| Revision as of 23:30, 22 September 2012 edit173.74.0.90 (talk) →Nerf material← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:31, 22 September 2012 edit undo173.74.0.90 (talk) →ProductsTag: section blankingNext edit → | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
| Over the years, Nerf has continued to expand the line, adding new looks to existing products, with its current line of NERF products ranging from sport balls and foam dart blasters to video games and accessories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf|title=NERF - Welcome to Hasbro's Official NERF site|publisher=]|date=2008-07-15|accessdate=2009-11-07}}</ref> | Over the years, Nerf has continued to expand the line, adding new looks to existing products, with its current line of NERF products ranging from sport balls and foam dart blasters to video games and accessories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf|title=NERF - Welcome to Hasbro's Official NERF site|publisher=]|date=2008-07-15|accessdate=2009-11-07}}</ref> | ||
| ==Products== | |||
| ===Nerf Sports=== | |||
| NERF's '''Nerf Sports''' or '''N-Sports''' line is a wide range of foam balls that resemble real sports balls. They are designed with different color schemes and features, with some of their footballs featuring color schemes and logos of the ]. In addition, the tail-fins characteristic of NERF Sports' Vortex sub-line, (not to be confused with the blaster sub-line of the same name) cause the foam footballs of which it is comprised to resemble ]es and fly greater distances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/sports/|title=Nerf Sports|publisher=]|accessdate=2011-01-06}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ===Nerf Blasters=== | |||
| {{Main|Nerf Blasters}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Currently, NERF's most popular products are Nerf Blasters, which are toy plastic guns that shoot foam darts, which are, among other things: ]-tipped in order to stick to Nerf vests, tipped with ] designed to stick to smooth surfaces, streamlined to fit in magazines, able to whistle in flight, or a color variation, such as camouflage and glow in the dark. Some Nerf blasters have attachments which are put onto the blaster with Nerf's tactical rails. Tactical rails, which the attachments slide onto, are rails only on some Nerf blasters. The Nerf blaster line consists of two main sub-lines: N-Strike and Dart Tag.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/shop/browse.cfm|title=NERF - All Products|publisher=]|accessdate=2011-01-06}}</ref> | |||
| In September 2011, Hasbro introduced a third sub-line of Nerf blasters called Vortex: its blasters fire small green, bright orange or white glow-in-the-dark discs made of soft plastic covered in foam. The Vortex blasters can get ranges up to 60 feet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/vortex/|title=Nerf - Vortex Blaster Toys|publisher=]| accessdate=2011-09-14}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ===Nerf N-Force=== | |||
| {{Main|Nerf N-Force}} | |||
| The N-Force line consists of foam swords and melee weapons. The swords can fit into the back sheath of the Nerf N-Strike tactical vest and the Nerf N-Strike bandolier kit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/n-force/|title=Nerf N-Force|publisher=]|accessdate=2011-01-06}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> Hasbro also released N-Force-style toy weapons for the 2011 ]/] film '']''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://sgnerf.blogspot.com/2011/02/tia-toy-fair-2011-nyc-new-nerf-photos.html|title=TIA Toy Fair 2011 @ NYC - New Nerf Photos!|publisher=SG Nerf|date=2011-02-13|accessdate=2011-02-24}}</ref> | |||
| ===Super Soaker=== | |||
| {{Main|Super Soaker}} | |||
| Originally owned and marketed by ], Super Soaker is a popular line of ]s. Recently, Hasbro has released a line of Nerf-branded Super Soaker blasters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/supersoaker/|title=Nerf - Super Soaker|publisher=]|accessdate=2011-01-06}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ===Lazer Tag=== | |||
| {{Main|Lazer Tag}} | |||
| Lazer Tag, a popular ] toy line from the mid-1980s, is also currently part of the Nerf banner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/shop/details.cfm?guid=F0C4410E-19B9-F369-D914-B940ADA55500&product_id=24884&src=endeca|title=Lazer Tag Nerf Two-Player Battle System|publisher=]|accessdate=2011-01-20}}</ref> | |||
| ===Video games=== | |||
