Blasterhub’s 2024 Best Blaster List

November 7, 2024

Here we are, about a month and a half before Christmas, and I actually have time to put a list out before the holidays! Tons of parents (and kids) are looking for a great blaster, or at least a good blaster with a great deal. “Kidults” like me, as the toy industry calls us, are looking for items that appeal to us as well. So why not get this post out of the way before life gets too busy? Here’s the Blasterhub 2024 Best Blaster List.

Minor Disclaimer

There are going to be some issues in terms of “ranking” items. 2024 has been absolutely amazing for Dart Zone, for example, who had multiple great blasters in select categories, so while I’ll pick my favorite spring-powered pro blaster of the year, that doesn’t mean you have to agree. There’s plenty of room for debate, and where appropriate, I’ll list and link great alternatives to my choices.

Best Spring-Powered Blaster for Kids

  • Buzz Bee Air Warriors Twist Fury

My wife did not appreciate this photo.

($15 Dollar General Exclusive)

Of all the things I thought I’d see this year, “hobbyist blaster turned into mainstream product” was not on the list. But I know Taffy (creator of the Skewer), and after so many Nerf war shenanigans, I can safely say it’s one of the best stock blasters on shelves right now. Even if you have no interest in modifying the blaster or adapting it for half darts, it’s easy to use, inexpensive, and simply tons of fun. Distribution varies, due to Dollar General being the retailer, but if you can find one, it’s a great blaster for both plinking and combat.

Did I mention that, since Buzz Bee Toys makes the magazines that can be linked together, you can potentially connect multiple Twist Fury blasters together for hilarious hijinks? It’s not the strongest selling point, but I love that it’s possible!

Alternatives

  • Nerf N Series Infinite ($40, but often on sale) (Review link) Nerf’s choice to be the flagship of their new dart ecosystem, and it’s both a great blaster and comes with lots of extra darts!

Best Electronic Blaster for Kids

  • Nerf N Series Sprinter

($30 Walmart Exclusive)

The other really cool blaster from the new Nerf N Series! Hitting 95fps on average isn’t anything to sneeze at, and this blaster is possibly the best candidate for promoting Nerf’s new dart ecosystem. Maybe if enough of them sell, Hasbro will be convinced that we actually need more magazines to be available…

In any case, if you’re looking for new flywheel-powered blasters, the options are limited. There are several available from last year, including the Xshot Insanity Rage Fire (with various new SKUs at different retailers this year, featuring extra chains, new colorways, etc.).

Alternatives:

  • Adventure Force Rogue ($25 Walmart Exclusive) (Review Link) Classic format, with a huge capacity drum.
  • Xshot Insanity Clip Mania ($25 and spotted at Walmart) (Review Link) High performance, lots of included extras.

Best Pro-Level Springers

  • Dart Zone Max Stryker 2.0

($50 Target Exclusive)

Dart Zone did a great job refreshing the product line both online and at multiple stores, and the pro-springer category is no exception. The Stryker 2.0 was, in my review, one of the best experiences I had with a blaster all year. The 25 round drum was the perfect size for running around while reloading on the fly, and including a magazine adapter for a heavy loadout style of play makes it a blaster for everyone ages 14+. There are plenty of great alternatives on the market (not just from Dart Zone, either), and if you’re the type to modify your blasters, some will be even more flexible in terms of pushing those FPS limits. But for sheer fun on top of power and accuracy, the Stryker 2.0 is hard to beat.

Also, Dart Zone has extra drums and other accessories online.

Alternatives:

  • Adventure Force Nexus Pro X ($50 Walmart Exclusive) (Review Link) It’s just as good, just a different flavor!
  • Worker Seagull ($125 from Out of Darts) (Review Link Coming Soon) The heavier, injection molded hobbyist competitor is worth a look!

  • Adventure Force Aeon Pro X

($20 Walmart Exclusive)

Another Dart Zone favorite, this blaster is an update of the original Aeon Pro, and it’s got plenty of power to spare. It’s rated for 150′ ranges, but even something as simple as adding a Dart Zone bearing attachment lengthens the effective barrel enough to extend ranges while still being accurate. And it still includes slamfire in a compact pistol-like format! The fact that, as of this writing, it’s $5 cheaper than when it debuted is just icing on the cake.

I still wish the purple version was available in the United States…

Alternatives

  • Nerf Pro Torrent ($30 MSRP, multiple stores) (Review link coming soon) Initial units had issues, but it’s still a decently priced alternative, especially on sale, and the magazines it uses are even on store shelves!

Best Pro-Level Electronic Blasters

  • Dart Zone Max Venom Pro

($50 Target Exclusive)

Honestly, this category was hard, because almost ALL the choices were from Dart Zone, with the lone exception being far more capable but also more expensive. Though even that can be taken care of with a good Target Circle deal if you’re vigilant…

The Venom Pro finally puts the “machine pistol” on shelves, whereas other blasters (The Worker Nightingale and Nightingale 2.0 come to mind) have previously only been available online. The rev trigger is set up differently, but it’s easy to use – and plenty of people have already modified the blaster to fit their preferences. Seven darts a second, two magazines, and more mags available from Dart Zone? Running around with one of these is a blast – and two has been even more fun.

Alternatives