Game Review: Nerf N-Strike Elite
Stars and Stripes
Mar 01, 2010
Games like "Nerf N-Strike Elite" should be a breath of fresh
air for parents cautious about too much violence in their kids' games,
but who still wish those kids could enjoy some shooting action once in
a while.
On that level, "Elite" is a success. But that's also why it shouldn't be critiqued the same way as other shooters. It's most definitely a kid's game. Nobody's going to confuse this with "Bond" or "Halo."
There's one thing "Elite" has going for it that those games don't: It comes with an actual Nerf gun that shoots darts. It's my 2-year-old son's favorite feature. It can be used as a household toy or as the game controller in conjunction with the Wii remote.
"Elite" is an update on 2008's "Nerf N-Strike," which featured short games that tested kids' ability to aim and shoot using a variety of popular Nerf guns in animated form. The guns are back, but included in this go-around is a fully-realized adventure.
In one-player mode, you're joined by the three other teenage members of the Elite team.
Two-player mode is much more fun. There's a lot to shoot at, and while in one-player mode the Elite members are shooting alongside you, they don't actually hit anything. The help from another player is welcome.
The scope of the game's plot isn't very involved. You pick a difficulty level and successively try to make your way through the various chapters, which there aren't many of.
The most fun to be had has to do with equipment. You might be using one kind of gun as a controller, but it doesn't mean it needs to match your animated gun of choice. There are many guns to choose from. Between chapters, you can use the points you've earned to purchase customizations that make your weapon look cooler and shoot better.
The other fun factor involves the ongoing rapport between you and your comrades as the story moves along. They might not be hitting anything, but they're dishing out light-hearted sarcasm every step of the way.
Even in easy mode, robots come from everywhere. There are also missiles (Nerf ones of course) to shoot down before they reach you, targets to detonate and annoying slugs that jump up and suck the energy out of your gun … you have to physically shake your gun to get them off.
One feature kids will surely enjoy is the "Red Reveal" lens on the controller gun. At times, the game prompts you to look through the lens to identify where you should be aiming on the screen. It feels very special ops-ish.
The game's not without its faults. The graphics are clear and bright, but the look of the robots isn't very inspiring. And there are only six different kinds. You're also not given much to do beyond constantly pulling the trigger. The game controls your movement, so all you need to worry about is what shows up in front of you on the screen. What show up are the same robots over and over. It can get old fast.
Despite its minor drawbacks, though, Elite is a step in the right direction. Hopefully Nerf, or somebody, has more like this on the horizon.
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