A NERF videogame? Now I’ve seen it all…
In a world specifically created to be the perfect landscape for NERF pandemonium, players can wreak havoc and perfect their blasting skills or challenge friends to clashes.
With the brand new SWITCH SHOT EX-3 custom NERF blaster players can take the blaster from real life playing with friends outside to the digital world, where they can continue to play and challenge friends in a high octane digital console environment and back again.
When I got the package for NERF N-Strike, I was surprised and a little confused. I didn’t see it on any line-up and it is an EA/Hasbro game, so I decided to check out their press page and found it hidden away in the archives. It comes included with its very own gun that can used for the game as well as other Wii lightgun games…OR as just a toy which fires nerf missiles. I must admit, I did spend longer playing with the actual gun as a toy instead of on the game.
What is surprising is that NERF N-Strike is actually a decent game, although a lot of things hold it back from reaching the likes of Umbrella Chronicles/House of the Living Dead games. Essentially it’s built up of mini-games like destroying wave after wave of robots or shooting blocks off a platform, there are 22 in total but they are very similar and become repetitive quickly. The accuracy of the Wii Remote helps and the gun is much nicer to use than the ugly Zapper from Nintendo. It’s a much better attachment and easier to use.
The game does offer a story which sees you competing against other people who like shooting things; it’s very basic but gives enough reason for you to play. The competitors can be quite annoying with repeated one-liners that are irritating to hear, that is my main complaint other than the game being incredibly easy; it offers little challenge to gamers looking for something to test them. Having said that, the game is meant for ages 7+, so I would expect them to probably struggle at the later stages of the game.
You have to pick a blaster for each mission and you can unlock new ones by completing the mission using that specific weapon, each are varied and are different to handle. They are mostly powerful and will not disappoint other than making the game far too easy to complete.
I would have liked challenges to be more varied, but they sadly become nothing more than just tougher versions for each challenger you have to beat. There is a multiplayer component for 4 players, but alas there is no online included…it’s not unexpected, but would have been a nice addition nonetheless.
The visuals are quite strong for a Wii game, although I know it’s capable of much more. They’ve played it a bit safe, but the framerate is consistent throughout. Voice-acting is cheesy and irritating, but younger gamers probably won’t mind all that.
The Verdict
NERF N-Strike is an odd game, almost unexpected. It’s good and comes with a nice new gun that I will try and use with Umbrella Chronicles, but the main game itself is repetitive and too similar after a while, offering no difficulty for hardcore gamers but might offer something for the younger player. If you go into this game with low expectations, you might just enjoy it.
