pop on an additional scope for added accuracy. If in your NERFing frenzy one of your darts does get jammed, there is a jam door located on the barrel so you can quickly unclog and get back to firing.

The Fortnite AR-L is a great entry into the NERF universe and proves that just because it’s a collaboration, it doesn’t have to suck. If you do run out of Fortnite darts, don’t worry, the AR-L fires standard Elite darts as well (phew)

10. NERF Rival Charger MXX-1200

NERF Rival Charger MXX-1200

Features

Semi-automatic

Motorized blaster

Includes 24 High Impact rounds 

12 round magazine

Tactical rail 

Trigger lock

Requires 6 “C” batteries

Ok, so we might be showing our age here, but the NERF Rival Charger conjures memories of the infamous SBP90 machine guns in TimeSplitters – the resemblance is uncanny! The similarities don’t just stop with the look either; the Charger is a compact semi-automatic blasting machine! Whoever cooked this motorized NERF gun up must be a fan of the classic from Free Radical.

The Charger is a neat little blaster that packs a mean punch. There aren’t too many moving parts here, so if you’re looking for a quick and easy semi-automatic Rival gun, this isn’t a bad place to start. Though smaller (and with less capacity) than the Nemesis and not fully automatic like the Perses, the Charger’s price point and compact design mean it’s a no-brainer for anyone looking to jump in with the Rival range.

Doing away with magazines, clips, or hoppers – the Charger makes use of an integrated 12-round magazine which is loaded at the top of the blaster. Hasbro has thrown in 12 additional High Impact rounds, so you even have spares for an extra reload before you need to high-tail it back to your ammo dump. You don’t need to worry about rapid movement either, as there’s a magazine guard that slips over the loading slot to stop any wayward rounds escaping.

As a semi-automatic blaster, you will need to hold down the acceleration button (located under the trigger) and squeeze off each shot to fire, but thanks to the 100 FPS fire rate, your enemies won’t know what hit them!

We really like the NERF Rival Charger. It’s simple, compact, and reminds us of fond memories of dual-wielding SBP90’s in TS2 (which is very doable if you fancied picking up two Chargers). If you fancy getting the Charger into your arsenal, be sure to pick up six “C” batteries, as they don’t come in the box.

11. NERF ULTRA TWO

NERF ULTRA TWO blaster

Features

Semi-automatic 

Motorized blaster

6 dart rotating barrel 

2x Tactical rails 

Includes 6 ULTRA darts  

Requires 6 AA batteries  

Here is something a little different – introducing the NERF ULTRA TWO. A nifty one-handed revolver that is packing some serious firepower. If you’re a newcomer to the ULTRA series, there are a few things you need to know: 1) They fire special ULTRA darts, 2) They have a range of over 125ft!

The ULTRA TWO is a 6-shot revolver that abandons front-loading and instead is loaded from the back of the blaster. This may seem like a small change, but it works incredibly well and shaves off the vital few seconds it takes to reload, meaning you can get back to blasting.

Not only does the ULTRA TWO get top marks for being a one-handed blaster, it’s also a motorized semi-automatic blaster, which is damn impressive when you consider its size! People aren’t going to know what hit them when you rock up with two of these strapped to your hip.

As a semi-auto, you’ll need to pull the trigger for each shot, but as an eagle-eyed gunslinger, you don’t need hundreds of darts to defeat your enemies, do you?

To top (and bottom) it off, the ULTRA TWO includes two tactical rails – one above and below the barrel, so if you do need a bit more target practice, why not slot on a red dot sight or maybe even a long-range scope!?