A look at the ELITE 2.0 series
It looks like Hasbro has decided to re-skin some old ideas for the third time, but the name only suggests a second time... well I guess it's only the second time... I'm sure I have previous versions of all these blasters already so I'm not real sure about these, but let's take a look at the NERF ELITE 2.0 series anyway.
The Elite 2.0 was first leaked online in early 2020, with image-less listings for most of its products popping up on several online retail stores. It was officially launched July 26, 2020. As the name suggests, it is the successor to the 2012 N-Strike Elite series, which was the successor to the 2003 N-Strike series. The blasters feature similar designs to those seen in earlier blasters however the blasters are now teal and orange, rather than blue and orange.
Will start the list with the ECHO CS-10. This blaster is a slide-action clip system blaster similar in design to the RECON CS-6 or RETALIATOR.
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| ECHO CS-10 |
The ECHO includes a removable stock and barrel, a ten dart clip, twenty-four Elite 2.0 darts, and instructions. Despite the attachments both having tactical rails, the blaster itself has none.
Next up we got the COMMANDER RD-6. It's a 6 dart, Slam-Fire, revolver-style blaster that shares numerous similarities with blasters such as the MAVERICK REV-6, STRONGARM, and DISRUPTOR.
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| COMMANDER RD-6 |
The COMMANDER features more attachment points than the other three, featuring a barrel extension attachment point, and a stock attachment point. It also has 3 tactical rails and a sling point below the cylinder. The COMMANDER RD-6 comes with 12 darts and sells for $12.99 USD.
Not too much to be said for here... The VOLT SD-1 is a single-fire blaster with an integrated light in it, similar to previous blasters, such as the N-Strike NITE FINDER EX-3 and the N-Strike Elite FIRESTRIKE.
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| VOLT SD-1 |
It has two tactical rails and features storage for up to two additional darts in its handle grip. It comes 6 official NERF darts, "FIRES DARTS UP TO 90 FEET (27 METERS)", so they claim, and it sells for 10 bucks.
The SHOCKWAVE RD-15 is a pump-action blaster with a fifteen dart drum. Like its predecessor the SURGE FIRE, the SHOCKWAVE RD-15 drum comes detached from the blaster for packaging purposes. It has three tactical rails: two on top, and one below. There are also two sling mounts, one in the back of the blaster and one above the drum.
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| SHOCKWAVE RD-15 |
The SHOCKWAVE also features a barrel extension attachment point, and a stock attachment point. Unlike its predecessor the SURGE FIRE, the Slam-Fire was removed from the SHOCKWAVE for unknown reasons. The SHOCKWAVE comes with 30 darts and retails for 30 bucks.
Initial performance reports of the SHOCKWAVE indicate sub-ELITE standard results perhaps due to inconsistencies with manufacturing.
Now let's take a look at the PHOENIX CS-6. The PHOENIX is a small, clip fed, flywheel system blaster similar to the STRYFE. Like other similar blasters, it has a rev trigger below the main/firing trigger, and the magazine release sits in front of the main trigger. It features a detachable barrel extension point and a shoulder stock attachment point. It also has two tactical rails on top of the blaster, one tactical rail on the bottom, two more rails, one on each side of the blaster.
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| PHOENIX CS-6 |
It comes with a removable scope, a six dart clip, twelve Elite 2.0 Darts, and instructions. It requires four "AA" batteries (not included). The batteries are loaded in the front of the blaster, similar to the FLYTE CS-10. The PHOENIX CS-6 advertises a firing range of up to ninety feet (twenty-seven meters) and retails for $24.99.
Next we have another flywheel blaster... the TURBINE CS-18 is a fully-automatic clip system blaster, similar to that of the RAPIDSTRIKE CS-18. It has an integrated rear stock and a barrel extension attachment point on the front of the blaster.
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| TURBINE CS-18 |
There's a tactical rail beneath the barrel, two more rails on either side of the side of the blaster, and one more behind the Jam door on top of the blaster. There are two sling/strap attachment points on the top side of the blaster, and one on the bottom of the stock. The TURBINE CS-18 comes packaged with an eighteen dart clip, thirty-six Elite 2.0 darts, and instructions. You will also need 4 "C" batteries to power it.
Advertised firing ranges are up to ninety feet (twenty-seven meters).
Considered by some to be the best-looking blaster in the whole series, the WARDEN DB-8 is an eight-barreled blaster that can fire up to two darts at a time. I'm guessing the DB stands for "double-barrel". It features a two-step firing trigger, similar to its predecessor, the ROUGH CUT 2x4.
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| WARDEN DB-8 |
The WARDEN features one tactical rail on the top back of the blaster, and two sling/strap points on top of the blaster at the front and rear. The WARDEN DB-8 comes packed with sixteen Elite 2.0 darts, and it advertises a firing range of up to eighty-five feet (twenty-six meters). I have it on good authority that actual ranges are more along the lines of around 40-ish feet. The retail price is about 20 bucks.
Last we have the TRIO TD-3. The TRIO is a single-shot blaster with a three dart firing capacity, similar to its predecessor the N-Strike Elite TRIAD EX-3. The TRIO TD-3 features a single tactical rail on the top, with a sling/strap point behind that.
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| TRIO TD-3 |
The TRIO TD-3 has 3 vertically stacked barrels, each loaded with a dart. Pull down the handle to prime the blaster, and pull the trigger to fire 1 dart... just like the TRIAD. It comes packaged with six Elite 2.0 Darts and instructions, and claims ranges of up to 90 feet (27 meters). The average retail price for this one is about 8 bucks.
As for those darts... the ELITE 2.0 DARTS are nothing new. There pretty much the exact same thing as plain old ELITE DARTs... which isn't much. They come in two new color schemes, teal body with an orange head, and orange body with a teal head.
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| Elite 2.0 darts, nothing special. |
However, since ELITE 2.0 Darts have the same mold and design to their predecessor, the ELITE DART, they are compatible with almost all other NERF clip system blasters, clips, and drums.
My final thoughts on the ELITE 2.0 series are pretty clear... I think NERF has done all of these blasters before and Better. It seems that Hasbro has taken cost-saving assembly lessons to the next level with ELITE 2.0 . With solvent weld and clip construction (minimal screws), under normal circumstances, you WON'T have realistic access to the internals. This means, for the dedicated group of NERF modders and certain players out there, there’s really no reason to buy these blasters unless you really like the aesthetics. I I think I already have better versions of each of these blasters in my collection already, so I'll probably pass on these. I think you can find better blasters for your buck...
NERF on NERFerS!!!
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