The Nerf N-Strike is one of those “batteries not included” toys, and it takes a screwdriver to get into the battery compartment, but fortunately it takes AA batteries, which are the easiest to find. The dart gun itself functions without batteries; only the targeting light requires batteries to operate. Though the light doesn’t show well at any distance during daylight, in the dim light of evening or in a dark room it shows up crisply between five and ten feet from the target. It’s even possible to ‘sight in’ the Nerf gun by moving the clear plastic disc in front of the light source, which is a really cool concept for a dart gun.
At first, I thought the N-Strike was disappointing, since the darts didn’t stick well and the light wasn’t very bright, but as I played with it more, it broke right in. The darts flew straighter and stuck to walls, even from a distance of 15 feet, and when the sun was not streaming in my windows, the light, which turns on automatically when the trigger is half-pulled, was much brighter against the walls. This Nerf gun comes with three darts, and it has to be manually loaded each time, which I think is pretty standard for dart guns. Extra dart packs are available inexpensively, manufactured by Nerf and other compatible companies. This is a fun toy, and it would be ideal for a dart war with two or more participants, especially with loads of extra foam darts. – Kitty Lusby