Our verdict: The Little Tikes Mighty Blaster is the perfect gateway for toddlers who want to play Nerf with older siblings. The gun is well made and whilst it has some minor downsides (lack of accompanying ammo/balls) it’s a great way to get toddlers playing with older kids and burning off plenty of energy. The global pandemic meant parents like ourselves were desperate to find ways to keep toddlers entertained inside the home. That’s why the stock was pretty low for a long time but eventually I managed to get a Mighty Blaster in time for my son’s birthday this past February. As with all our toy reviews, we bought the toy with our own money and we don’t have any incentive to be overly positive as we only get paid a commission if people buy (and keep) the toys we suggest. Our goal with our toy reviews is to give you as much information as possible so you can decide if this toy could be great for your kid. Little Tikes is known for its classic toys like their iconic Cozy Coupe car, playhouse, and many different types of outdoor playground equipment. The Mighty blaster was released for Christmas 2019 and now has a fairly large range of toy weapons including a blaster (spray, boom, and dual), bow, and sling.
Little Tikes Mighty Blasters compared
What I loved:
Is super easy even for the very smallest hands. You pull back the gun to let it fire and it goes a surprisingly long way when shot.At $19.99 it’s a decent price even if you have to buy multiple versions for siblings.Has a good Sci-Fi look and doesn’t look childish when compared with older kids’ Nerf weapons.The balls don’t hurt, even when shot at super close range. So you have no worries of naughty toddlers shooting younger kids or parents!The safety system doesn’t allow the gun to be cocked unless there is the right ball in the end – a switch has to be pressed before it allows the system to be shot.
What I didn’t like as much:
It seems a little mean to only give 3 ammo balls with the set. We lost one ball super early on and it feels like you really need to buy the ammo refill pack – go figure!Certainly minor but the box could have had more fun things for kids to play with like a target board that you could cut out of the box for later use.You will need to buy two of them and a refill pack for maximum fun so bear that cost in mind.
Specifications
The blaster feels nice in the hand and certainly has that futuristic cyberpunk feel with the design.
The main body is made of plastic whilst the ammo balls are fabric and you don’t feel anything from being shot – even when shot at a super close range (yes, I tested it!).
The gun uses a fairly large spring but it’s kept all hidden away so no fear of fingers getting stuck. Design is always a personal thing so be sure to have a look at the full range to decide if any weapon looks like something your toddler would prefer.
You will want more ammo balls
As I mentioned above, the Little Tikes Mighty Blaster comes with 3 ammo balls. This means that you are likely to want to get some more, unless you want to spend all your play time fetching ammo balls around the house. Refill packs come with 5 balls and can be found for $10. I would imagine you would not need to replace the balls unless you lose them but we certainly found it tricky having only 3 balls to play with – so definitely a cost worth factoring in if your toddlers enjoy shooting around the house.
How does it shoot?
It says 12ft on the box and you can certainly achieve that, especially when firing it higher than you need. It is perfect for indoor fun and my toddler loved it. We are yet to try it outside as the weather hasn’t been particularly great where we live, but I expect it will be a lot of fun as well.
TL;DR
If you think kids age 3 shouldn’t play with Nerf guns, then you will want to pass on the Little Tikes Mighty Blaster. I personally think it’s great fun and loved seeing my toddler get involved with kids of different ages and play similar games. My 3-year-old loves his Mighty Blaster and we will be keen to get another version for his younger brother as soon as he shows a similar interest. Until Nerf starts creating blasters for younger age groups, the Mighty Blaster will be our main recommendation for younger kids who want to play Nerf-like games.
