The Rival Finisher was an interesting entry at the Hasbro Toy Fair event. A mag-fed Rival pistol for only $15, with a new kind of magazine? It makes for an interesting alternative to the current staple of Rival collections, the Kronos. The magazine itself isn’t as revolutionary as one would hope, but the blaster (while somewhat bare bones in nature) is a solid addition on the cheaper end of the Rival line.
The Solution is Always More Balls
The blaster is, admittedly, a little less comfortable to use than a Kronos. This is noticeable in the grip and trigger; hand contours are gone, while the trigger features a flat surface and a stiff pull. Limited use, you won’t mind a lot. Extended use in a war or Humans v Zombies, event, however, could be an issue in that regard.
One difference? The shallow magazine well. It does eliminate the need for a jam door. The release button being in front is a bit different. Even so, given that we’re talking about Rival magazines, it’s still easy to press the button and pull out the magazine with one hand. At least, a lot easier than it would be with a dart magazine (like Buzz Bee tends to do).
There is a single tactical rail on top, and a priming indicator at the rear. The safety lever and jam release button both sit on the left side, above the trigger.
A New Magazine
This magazine also doesn’t seem to want to load into my Apollo and Helios. Do note, though, that all Rival mags will work in the Finisher.
Performance
My Finisher averaged 91fps over about 80 shots, with standard Nerf Rival ammo, just above the 90fps claims on the box. Firing fast, you can do roughly two shots per second (there is no slamfire).
Internals
Otherwise, the internals are as we expect. The loading system of the Apollo/Helios has been mated with a simple priming mechanism.
Final Thoughts
The Finisher is a good entry-level Rival blaster. In terms of comfort, it’s not perfect. The new magazine also doesn’t really add much in terms of utility. Even so, the blaster performs well, and provides a solid magazine-fed option for just $15. The Kronos might be the gold standard for Rival pistols, but if you need the capacity provided by magazines, the Finisher is a viable option.