Nitro Blaster
Toy Gallery and Review

Click On Pictures For Full Versions

Nitro Blaster Package
     

Nitro Blaster - Blaster Mode

     

Nitro Blaster - Sword Mode

Black Ranger's Engine Cell Chip
   

Nitro Blaster Belt Clip

Nitro Blaster Engine Cell Chip Compartment

Override Button

Morph Lever

Linear Review
The first RPM toy that I managed to find and purchase this year, was the Ranger's Nitro Blaster.  Though it's a bit different than the way it'll appear on the show.

First off I'll address the orange barrel of the blaster.  Due to US toy laws & standards, any toy gun must have a bright orange tip or barrel on it, so every can see that it is indeed a toy.  Though Bandai America did do something good with this barrel.  It's designed in the fashion of the Star Wars Lightsaber Toys, in that it expands out, thus allowing for a longer & slightly more realistic toy.  Plus the barrel glows in the dark (though not very brightly).

Now to the blaster itself.  It is meant to look like the average gasoline pump nozzle.  It really doesn't feel like a cheap toy in your hand.  It feels good size & weight.  In order to activate the blaster & sword sounds, you first switch the toy on.  A double beep with occur when the toy is switched on.  Then, in order to pull the trigger, you need to place the Engine Cell Chip into the compartment of the blaster.  This allows you to pull the trigger and fire the blaster.  A normal blaster echo kind of sound occurs with the blaster in blaster mode.  

You can override the need for the Engine Cell Chip.  This is done by pressing in the override button located above the trigger area.

To morph the blaster to sword mode, you push the morph lever up and begin to twist the barrel end until it snaps into position.  A locking will occur during this.  Then press the barrel release lever and thrust the weapon downward to send the sword out.  Now in sword mode, you still need to either have an Engine Cell Chip in place, or the override button pressed in.  When you press the trigger, you'll now get a metal clashing sound.  In this mode, the Nitro Blaster measures close to 24 inches in length.

There's also a command mode.  You switch over to it on the power switch.  Basically it's a lot like the Mega Mission Helmets, in that it plays through one quick mission, with the same announcer.  Not that much to it.

The blaster also comes with a belt clip, allowing kids to carry the blaster around with them on their belt.

One flaw I've found with the Nitro Blaster is sometimes it keeps playing the "locking" sound, as if it's being locked into place several times.  The way I've found to remedy this, is to turn the blaster on in sword mode, and then morph it to blaster mode, allowing to locking clip to snap into place.  But perhaps this is just a small error with my Nitro Blaster.

RATINGS
The ratings are based on the following scale:
1 Emblem is Bad
2 Emblems is Poor
3 Emblems is Okay
4 Emblems is Good
5 Emblems is Great

Kids

Kids should really get a kick out of this weapon.  The size is good, and the sounds are decent.  While it may not be exactly like the weapon will appear on the show, kid's will still enjoy playing with the Nitro Blaster.

Collectors

Collectors will probably have mixed feeling about this weapon.  I know it's had a fair amount of changed from it's Japanese version.  One being the barrel, then the actual trigger being changed, and finally the compartment for the Engine Cell Chip & the chip itself.  But for some collectors, you can look past small changes, and perhaps even take the toy apart to repaint the barrel to be more show accurate.

Linear Ranger

I gotta say this is a much better toy weapon than some we have gotten in the past few years.  I was very surprised that the sword mode was the size it was.  Granted the orange barrel does bother me, but I'm seriously looking into taking it apart and repainting it.  But I think this is a good buy.