Blasters

Be Prepared For a Real-Life Jurassic Park Escape With Nerf’s New Line of Dino Blasters

There’s a real simple formula for selling to kids: grab any toy imaginable, combine it with A-list dinosaurs, and you’ve got an instant hint. Nerf has finally done the math and thundering out this spring is its new DinoSquad line of dart and water blasters, which are just about the best honor an extinct species…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Jan 5

Nerf’s Biggest Mandalorian Blaster Won’t Let You Disintegrate a Jawa, But It’s Cool

Although an apparent expert in hand-to-hand combat, most of us would rather see Din Djarin whip out his Amban phase-pulse blaster and completely disintegrate anyone impeding his mission (or latest side quest). Hasbro’s first detailed replica of the blaster won’t vaporize anyone, but it will annoy them, since it’s also a fully-functional Nerf toy. Let’s…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Dec 7

The Only Thing You Have to Pump on a Gas Engine-Powered Nerf Blaster Is Fuel

Since they’re primarily designed for kids Nerf’s dart blasters, even the battery-powered ones, aren’t actually very powerful. It’s why there are entire communities of Nerf modders out there, but Peter Sripol might be the first to upgrade a Nerf blaster with an internal combustion engine. The only thing you really need to pump is gas…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Nov 26

The Hero We Need Built a Gun That Shoots Masks Onto People’s Faces

Unless your brain is performing Olympic-caliber mental gymnastics, wearing a mask during the pandemic is obviously a good thing and the easiest way to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Some have resisted, however, which inspired Allen Pan to invent a gun that quickly shoots a mask on to the face of those not…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Aug 17

11 of the Coolest Builds By Bored People With a Lot of Lego Bricks

There are a lot of reasons why Lego remains one of the world’s most popular toys, over 3,700, in fact: the number of unique Lego pieces that have been created over the decades. It allows everything from Batmobiles, to excavators, to Kessel running space ships to be built from plastic bricks, but Lego can be…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Mar 25

Halo Gets Nerfed, Pettable Pokémon, and G.I. Joe‘s Grand Return Are Already Toy Fair’s Most Fun Reveals

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular roundup of the latest and greatest toy news. This week, we’re basking in the glorious surprises that are already coming out of this weekend’s New York Toy Fair. You can head elsewhere for major Baby Yoda goodness, but here we’ve got Transformers, G.I. Joe, Halo, and more to…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Feb 21

Man Who Probably Hates Having Fingers Builds a Gun That Shoots Playing Cards at 120 MPH

There’s no denying the engineering and building skills of YouTube’s The Practical Engineer. But it’s the “practical” claims we feel the need to question because as impressive as this invention is, does anyone actually need a handheld blaster that can hurl playing cards at speeds over 120 miles per hour? The video goes into quite…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Feb 18

The Best Toys of the Week Are All Nostalgic Blasts From the Past

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s round up of the latest and greatest bits of plastic siphoning money from our cash reserves. This week, we’ve got a mothertrucking great Optimus Prime, Playmobil gets even more retro with Back to the Future, and Mexo’s latest DC Marvel is a throwback to Wonder Woman’s wonderful past. Check…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Oct 4

This Life-Size Dart-Blasting Turret From Portal Will Protect Your Cake

It’s taken a little over 12 years, but one of the amazing technologies featured in the game Portal has finally been recreated in real life. No, sadly not the actual portal-making gun, but the autonomous robotic turret sentries that can identify and dispose of targets. Instead of live ammo, however, this 3D-printed replica blasts Nerf…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Aug 12

Lego Batman Celebrates 80 Years of Comics Batman, and More of the Most Bat-tastic Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round up of all the shiny new bits of plastic threatening our bank accounts that we’ve seen on the internet. This week: Batman celebrates his 80th birthday the Lego way, Nebula strikes a pose with a new Figuarts toy, and the most perfect Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles kitchen…

io9 Andrew Liszewski Mar 29

That Toilet Paper Spitball Blaster Gets a Much-Needed Rapid-Fire Upgrade

Despite being one of the many poop-themed, gross-out toy reveals at last year’s New York Toy Fair, Jakks Pacific’s toilet-paper shooting Skid Shot turned out to be a fun alternative to traditional toy blasters that just shoot foam ammo. For 2019, Jakks is releasing an improved version called the Sheet Storm that fixes my biggest…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Feb 15

This Video Runs Down the Fictional History of One of Star Wars‘ Most Recognizable Blasters

Okay, the most recognizable blaster in Star Wars is probably Han’s Blaster, the Dl-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol. But this is the second. The E-11 Blaster is wielded by heroes and villains alike, the standard-issue gun of Imperial Stormtroopers, part of a lineage of fictional weapons used by the Grand Army of the Republic before it…

Movies Julie Muncy Jan 26

The Post-Apocalyptic Abe Lincoln the Country Deserves, and More of the Best Axe-Wielding Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round up of all things collectible, toy-related, and budget-breaking. This week we’ve got a beautiful Transformer from the Bumblebee movie that doesn’t actually transform, a post-apocalyptic version of Abraham Lincoln and more minifigures from The Lego Movie 2, and the return of everyone’s favorite space ranger in action…

io9 Andrew Liszewski Jan 18

This Customized Hydrogen-Powered Nerf Blaster Makes Its Own Explosive Fuel

If you’ve ever been disappointed by the performance of a Nerf toy, you’re not alone. For safety (and legal) reasons the blasters come with limited power out of the box, but there’s a thriving community of modders online who’ve found ways to give them more kick. That includes Peter Sripol who hacked a Nerf blaster…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Dec 6

