Nerf launched a new sport Thursday that combines elements of blaster shooting, team handball and basketball. Nerfball is the company’s Pro Stripe And in 2024, we’ll be developing hit detection equipment to create games with multiple ways for teams to score points.
The game is played over four quarters, during which players can score six points by passing a ball through a hoop, or one point by hitting an opposing teammate with a Nerf dart. If a player is hit by a dart, they must go to the “respawn area” at the back of the field before play can continue.
Nerf Stryfe Pro blaster and nerf ball.
At a Hasbro event ahead of the New York Toy Fair, I was holding an early version of the Nerfball, which has grooves that make it very portable. Videos of Nerfball games on display at the event showed players dribbling like basketballs, but this was not allowed during the brief practice.
The Nerf Pro Stryfe X blaster fires a lot of darts very quickly.
During the demo, I also tried the $120 Pro Stryfe You can play Nerfball just focusing on shooting other players, but you don’t want to explode at close range. The game recommends that all players wear safety glasses, and I wholeheartedly agree with this.
Players can catch the ball, but the ball must be moved every 25 seconds, whether the player with the ball moves with it or passes it. The exact rules and field layout can be expanded, but the Nerfball rulebook recommends that each quarter be approximately four minutes long. This makes a Nerfball match a fairly fast-paced game. Like other field sports such as soccer, Nerfball assigns players to the positions of defender, midfielder and runner. The team with the most points after four quarters wins the game.
For Nerfball’s debut, Hasbro prepared an exhibition game called Battle in the Bubble. The game presents a field full of barriers and obstacles that players can hide or avoid. Nerf also has a goal net for Nerfball where you have to throw the ball high to score points. High hoops lead to a basketball-like gameplay style where players can shoot from further away. If you want a closer look at how Nerfball matches are played, you can watch Battle in the Bubble matches on the Nerfball website.
In Nerfball, a goal scores 6 points.
Nerf said hit detection equipment for Nerfball is expected to be released in 2024, which will allow for real-time scoring when players are hit by darts. The device uses a proprietary foam that Nerf calls “XO-Nano technology” that can detect when a player is hit by a Nerf dart. The current Nerfball rulebook requires an honor system where hit players must raise their hand before returning to the respawn area.
Nerf has plans to create several ways for players to try out new games. The full arena experience is being created at the Nerf Action Xperience entertainment center in New Jersey’s Garden State Plaza mall starting in 2024, with other locations to come at a later date. Nerf also has a line of Nerfball equipment that players can set up in their own backyard or park, giving Nerf gathering groups another gaming option.