By ZARRAH MARI MORDEN, YAP YI PENG and JOSHUA RALPH KAMIJAN
brats@thestar.com.my

The Nerf community in Malaysia might not be the biggest, but judging from the response to the Nerf Showdown tournament last week at KDU University College, Selangor, it is definitely growing.

They might just be foam ‘bullets’, but Nerf tournaments can still be pretty intense.

Organised by the Nerf Daman–sara community and KDU Uni–versity College, the event saw teams competing in something akin to a paintball tournament – but using Nerf Blasters, toy “guns” that shoot harmless foam darts.

The BRATs were invited to send a team for the Nerf Showdown, and it was really quite an experience.

Even during registration on Day One (the team category), we could feel the love and excitement for Nerfing in the air.

When the doors opened to reveal our “battlefield”, the excitement and enthusiasm increased significantly. Everyone was prepared for battle.

The tournament was based on an elimination format, with teams having to practise teamwork in order to eliminate their opponents.

The wacky team behind the Nerf Showdown tournament held in KDU University College, Selangor last weekend.

Day Two saw the individual category take place. Participants had to race against time and work through an obstacle course while shooting down targets. This was the ultimate test of speed and accuracy.

How did the BRATs team do? Don’t ask. All we can say was we were made to feel very welcome, and we’re now contemplating buying our own Nerf Blasters.

Something for everyone

Saying your hobby is playing with Nerf Blasters would probably sound pretty unusual already. But there are people now who not only consider it a hobby, but a passion as well. Many of them even have customised and personalised blasters.

Nerf Damansara holds weekly events for Nerf enthusiasts, young and old.

When we arrived at the Nerf Showdown, we also found girls of all ages examining their blasters and mixing it up on the “battlefield”. Clearly, this isn’t a game just for the boys.

When the organisers of the Nerf Showdown offered the BRATs a chance to send our own team for the tournament, it was too good to refuse. The very first BRATs Nerf team included (from left) Yap Yi Ping, Mistika Idris, Joshua Ralph Kamijan, Keith Yap and Zarrah Marie Morden.

One of them, Tien Ti, was one of the tournament’s standout performers. She has been Nerfing seriously since October last year. She currently participates in Nerf games with an active group in Monash University that meets up every Wednesday.

One of the best things about Nerf is that you can play it pretty much anywhere. All you need is to grab a handful of friends, venture to the closest park, and just start playing. Even if you live right in the city, do not fret – the Nerf Showdown was held indoors, in a playing course that used chairs and tables as obstacles and barricades.

For those interested in taking part in some Nerf activities, check out the Nerf Damansara Facebook page (facebook.com/NerfDamansara).