Everyone knows that Nerf make some of the best dart guns around. Everyone also knows that they started with Nerf balls way back in the 60s and 70s, making fun foam balls that you can throw around indoors. But, not everyone is aware that Nerf has it’s own range of melee weapons, too.

This largely comes from the increasing popularity of Nerf Wars, in which people set up two or 4 teams and go to battle with each other. Usually, guns are the weapon of choice. But for some people, especially younger kids, it can be extremely fun to swing around a foam melee weapon too. So, for the last few years Nerf have been releasing melee weapons that you can have fun with as well.

Though the range of melee weapons isn’t anywhere as near as big as other Nerf products, there’s still a wide enough selection for you to get something that you’d like. Lets have a look at what melee toys that Nerf have released over the past decade.

Best Nerf Melee Weapons

Nerf Zombie Strike Melee Weapons

The Nerf Zombie Strike Series really allows you to have a little fun with melee weapons. They’re one of the most popular melee weapon ranges released by Nerf, and there’s a small variety of different weapons. Here’s a few of my favorites.

Nerf Strikeblade

1,507 Reviews Nerf Zombie Strike Strike Blade Toy Strike blade toy lets you strike silently against the zombies

Check out the free Nerf Zombie app

Carry the blade on your back

The Strikeblade is probably the first place that you want to start if you’re looking for a melee weapon. kids seem to love the stereotypical idea of a sword, and the Strikeblade is a good example of that. It’s around 3 feet long, so just about long enough for your child to swing it around properly. You do need to be careful that you store foam melee weapons properly, otherwise they’re going to end up bent. Apart from that, this is a good first Nerf melee toy.

Nerf Chopstock

Nerf Zombie Strike Survival System Chopstock Part of the Nerf Zombie Strike Survival System

Attaches to most Nerf blasters (each sold separately)

Includes: foam axe stock.

The Chopstock works as an attachment to some Nerf guns. Anything that has the ability to have a stock attached to it, you can easily add the Chopstock on as an attachment. It has a small foam padding at the end of the stock. For me, this is more of a visual accessory than a practical melee weapon for Nerf Wars. But, it does look super cool.

The Z Bat

Nerf Zombie Foam Bat Stop zombies in their tracks with the Nerf Zombie Strike Foam Bat!

Lightweight foam bat with easy-grip handle for fun battlefield role-play

Equipped with a slim rope on the handle for multiple ways to gear up and store

The Z Bat is a foam replica baseball that. It’s really soft, and it’s probably one of the best Nerf melee weapons that you can still buy nowadays. It’s designed to try and fit it in with the whole Nerf spooky zombie vibe, and it definitely does a good job of that. The handle is really easy to grip, and it comes with a rope attached so you can store it away easily.

The Z Wrench Axe

Another option from the Zombie Strike Series is the Z Wrench Axe. For battlefield play, it can make a fun melee weapon, though it isn’t particularly long. It’s ideal if you’re wanting to play with younger children, as they’re sure to appreciate the Z Bat and the Z Wrench Axe. You can also hang this one up on the wall easily with the attached rope, so it might be worth trying to collect them all.

Guns with Melee Aspect

There are two guns from the Nerf Zombie Strike Series that have Melee built into the gun. They are;

Nerf Zombie Strike Brainsaw – The Brainsaw is the bigger of the two guns, that has an additional foam chainsaw at the front attached for melee.

The Brainsaw is the bigger of the two guns, that has an additional foam chainsaw at the front attached for melee. Nerf Zombie Strike Crosscut – The Crosscut is the better and cheaper of the two options in my opinion. It’s ideal for anyone looking for the typical Nerf pistol with a foam chainsaw melee touch.

These are the best of the Zombie Strike Melee weapons. But, Nerf did released some other Melee weapons

Nerf N Force Swords

Nerf N Force Swords can be a good melee weapon too. Though they were originally released years and years ago, they’ve managed to keep their popularity. This means that you’re still going to find quite a few of them around, both online and in retail stores.