| Nerf has also produced ] accessories for the ], ], ], ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gear.ign.com/articles/738/738970p1.html|title=Pelican NERF PS2 Controller|publisher=IGN|accessdate=2011-01-23}}</ref> Visionary Media, Inc. released the first-person shooter '']'' (or ''NAB'', sometimes ''Arena Blast'') in 1999. ], in association with Hasbro, released the 2008 video game '']''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gear.ign.com/articles/825/825043p1.html|title=IGN: Pelican Wiimote NERF Sleeve Exclusive Review|publisher=IGN|accessdate=2009-11-07}}</ref> and its 2009 sequel '']''. Both games feature the ], which doubles as a functional dart gun and a ] accessory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/104/1041646p1.html|title=Nerf N-Strike Elite Review|publisher=IGN|date=2009-11-03|accessdate=2011-01-06}}</ref> | |||
| ==Awards== | ==Awards== | ||
Revision as of 23:31, 22 September 2012
For other uses, see Nerf (disambiguation).| [REDACTED] | |
| Type | Toy weapons, foam balls |
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | |
| Company | |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | 1969–Present |
| Materials | Foam, plastic |
| Slogan |
|
| Official website | |
Nerf (trademarked in capitals as NERF) is a toy brand created by Parker Brothers and currently owned by Hasbro. The acronym NERF stands for "Non-Expanding Recreational Foam". Most of the toys are a variety of foam-based weaponry, but there are also several different types of Nerf toys, such as balls for sports like football, basketball, and others. The most notable of the toys are the dart guns (referred to by Hasbro as "blasters") that shoot ammunition made from Nerf foam. Since many such items were released throughout the 1970s, Nerf products often feature bright neon colors and soft textures similar to the flagship Nerf ball. The slogan frequently used from the 1990s advertising until now is "It's Nerf or nothin'!".
...
History
Parker Brothers originally developed Nerf, beginning with a four-inch (102 mm) polyurethane foam ball. In 1969, Reyn Guyer, a games inventor, came to the company with a volleyball game that was safe for indoor play, and after studying it carefully, Parker Brothers decided to eliminate everything but the foam ball. In 1970, the Nerf ball was introduced as the "world's first official indoor ball". Marketing slogans promised that one can "Throw it indoors; you can't damage lamps or break windows. You can't hurt babies or old people." The ball filled a strong consumer need and by the year's end, more than four million Nerf balls had been sold. The four-inch (102 mm) ball was followed closely by a large version called "Super Nerf Ball". Shortly after, in 1972, a basketball game called "Nerfoop" and the Nerf football joined the family, with the latter quickly becoming NERF's most popular ball.
The company continued to add to the NERF line until they handed control to Kenner Products, a sister company, in 1991, when Hasbro acquired the Nerf line through the acquisition of the Tonka Corporation. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the Nerf brand served under the subsidiaries OddzOn and Larami before Hasbro took full control of the brand.
Over the years, Nerf has continued to expand the line, adding new looks to existing products, with its current line of NERF products ranging from sport balls and foam dart blasters to video games and accessories.
Awards
In 2011, the Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS was awarded "Boy Toy of the Year" and the Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast won "Outdoor Toy of the Year" at the 11th Annual Toy of the Year Awards, which is held at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.
Legal issues
In June 2010, Hasbro sued Buzz Bee Toys and Lanard Toys for patent violation of its Nerf and Super Soaker brands. The lawsuit stated that Buzz Bee and Lanard infringed two U.S. patents for the Nerf N-Strike Disc Shot blaster, while Buzz Bee infringed on a Super Soaker patent. In November, Hasbro won its patent case against Buzz Bee with the latter banned from producing certain water guns.
See also
References
- "Reyn Guyer".
{{cite web}}: Text "Nerf" ignored (help) - "The History of Toys". History.com. 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- "Who Needs an Indoor Ball? YOU Do, Apparently". GIZMODO. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- "The story of Parker Brothers". Hasbro.com. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- "The history of Hasbro, Inc". Hasbro.com. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- "NC News - Larami Takes the Helm". Nerfcenter.com. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- "NERF - Welcome to Hasbro's Official NERF site". Hasbro. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- Per-Lee, Myra. "The 11 Best Toys of 2011". InventorSpot. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- "Hasbro Sues Buzz Bee Toys and Lanard Over Patents". Reuters. 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
- "Hasbro Wins Patent Case Against Buzz Bee". Reuters. 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
![[REDACTED]](https://u3vuiephb.global.ssl.fastly.net/File:Nerf_logo.svg){kind=link}
![[REDACTED]](https://u3vuiephb.global.ssl.fastly.net/File:Nerflogo-original.png){kind=link}
