Top 5 Facts About NERF
Ever since the invention of the gun, people have loved firing bullets at each other. But in 1992 NERF offered mankind the perfect balance between indiscriminately shooting other people and not getting blood stains on our Reebok Pumps. Welcome to Watchmojo's Top 5 Facts. In this instalment we're counting down the five least lethal facts from the foamy, weird world of NERF.
What did you think of this video? Got an idea for the next instalment of WM Facts? Head over to http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest to submit your ideas today.
#5: The Origins of the NERF Name Aren't as Whacky as You Might Think
Turns out that NERF wasn’t always synonymous with bruise-free fun with guns. The internet mostly says that NERF stands for Non-Expanding Recreational Foam, but more credible sources point out that it comes from the wacky world of drag racing. Well, the other kind, but sure. In 1950s hot-rodder slang, to “nerf” someone was to nudge them off their course with your bumper. “Nerf bars” became slang for custom bumpers. And somehow, that became a foam toy. Somehow.
#4: The Same Dude Who Invented Twister Is Also Responsible for NERF
Not content creating a game where people rub against one another while trying to match various body parts to coloured circles, inventor Reyn Guyer created a 4-inch ball that could be thrown at anything and not cause damage, you could pitch it right at your friends’ faces and it even wouldn’t leave a mark. The main selling point of this ball was that it wouldn’t hurt no matter how hard you flung it and this won the hearts of violent American children everywhere. Originally, Guyer was using the foam in a game with actual rules but that inevitably devolved into vigorous ball-chucking. So they went with it.
#3: NERF Makes the Big Bucks
Top 10 Facts About NERF
NERF is an ever growing pastime and has become popular with grown man-children as well as its intended demographic of growing children-children. In fact, since the introduction of NERF blasters over 4 billion darts have been sold and counting. And because we live in a world where the internet connects statistic-craved weirdos with weirdos who actually do the math, we now know that in the past 5 years enough darts have been sold to circle the globe four times. That’s crazy but it also means big money for the corporate fat cats down at NERF. 2014 saw a $620M dollar gross for the plastic blaster magnates, and the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes them as the biggest outdoor and sports toy brand in the world.
#2: NERF Wars Are a Thing
Organized NERF wars happen in a lot of different countries and allow otherwise civilised human beings to come together and fire non-lethal projectiles at each other all while wearing big goofy grins. Participants are armed to the gills with soft neon bullets and fire happily at each other all day long. One such gathering in Calgary recently set a Guinness world record with 601 trigger happy participants. Careful where you point that thing though, a Missouri couple faced assault charges for NERF darting a drive through worker. This caused more confusion than it did pain but rumor has it gun control is a bit of a sore subject in the U.S.
#1: That Badass Sci-Fi Gun Battle You Just Watched? NERF
Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About Lip Sync Battle
NERF’s designs are so remarkable and flashy that they’ve captured the attention of TV and Movies alike. Terra Nova , reportedly one of the most expensive shows on television, used repainted NERF guns to replicate actual firearms. Acclaimed cinematic gems like Megapirhanha, Hunter Prey and The ABC’s of Death have also used modified NERF guns to hammer home their legitimacy. But these productions are basically doing what the extensive NERF subculture does every day: “modding.” Modders alter NERF products to resemble weapons from real life, popular movies, shows and video games. Aficionados spray paint their firearms, add pieces, lights and sound effects to make really awesome and badass creations. Well this has been an exhilarating and thought-provoking journey but now we have to spend the next hour picking up those darts we shot. For more fun, foamy Top 10s and get-one-tiny-hole-and-it-won’t-shoot Top 5s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
