As a long-time Destiny player, I must admit that the Ace of Spades Nerf blaster has caught my eye and piqued my interest. Having followed Cayde-6’s story from the very beginning, it’s heartwarming to see him commemorated in such an unique way. It’s not every day you get a chance to own a piece of gaming history, especially one that’s as iconic as this Ace of Spades blaster.
Just like before when Bungie introduced a large-scale replica of the Gjallarhorn rocket launcher from Destiny, it’s not unusual to find a real-life Nerf gun themed after Destiny. However, the upcoming Ace of Spades Nerf blaster stands out as unique. This is due to its practicality and also because this specific weapon choice aligns more closely with the narrative of Destiny 2.
Recently, Bungie delivered the Ace of Spades to me. Over the past few days, I’ve been experimenting with it, much to the annoyance and fright of my two cats. Before receiving it, no size specifications were provided. Upon opening the package, I was taken aback by its sheer size. It measures approximately 18 inches from the handle tip to the barrel end, which may not seem huge for a display piece, but as a handgun that you’ll actually wield, it’s surprising how big it appears when first laying eyes on it. They weren’t kidding when they called them ‘hand cannons’ in Destiny, I suppose.
It’s important to note that the size isn’t a negative aspect – quite the contrary. The scale seems similar to using the Ace of Spades in-game, and since I plan to exhibit it in my office, its larger size prevents it from being overshadowed by other items. Additionally, despite its size, it’s not excessively heavy, making it comfortable to handle. It has a substantial weight that stops it from feeling fragile, but it’s unmistakably made of plastic.
To me, the Ace of Spades appears more aesthetically pleasing compared to the Gjallarhorn. While it’s not going to be mistaken for a real weapon, it avoids the shiny plastic look that made the Gjallarhorn appear like a child’s toy. Instead, it has a matte finish, sporting decals similar to its in-game version, though with a color scheme change to white and orange. An Exotic ornament is coming soon that will make the Nerf version match the look of the in-game gun.
The overall appearance is quite appealing, but it’s essential to understand its price point: This Nerf gun costs $50, featuring a battery-powered shooting mechanism. While some decals may appear slightly imperfect due to the textured surface, this becomes noticeable only upon close inspection. The left side has several warnings and icons that somewhat disrupt the design, so it’s best to showcase the right side. I wish the Destiny and Nerf logos on the right were repositioned for a more streamlined look. Fortunately, the controversy over a fan’s design being used without permission has been resolved amicably. The fan, Tofu Bunny, has been compensated and credited for their work, expressing gratitude for the outcome.
The batteries are used to fire the 12 darts–six per drum shell, with a second drum shell allowing you to quickly reload–and this is the other area that was a pleasant surprise. Not having used a Nerf gun in about two decades, and never one that relied on batteries, I was stunned by the force with which it fires. Whereas firing the Gjallarhorn was like shooting out a bunch of wet noodles, this packs much more of a punch than I expected. To fire, you first hold a trigger located under your middle finger, which revs the firing mechanism (and generates an audible whirring noise), before then pulling the main trigger to shoot.
It’s typically the case with battery-operated Nerf guns that their darts don’t travel very far, but I was surprised by how far these ones could go! I thought they would just drift softly across a room, but instead, they moved swiftly and managed to reach up to 40-50 feet, making the game much more enjoyable than I had anticipated. The first time I shot it at a wall in my office from approximately seven feet away, I was startled by how far the darts ricocheted off the wall, sometimes even landing behind me. This toy has quite a strong impact, causing the darts to bounce off several nearby surfaces, making them easy to lose. Since they can bounce around so much, you might need to be prepared for a game of hide-and-seek to find them, although the orange tips make it slightly easier.
To find out if these darts were painful to get hit by, I asked my willing spouse to give it a try. She fired two at me from around 12 feet, and I can confirm that while they won’t leave a mark, they are still uncomfortable enough to make the attacker cease immediately. Before she left, I couldn’t help but retaliate. My wife’s feedback? “That hurts quite a bit,” though it’s merely a “short-lived pain.
I thought the Ace of Spades would be their favorite toy, but they seem scared, possibly due to the loud noise. It might be better if they stay away from the darts, as it seems chewing on them could prevent a proper fit in the drum shell. Unfortunately, it looks like I won’t get that cool video of my cats soaring through the air after the darts.
A few other minor quibbles include the battery compartment (located on the left of the barrel, and which takes four AA batteries that aren’t included) being somewhat difficult to open even after removing the screw. My lack of long fingernails meant I had to wedge in a small flathead screwdriver to lift up the cover, which briefly gave me flashbacks of mistakenly trying to pry apart the last Destiny collectible I got my hands on. Thankfully, this time things worked out far better. There are also very small plastic dividers between the batteries, and I mistakenly bent one, preventing the batteries from making sufficient contact to function. That led me to firing the gun without battery power, which jammed the gun and made it difficult to get apart. Once I got the batteries properly seated, this was no longer an issue; you’ll know you’re good to fire when holding the rev trigger produces a noise. Pulling the hammer allows you to pop open the drum holder, but the drum slides right out if the gun is tilted backwards–good for reloading quickly, but potentially liable to it falling and hitting the ground. The drums are luckily sturdy enough that it doesn’t feel as if they’ll easily break, though.
Previously mentioned, I’m unsure if I’ll use the gun frequently in the future, but it doesn’t matter. It adds a nice touch to my shelf after the incredible narrative work of The Final Shape, a campaign that Bungie has produced so far. This gun, the Ace of Spades, was wielded by Cayde-6, a character who became famous in Destiny. Initially, the idea of bringing back Cayde after his in-game death raised concerns, but his story proved to be crucial for both the character-driven plot of The Final Shape and its subsequent content. Bungie managed to make Cayde’s return significant, even though his role may have concluded. Regardless, Cayde will always be a significant part of Destiny’s history.
Much like other devoted fans, the job cuts at Bungie have stirred feelings of uncertainty about the series’ future, despite their ongoing updates about what lies ahead. However, having this unique keepsake that embodies Cayde’s character – and in turn, many cherished memories from the past ten years of Destiny – holds far greater sentimental value to me than a traditional character statue. The added bonus of potentially receiving cat videos is simply an extra delight.
Initially, the Ace of Spades Nerf blasters were exclusively up for pre-order for players who achieved the new Legend rank in Destiny 2. However, they are now open for pre-orders on the Bungie Store and are anticipated to start shipping in October, making them accessible to everyone.
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2024-09-26 23:09