Review of the Nerf Rival Curve Shot Helix XXI-2000

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Last updated: October 27, 2023

The Nerf Helix XXI-2000 is a spring-powered, hopper-fed, pump-action blaster in the Curve Shot sub-series of Rival.

One of the key features of the Curve Shot sub-series is the rotating barrel that offers the ability to shoot rounds in a curve.

In this review of the Helix XXI-2000, I will walk you through some of the top features of this blaster, and I will share my thoughts with you.

You can purchase the Nerf Rival Curve Shot Helix blaster on Amazon.

The Nerf Rival Helix XXI-2000 was released in the second half of 2021 as part of the Curve Shot sub-series of blasters. Curve Shot blasters are able to fire in a curved trajectory with the help of a twist-around muzzle.

The Helix XXI-2000 has an internal hopper that can carry up to 20 High-Impact Rounds and has two sling points; one at the bottom of the grip and one on top of the barrel.

Read on, as I am going to discuss this rather unique blaster in more detail, and I will reveal whether it is worth buying.

Here’s my take on the Nerf Rival Helix.

1. Curve Shot Effect

As mentioned, the number one feature of the Helix XXI-2000 is the curve shot effect, and while it may not appeal to everyone, it’s actually quite a fun feature that works surprisingly well.

The spin effect is achieved by rotating the barrel left, right, or down. As you may have guessed, rotating the barrel to the left will give the rounds a left curve, and so forth.

But as fun as the curve shot effect is, it is also not much more than a gimmick. It’s not going to give you any advantage in Nerf battles; it’s just for fun. Nothing more, nothing less.

Also note that you don’t need to use this feature at all. Simply keep the barrel in its default position, and the blaster will fire as normal.

2. Generous Firing Capacity

Given that this is a manual, singe-fire, pump-action blaster, the 20-round capacity of the internal hopper magazine is very generous, especially compared to other similar pump-action blasters.

Rounds can be loaded into the hopper, which has two separate channels, through the top of the blaster. A cool feature is that you can see the rounds from the side of the blaster through a set of holes.

The official capacity of the hopper is 20, but you can easily beef this up to 30 as there seems to be more than enough space.

While the priming mechanism is reasonably smooth, it is a bit on the heavy side. Also, you need to make sure that you do the full priming movement for the internal mechanism to work properly.

However, please note that the Helix, due to its hopper design in combination with manual priming, is a bit more prone to dry fires and jams, as the hopper works on a gravity-fed basis.

The best way to avoid these issues is to hold the blaster level while priming to make sure that the rounds get pushed into the firing position properly.

3. Affordable Price

Rival blasters certainly aren’t the cheapest Nerf blasters on the market, and for good reasons. They generally perform exceptionally well and typically have a large firing capacity.

The Curve Shot Helix XXI-2000 is actually surprisingly affordable compared to some of the more popular Rival blasters, yet it still offers excellent performance and great features.

Of course, the Helix is not a full or semi-automatic blaster, but as a well-performing, single-fire, pump-action blaster, the Helix offers excellent value for money.

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The biggest drawcard of the Rival Curve Shot Helix is the hopper feeding mechanism that can hold a good amount of rounds, especially considering the fact that this is a manual blaster.

Compared to, let’s say, the Prometheus and the Nemesis, you can argue that the internal hopper is small. But the Prometheus and Nemesis are fully automatic Nerf blasters, and the Helix is a manual pump-action blaster.

Overall, I do like the Helix. The curve shot feature is fun, and while the hopper mechanism in this blaster can lead to a few hiccups, the priming and firing mechanism is quite a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Review:	Nerf Rival Curve Shot Helix XXI-2000
Summary:	The Nerf Helix XXI-2000 in the Curve Shot sub-series of Rival is a spring-powered, pump-action blaster with an internal hopper feeding mechanism. It’s a fun blaster with a generously sized firing capacity, but the curve feature is mostly a gimmick rather than a value-adding feature.
Author:	Thomas Dunnett
Rating:	4.4 (out of 5)