The Newest and Purest Version of Monopoly Is Just a Blaster That Shoots Money

No game on Earth better represents the American dream than Monopoly. But at its heart, the classic board game isn’t about buying properties, going to jail, or running the local utilities; it’s about amassing wealth. So with Monopoly Cash Grab, Hasbro has distilled the game down to its purest form, replacing the board, tokens, and…

io9 Andrew Liszewski Nov 27

Stunning Star Wars, Star Trek, and Black Panther Figures, and More of the Prettiest Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular roundup of the best toys around. This week, we’ve got some cute and collectible little Transformers, Mezco takes a swing at Spider-Man: Homecoming’s other spider-suit, and Funko goes all the way in on your childhood cartoon nostalgia with a new line of Disney figures. Check it out! Transformers…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski Oct 26

The Perfect Nerf Knock-Offs

Nerf ranks up there with Lego, Hot Wheels, and Barbie, as one of the most recognizable brands in the toy industry, but can you have just as much fun pinging your co-worker with foam ammo fired from one of its competitor’s products? I went hands on with two Nerf alternatives: the Adventure Force Commandfire and…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Jul 31

Hellboy, Waffle Makers, Overwatch Nerf Blasters, and More of the Most Collectible Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s weekly round up of all things fun, collectible, and frivolous. San Diego Comic-Con is but a distant memory at this point, but thankfully there’s still plenty of toy news to be had. Lego’s still pumping out new sets, Jell-O’s trying its hand at making edible toys, and we’ve got…

io9 Andrew Liszewski Jul 27

Now There’s a Water Gun That Shoots Liquid Bullets and Refills Itself

Until the Super Soaker came along in 1990, water guns hadn’t changed much in over a century. But the Super Soaker was 28 years ago, and a group of German engineers and designers think it’s finally time for water guns to evolve again. They’ve created the self-filling Spyra One that fires quick bursts of water…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Jul 26

Nerf’s New Laser Tag Blasters Ditched the Darts, and I Don’t Miss Them

Over-the-top Nerf battles are a fun and (mostly) painless way to determine who in the office has to buy the donuts this week. What’s not so fun is having to hunt down every last missing dart afterwards. Hasbro’s eliminated that hassle with its new Laser Ops Pro blasters; an updated version of laser tag that…

Other Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Jul 25

Blasters

Be Prepared For a Real-Life Jurassic Park Escape With Nerf’s New Line of Dino Blasters

Nerf’s Biggest Mandalorian Blaster Won’t Let You Disintegrate a Jawa, But It’s Cool

The Only Thing You Have to Pump on a Gas Engine-Powered Nerf Blaster Is Fuel

The Hero We Need Built a Gun That Shoots Masks Onto People’s Faces

11 of the Coolest Builds By Bored People With a Lot of Lego Bricks

Halo Gets Nerfed, Pettable Pokémon, and G.I. Joe‘s Grand Return Are Already Toy Fair’s Most Fun Reveals

Man Who Probably Hates Having Fingers Builds a Gun That Shoots Playing Cards at 120 MPH

The Best Toys of the Week Are All Nostalgic Blasts From the Past

This Life-Size Dart-Blasting Turret From Portal Will Protect Your Cake

Lego Batman Celebrates 80 Years of Comics Batman, and More of the Most Bat-tastic Toys of the Week

That Toilet Paper Spitball Blaster Gets a Much-Needed Rapid-Fire Upgrade

This Video Runs Down the Fictional History of One of Star Wars‘ Most Recognizable Blasters

The Post-Apocalyptic Abe Lincoln the Country Deserves, and More of the Best Axe-Wielding Toys of the Week

This Customized Hydrogen-Powered Nerf Blaster Makes Its Own Explosive Fuel

The Newest and Purest Version of Monopoly Is Just a Blaster That Shoots Money

Stunning Star Wars, Star Trek, and Black Panther Figures, and More of the Prettiest Toys of the Week

The Perfect Nerf Knock-Offs

Hellboy, Waffle Makers, Overwatch Nerf Blasters, and More of the Most Collectible Toys of the Week

Now There’s a Water Gun That Shoots Liquid Bullets and Refills Itself

Nerf’s New Laser Tag Blasters Ditched the Darts, and I Don’t Miss Them

Crypto Project Details Alleged 6-Month North Korean Intel Op Behind $285 Million Hack

Crypto Investment Scams Were the Most Costly Type of Fraud in the U.S. in 2025

This $1.78/mo VPN Shouldn’t Be This Good: Surfshark’s Deal That Feels Illegal

Dropbox Is a Joke: Get pCloud Family at $1,550 Off With Free Password Manager

Someone Finally Took a Good iPhone Photo of the Moon. Good Luck Copying Their Trick

In Letter, OpenAI Reportedly Says Elon Musk and Meta Are Coordinating ‘Attacks’ Against It

Artemis 2 Day 6: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

Anonymous Sources Detail Sam Altman’s Alleged Untrustworthiness in New Report

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

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