NERF, XSHOT, Dart Zone, Gel Blaster or Shellblaster?
NERF, XSHOT, Dart Zone, Gel Blaster or Shellblaster?
I lined up five toy blasters. Here is how they compare, in plain words.
Links go to the Raven store.
The quick look
Foam blasters are cheap and shoot far. The gel blaster shoots a lot but needs work first. The Raven is the only one where a shell pops out when you shoot.
Foam blastersNERF · XSHOT · Dart Zone
Gel blasterSurge 2.0
Shellblaster RavenWhat the Raven does (in plain words)
It looks like a toy. It works like the real thing.
Bright red, yellow and blue. Orange tip. Easy to see it’s a toy. But every move is real: load, rack, shoot, shell pops out.
It has a real magazine.
You push a dart into a shell. You put the shells in the mag. You click the mag in. The three foam blasters here use a spinning drum, not a magazine.
Rack it. Shoot. The shell pops out.
Pull the slide back. Pull the trigger. The dart flies and the empty shell jumps out the side. Like the real thing. None of the other four do this.
Real kick. Slide locks back after the last shot.
The slide kicks back every shot (blowback). When the mag is empty, the slide stays open. So you know it’s time to reload. Just like the real one.
Rails for real attachments.
The rail fits real flashlights, lasers and red dot sights. They are sold separately. Not toy stickers. Real gear.
Build on it with bricks.
The whole body has studs. Bricks stick on it. Buyers made scopes, claws, jet wings and more. A free brick pack is in the box, so you can start right away.
Free stuff in the box.
Free display stand. Free building blocks. Free 20 darts. Free 6 shells. Free sticker pack. All in one box. Two free e-books are included. Extra gifts unlock with your selected pack; see the options on the next page.
And it’s on a huge sale.
Choose Plastic Barrel for $35 or Metal Finish for $40. Both single-blaster options are 70% off their listed regular price. Choose your pack and see the gifts on the next page. Ships in 1 business day. 90 days to send it back.
The other four, in one line each
Prices seen September 15, 2026 at Walmart, Target and the brand stores. They change. Packs of 2 or 4 are marked as packs.
So which one?
Get a foam blaster if you want the cheapest thing that shoots far. Get the gel blaster if your teen likes spraying outside and doesn’t mind the prep.
Get the Raven if your kid likes to load, rack and shoot. And build on it. Choose Plastic Barrel for $35 or Metal Finish for $40. Stand, bricks, darts, shells and stickers are in the box.
See the Raven ShellblasterWhat other buyers say
Real reviews from the Raven store page. 200 reviews, 4.8 stars.
“My son loves his new toy. I like it because it works just like the real thing. Its a blast shooting”
“Amazing, I love it. Definitely worth the wait”
“Love it. My sons is enjoying learning how to use it and doing target practice.”
“as realistic as possible for a plastic weapon, i like the reloading mechanism and the shell ejection”
Shellblaster Raven — Brick
- 20 plastic darts + 6 toy shells
- Free display stand, free bricks, free stickers
- Free mystery gift with your first order + two free e-books
- 70% off now · buy 2 save 75% · buy 3 save 80%
- Ships in 1 business day
- 90 days to send it back
Choose your barrel and pack: Raven options. It’s a toy, not a firearm.
Page hosted by GetBlaster, maker of the Shellblaster Raven. Other brands’ prices and box contents come from their own or retailer listings seen September 15, 2026 and can change. Brand names belong to their owners and only name the toys compared. Toy blasters, not firearms. Adult supervision recommended.