Nerf Vendetta N-Force Double Sword Toy -- Includes 2 Foam Blades with Plastic Core -- for Kids, Teens, Adults, Brown (Amazon Exclusive) Blaze into battle with a sword in each hand, or attach them together to create 1 double-bladed sword

Each sword has a hard plastic inner blade that is covered with an outer layer of Nerf foam and is over 28 inches (71 centimeters) long

When the 2 toy swords are combined, the vendetta sword measures over 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) long

It’s worth bearing in mind that these foam swords do have plastic in the middle, surrounded by a foam outer layer. This means that you’re going to have to ensure that your kids aren’t hitting each other too hard with these melee swords, as it can hurt.

Superhero Melee Weapons

To align with Marvel films that have been released over the years, Nerf worked with them to released replicas of the models. Usually, these are remakes of older Nerf guns, like with the Hawkeye remake of the Nerf Bow and Arrow.They’re pretty cool, but each model usually gets discontinued after a few years. So if you want any of them, you should try and pick them up as soon as you can.

Nerf Captain America Blaster Reveal Shield

Marvel Captain America Blaster Reveal Shield Iconic Captain America shield design

Push star button to reveal blaster

Launch 2 NERF darts using blaster reveal feature

Most of the Nerf products that are released are melee weapons. But, you’ll definitely struggle to find many shields and ways to defend yourself. The Blaster Reveal Shield was released alongside Captain America: Civil War back in 2016. It’s not just a shield – you can also fire with it as well, as it has a two dart clip and two extra darts stored behind the shield. The trigger is on the underside of the shield too, si it’s pretty easy to fire.

Nerf Wolverine Claws

Nerf Wolverine Claws were released towards the end of 2013 to coincide with the Wolverine film that was being released. There are several imitations of these floating about on eBay, so if you do go in search of them, make sure that you get the right ones!

Nerf Thor Battle Hammer

There were several different variations of the Thor Hammer that were released in alignment with the Thor films in 2011 and 2014. Marvel and Nerf combined in 2011 to released the Thor Armor of Asgard Hammer and the Armor of Asgard Sword. They’re both weapons that Thor uses in the movie, and work well as melee weapons. Later in 2014, they released the Thor Lightning Strike Hammer along with the Thor Battle Hammer. All of these models have been discontinued.

Are Fake Nerf melee weapons worth considering?

Fortunately, Nerf melee weapons aren’t particularly expensive. So, this isn’t a massive concern for the majority of people. One thing that can be an issue however, is the ability to actually get your hands on an actual Nerf toy. Many of them get discontinued, so make sure you’re buying it at an appropriate price.

Liberty Imports Giant Foam Great Swords 2 Pack Warrior Knights Weapons Kids Pretend Play Toy Set - Red vs Blue (28 Inches) Fun and colorful set of 2 giant foam swords. Each set includes 1 Blue and 1 Red sword.

The foam covering can withstand the tough battle action of medieval Knights, swashbuckling Pirates, bold Vikings, and all sword-wielding warriors

1:1 Scale Swords Each Measure 28" in Length. Much larger than other foam swords on the market!

You can find tons of fake melee swords and other toys on Amazon by browsing around. Most of them may not be up to Nerf standards, but they work well as a Christmas present. They’re also usually a little cheaper than Nerf swords, so that’s worth taking into account as well.

Conclusion

Overall, there isn’t really one ‘best melee weapon’ like there is with a Nerf gun or a longrange nerf sniper. It does really depend on what it is that you’re looking for. If you’re not sure what your child would like or you can’t decide yourself, then I’d probably recommend starting with the Z Bat or the Strikeblade. They’re both pretty solid melee weapons made to a high standard, so they won’t tear apart after one use.

But overall, Nerf melee weapons should just be part of an enjoyable Nerf experience. So pick up a Nerf melee along with your Nerf gun so that you can have some fun with your friends and family.

Last update on 2020-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API