Tag Archives: djubi

Aw, Blast It!

No matter how politically incorrect it is to play with things that shoot, the fact is that kids—and plenty of adults—love ‘em. So here are some of our Spring faves.

Djubi Classic (Djubi)
djubiPlaying catch must be one of the oldest games in existence, and one might think that after millions of years, we’d have exhausted every possible variation. But then along comes Djubi Classic, which is part slingshot, part baseball glove, part lacrosse stick, part racquetball racquet, part butterfly net, and all fun. The game comes with two racquets and two balls called Djubis, which are attached to a stretchy rubber loop. Just hook the loop over the special notch on the racquet, pull it back like a sling shot, and let ‘er rip towards your partner who can be as far as 100 feet away. Then all you have to do is catch the Djubi in the racquet’s deep net. While not intended for indoor use, the racquets and Djubis are waterproof, which means you can take the fun to the pool or the beach. For ages 8 and up.  $14.50. djubi.com

Djubi Dart Ball (Djubi)
djubi dart ballWhile the Classic is meant for cooperative play, Djubi Dart Ball is made for head-to-head competition. The set comes with two launchers (miniature versions of the regular racquets but without the netting) six small Djubis, a target (essentially a dart board made of netting), and a dry-erase scoreboard. Load up your Djubi and start firing. Players can compete on points, speed, or anything else. Meant for outside use, but if you have a big enough play area and you’ve removed your fine China, there’s plenty of fun to be had indoors as well. Ages 6 and up. $10.50 at your favorite retailer or djubi.com.

VMD Cannon Commando (Sky Rocket Toys)
vmd cannon commandoThe Cannon Commando is a remote-controlled (RC) blaster that shoots further and harder than anything else in its class. And just in case there was any doubt about what this toy is about, VMD stands for Vehicles of Mass Destruction. The Commando responds well to the control unit and can move in any direction while firing off its 16 foam darts. Interestingly, unlike some other RC blasters, which allow players to adjust the dart trajectory up and down from the control unit, the Commando needs to be aimed manually. That gives parents a great opportunity to have the all-important safety discussion that absolutely must be a part of any game that involves shooting. The manual adjustment also reduces the chance that anyone will get shot in the face. Requires six AA batteries and one 9-volt. For ages 8 and up. $40. http://www.skyrockettoys.com/

Tek Recon 55450 Hammer Head Battle Pack (Tek Recon)
hammer head battle packThe Tek Recon battle pack includes two hand-held blasters (one green, one orange), two targets, and about 80 of what the company calls N.R.G. rounds, which are small, thick, rubber bands that can fly up to 75 feet. The rounds are reusable, don’t leave stains, and can be loaded into removable magazines. What makes this set of blasters so much fun is that players can go beyond simply shooting each other. The blasters comes with a bracket to attach a smartphone, which (when running the free app), players can use to communicate with each other, track (using the phone’s GPS), and access special features like night vision, custom scopes, and very cool sound effects. For ages 8 and up. $34.  http://www.tekrecon.com/