Overview
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| Dart Zone Velocity, Adventure Force Accelerator, Adventure Force Quantum, Nerf Rival Nemesis, Nerf Rival Zeus, Zecong ZC7073 |
It has been a banner year for Prime Time Toys’ Dart Zone blaster toys, both in their own, Dart Zone brand and in their offerings through vanity branded Adventure Force products for Wal-Mart. As much excitement as bubbled over for the new Nerf offerings, it was, in some quarters, eclipsed by the curiosity about and enthusiasm for the leaked Dart Zone blasters. So far, we have seen the upgraded Accelerator (Adventure Force), the Velocity (Dart Zone), the revamped Light Command as the Titan (Dart Zone), Commandfire ( Adventure Force ), and the Quantum ( Adventure Force ).
Some have pegged the Quantum as a Nemesis killer. While I am unsure of that, on first blush – it certainly has the potential. There’ve been some lazy comparisons referring to the Quantum as a Nemesis knockoff – something that strikes me as at least a little unreasonable. The notion of two very similar blasters in the same space does not indicate a knockoff.
Selling for $49.99, the Quantum covers all of the same core competencies of the Nemesis at roughly two-thirds to one-half the sticker price. It features a removable “100 round” agitated hopper pouring into a belt feeding the flywheels. It takes six D cell batteries in the common D Battery tray we have seen in the Velocity, Accelerator, and various Rival flywheels or may use the Nerf Rival NiCad battery back. Its dimensions are roughly the same as the Nemesis ( a little longer here, a little shorter there ) and the weight is pretty much the same.
There are a few differences. The Quantum has a sleek, rounded design, more akin to a retro Space Opera Sci-Fi weapon than the sharp, angular chunky goodness of the Nemesis. It has rubberized padding on the butt of the stock and the bottom of the grip. The Quantum has a better thought out foregrip and carries on the Prime Time Toys team play theme via pop-in disks in red, blue, or green. The plastics feel lighter, though still very sturdy.
The last difference will be the blaster’s downfall in the eyes of some – that is the lack of a rev trigger. The Quantum uses an on/off slider, much like Prime Time Toys does with most of their belt blasters. It is placed in a position that will make it difficult for all but the largest of hands to reach with the hand on the blaster handle.
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| The hopper doesn’t quite open the full length. |
In my first pass evaluation of the Quantum, I found I was able to fit up to 125 Power Strike rounds ( Dart Zone’s own version of Rival High Impact Rounds ) in the hopper with minimal squishing. I would probably stop at 115-120 for play. With that load, firing full auto, relatively stationary, I was able to empty the full hopper with only a handful ( four or five ) stops to wiggle the blaster to assist the agitation. Based on this, I am confident that the course of normal play, this would be as negligible an impact as it is with the Nemesis hopper system. I did not experience a jam. Rate of fire was acceptable, roughly 3 a second.
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| The feeding belt and agitator arm (that little orang nubbin) |
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| Both of the orange flaps are spring loaded. The lower one makes contact with the agitator arm to constantly pop up and down. |
I was also able to verify the capture screw on the battery tray door was compatible with the thumbscrew Out of Darts sells for the Accelerator. Like most recent Dart Zone blasters, this butterflies beautifully for those of you inclined to paint.
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| Our Team indicator disks. |
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| Red Team, Standing by! |