The Nerf-Fortnite partnership keeps on rolling, with new entries like the HC-E. This time, however, instead of being a Super Soaker, it’s a Mega Blaster. It only holds one shot, making it a glorified Hotshock, but it does have a lovely shell (as you’d imagine). In addition, being a Mega blaster means it ultimately has some extra potential, should you choose to modify it.

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Simple and Effective

The HC-E is easy to understand and use. The slide on top primes the blaster. Pulling the trigger fires the blaster. Load a Mega dart in the barrel as needed.

The blaster is kid oriented, just like the game. The proportions match that theme, with a large, angular barrel and slide, but a small grip. This is probably the blaster’s largest flaw; there’s not much room in the trigger guard for a small finger, let alone larger ones. This is one area where practical use could have had a bit more say. I realize toys shaped like this need some comical proportions, but…that seriously limits the appeal.

Otherwise, the blaster shell is rugged and durable, like you’d expect. Look for the hidden llamas!

On the inside are all the things you’d expect. The slide pulls back on the plunger rod, and has a spring return. The plunger and barrel easily come apart. The spring is of a relatively large diameter. This is as simple as blasters get (as stated, this is a glorified Hotshock).

It should be noted that the plunger tube is slightly tapered. As such, only the front of the plunger volume actually propels the dart.

Performance

Being a single shot blaster, users shouldn’t expect exciting rates of fire. Even so, I was able to easily do one dart every two seconds, with spare Megas handy for reloading.

In terms of power, the HC-E launched darts at an average of 62fps – a perfectly fine velocity for the three large darts included in the package.

Final Thoughts

The HC-E isn’t rewriting the books when it comes to blaster mechanics, and it doesn’t have to. The cartoonish toy makes for a perfectly fine single-shot Mega blaster. But since other blasters can do just as well for cheaper, it will ultimately be a question of how much Fortnite appeals to you (or the kid/adult you’re buying it for). And if your hand can actually fit comfortably.