Toy Review: NERF N-Strike Raider CS-35

Whether you are are a child or a man-child, firing toy guns at fellow children and man-children has always been a fun stress relieving pastime. The NERF N-Strike line has a variety of toy blasters firing foam darts for relatively safe gun play. On September 9th, 2009, NERF launched the Raider CS-35 into store shelves for N-Strike fans wanting a controllable rapid firing foam dart blaster.

The base blaster of the Raider measures 20 inches in length and 24 inches with the optional shoulder stock attached. The adjustable stock can extend up to three inches. The Raider features one handle in front to load each dart and another handle with a trigger to fire the dart. A connector attaches on the left side of the blaster to accommodate the magazines full of darts. As the number implies, the Raider CS-35 comes with a newly designed 35-round drum magazine and 35 Streamline darts. The drum magazine has a clear window in the back that allows the shooter to see how many darts remain while firing. A first edition value pack throws in an additional 65 darts for a total of 100 darts to rain on targets.

Using the Raider is very simple. After loading 35 darts into the drum magazine, simply pull the cocking handle back, insert the magazine through the connector until it locks in, and push the cocking handle forward to its original position. Now just aim and pull the trigger to fire a single dart up to 35 feet. Like the N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster, the main feature of the Raider is its rapid fire capability. But unlike the Vulcan, The Raider does not require batteries to achieve semiautomatic rapid firing. The Raider achieves rapid fire through "slam firing," which involves holding down the trigger while constantly pulling the cocking handle back and forth. The darts fire at a rate equal to how fast the shooter can continuously pump the cocking handle. It is a very fast way to cover an area with darts and occasionally hitting a target. The Raider feels like a submachine gun while performing like a shotgun with the cocking action and slam firing.

The Raider has two main gripes akin to actual automatic firearms. After emptying all 35 darts, reloading each dart into the drum magazine is a slow process. This is a huge combat disadvantage during a NERF war. Also, rapid firing may lead to jamming. Luckily the Raider has features in case of jams. The blaster has an access hatch and the drum magazine has a rotating knob that aid in removing jammed darts. Simple open the hatch to remove the jammed dart with your fingers or turn the knob to force the jammed darts out of the magazine.

As part of the N-Strike line, the Raider can exchange accessories with other N-Strike blasters. The Raider has two rails along the top of the blaster to accept sights from other blasters or mission kits. The shoulder stocks of the Raider and the Recon are interchangeable but it is recommended to stick with the sturdier Raider stock. If the drum magazine feels too bulky, Raiders also accept six-round Streamline clips while the Raider's drum magazine provides extra capacity to the blasters that use Streamline clips. The Raider lacks the notches to accommodate barrel extension attachments, which is a cosmetic pity.

Given the high capacity, ease of use, rapid firing, and how well it compliments other N-Strike blasters, the Raider CS-35 is an excellent blaster for providing covering fire and makes a great addition to your NERF arsenal.