NERF is no stranger to video game licensing for their blasters, but considering that Mattel’s BOOMCo line of blasters already held the Halo license, it’s kind of surprising that NERF would follow suit with their own Halo blasters. All the same, there are 100% licensed Halo NERF blasters coming out later this year, and, honestly, they’re pretty cool. Based on three of the most iconic weapons from the Halo franchise, the initial line of Halo blasters will consist of the following:
MA40 Assault Rifle
Unarguably the coolest of the new blasters, the MA40 is based on the latest iteration of the UNSC’s mainline MA5 series assault rifle (inexplicably chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO in the lore). This particular blaster features a battery-powered flywheel action, where darts can be fired semi-automatically from the included 10-round ‘clip’. This blaster is powered by four “C” batteries, and for those looking to play the upcoming Halo: Infinite, you’ll also get a code to unlock the MA40’s color scheme as a weapon skin in the game.
SPNKR Rocket Launcher
Reportedly part of NERF’s Micro Shots line, the SPNKR is more nominally based on its namesake, as this is just a handheld blaster, while the in-game version is a rocket launcher. The fact that it’s not a full-sized NERF rocket launcher is a bit disappointing. However, like the SPNKR, the NERF version chambers two darts, and fires them one after the other.
Needler
Finally, there’s the Needler, designated the Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher by the UNSC. In-game, the Needler is a Covenant weapon that automatically fires strange crystalline projectiles with an inexplicable IFF function that hone in on enemies and explode after embedding in their flesh. As a NERF blaster, it’s part of the Micro Shots line, and fires a single dart at a time. At least this one is also a handheld weapon in the game it’s based on.
The Halo line of NERF blasters is slated for an October 2020 release, in line with the scheduled release of Halo: Infinite.