Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set review: "Perfect for siblings"

'Sharing' is often wobbly territory, and I presume this is why the Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set comes armed with two blasters rather than one. It's hard to argue when siblings can both shoot each other with foam darts, after all.

Does that make them some of the best Nerf blasters, then? Well, sort of. Although there are better individual options (we'll get into that later), the Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set is solid value because it's fun to use but also heads off arguments at the pass by providing two for the price of one.

Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set features & design

• Two blasters included
• Perfect for siblings
• Features plenty of spare darts

The Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set features two distinct blasters in a single pack. Because one blaster is bigger than the other (and therefore 'better'), won't siblings argue over who gets it? Perhaps. But both have been tailored to suit different age groups, so their differences are actually a strength. The Cadet is ideal for older kids thanks to its size and pump-action mechanism, for example, while the smaller, simpler Scoutfire is a better fit where younger children are concerned. That's due to its single shot pull-handle system that's really a case of "point and shoot."

While the latter can only hold one dart at a time, the former is able to pack two at once. Does this make the odds unbalanced during play? Again, maybe - but not in a particularly significant way.

You're also getting 15 spare darts, and both are easy to load. You simply push the dart into the barrel, prime the blaster, and squeeze the trigger to fire.

Performance

• A lot easier to use than normal Nerf
• Both blasters are satisfying to fire
• Easy to load, but low capacity

No matter the blaster your kids choose, any complaints about which one is better and who needs to have what should melt away quick enough. To start with, both are equally punchy and accurate. When I tested them, they sent darts zipping across the room quickly enough to bounce back at me.

They're oddly satisfying to use as well, be it the pump-action Cadet or pull-handle Scoutfire; they give a pleasing ka-chunk noise when primed. Because there's no revolving barrel to contend with, a la the Nerf Elite Jr. Rookie Pack, loading is easy as well - you're just putting a dart into the barrel, priming it, and firing.

I just wish these two had a larger capacity. Thanks to them only carrying one or two darts at a time, your children will end up having to collect and reload their darts regularly. That can get old quickly.

It's a shame that there's nowhere on the blasters to store those extra darts too, but hey ho. I suppose that's what pockets are for. The addition of 15 darts in the box keeps you flush with extra ammo during play at least, which is more than the Nerf Elite Jr. Flyer can say.

Should you buy the Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set?

If you have a couple of kids at home, furnishing them with a toy each can get expensive fast. That's why the Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set is so appealing. To kick off, it features two blasters in the box that are actually great to use. Secondly, they're modelled for different ages so younger and older siblings have something designed specifically for them.

As with all Nerf Elite Jr. blasters, they're easier for younger Nerf warriors to prime and fire as well. That counts for a lot, in my opinion, especially if your children feel left out of backyard battles with older siblings or friends.

Are there better blasters in the range? Yes. But if you're buying for two children, this option makes the most sense.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Nerf Elite Jr. Starter Set

I tested the two blasters from the set alongside other entries in the Nerf Elite Jr. range as a direct comparison. I also gave them to a friend's children so they could try them out, and we could get a real-life use-case. (They loved 'em.)

For a full look at our site testing process, don't miss the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

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