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Nerf N-Strike Elite

(2009, Video Games - First Person Shooter, Rated E10+, Play it on: Nintendo Wii)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Fun kids' shooter where Wii controller fits into Nerf gun.

In this game kids can:   battle others, become a hero, improve hand-eye coordination, kill non-humans (without blood), play in a virtual world, play multiplayer games, play with others

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Ease of play:

    This game is fairly easy to play. Essentially, you aim at oncoming targets on your TV set and shoot. However, to get special items, you have to accumulate more points and shoot with more accuracy.

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.

  • Messages:

    The message is that, through teamwork, you can defeat evil; in this case in the form of flying spaceships, robots, and slimy little alien goo-objects. The teamwork also includes choosing more powerful blasters to more easily defeat the enemy.

  • Role models:

    There are various types of role models here: the smart nerd who's your commander, the strong guy, the witty girl, the All-American boy. All of them help each other out and all of them - except for the commander - are playable.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    There is constant shooting through the game. However, there are no humans shot and there is never any blood. Mostly,  you are shooting at robots or flying vehicles. The robots fall apart when they're shot, but they do not moan. Often, enemies expire with a flash of light.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    This is a game based upon the Hasbro toy gun franchise. While there's no hard sell, it's clear the game promotes the various Nerf  blaster guns on the market today.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Nerf N-Strike Elite was written by Harold Goldberg

Parents need to know this is a shooter game about targeting robots and flying vehicles. However, there is no blood, no gore, and no moaning when robots are vanquished. Nerf N-Strike Elite comes with an actual Nerf gun into which you place the Wii remote to play. It's really a mindless shooter that can be exciting - if you haven't played the previous version of the game (which is very similar).

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about their favorite characters in the game. Of the four, which one do you prefer? Is it because of the guns he or she has or because of their personalities?
  • Of all the blaster guns in the game, which is your favorite and why?
  • Do you like the constant shooting or would you like something else to do in the game?
Did this review help you decide?
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More on Nerf N-Strike Elite

What’s the Story?

NERF N-STRIKE ELITE is the followup to last year’s on-rails shooter based on the popular Hasbro Nerf toy franchise. Just like last year, Jackal, your NERF agent commander, calls the rough-and-ready four-member squad together to take on the malevolent B.O.B. and his constantly-marauding robotic minions. With 16 new Nerf Blasters at the ready, Shane, Tango, Komodo, and Raven shoot through various outdoor missions, in environments  full of massive canyons and water features. The game comes bundled with a real Nerf gun into which the Wii controller fits. Close

Is It Any Good?

Nerf N-Strike Elite's play mechanic of shooting through wild environments can be an exhilarating ride -- if you haven’t played last year's Nerf N-Strike. With no blood and no humans dying, it fun to see what crazy damage the Nerf guns can do in this sci-fi world. The big change this year, aside from refining the formula, is a Red Reveal lens that shows you where to shoot enemies and highlights access codes so you can move forward through locked doors.

Especially pesky is green goo called Vileplasm that globs onto your blaster and sucks energy until you shake it away. But without online play and an open world which you can explore instead of ride through, the game has limited worth in the replay realm. Then again, you can always re-imagine the scenarios with the included Switch Shot EX-3 Nerf blaster gun away from the game console, since this controller also shoots the famous, safe foam darts. Finally, it’s unfortunate for last year’s buyers that you can’t simply buy the game; instead you have to purchase the new gun and game together.

Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 10/27/2009, price $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E10+ (for Fantasy Violence)

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