Introduction

I like darts. It's a fun alternative to playing only card games when you have friends over, and it's pretty easy to get into because (at the very least) most people already know how to throw things. I wanted to pick up an inexpensive dart board, as I didn't want to waste a ton of money, and I also wanted an electronic board because I wanted it to keep score for me. An added bonus of an electronic board is the fact that it can help teach you different dart games. This worked out well, since I also wanted soft-tipped darts so the board would hopefully last longer, as would the wall around my dart board.

I didn't want something big and bulky that came in a cabinet, as I didn't really have room for a whole cabinet anyway. I also wanted a board that came darts so I wouldn't have to buy them separately, and instructions so that I wouldn't have to bother looking them up instructions online. When reviewing all my requirements and preferences, the Halex Elight 2.0 Electronic Dartboard looked like a pretty good option.

Description

The dartboard is 20.3 inches tall, 17.3 inches wide, and 1.3 inches deep, and weighs about 3 pounds. It is made of plastic and is primarily black in color. The board itself is made of 20 radial sections, alternating colors between black and white. Each section has a double ring at the outside, and a triple ring in the middle. These rings are red when they appear in a black section and green when they appear in a white section. There is a standard bulls-eye in the center, with a green outer ring and a red inner circle.

The remainder of the board outside of the standard play area contains the numbers marking each section, and it also doubles as a catch area for missed darts. The entire board is made of plastic, and each section of the gameplay area is a seperate piece so that the board can register hits for the electronic scoring function. Each of those pieces is packed with a honecomb of little holes for the dart tips to rest in so that they stick to the board. Along with the main board, there are darts, replacement tips, and 2 mounting screws with drywall anchors. The board takes 3 AA batteries, which were not included.

The electronic display is bright red, and the black numbers are easily viewable even from further than the 7 foot 9¼ inch standard distance of the oche/throwing line. The voice isn't overly loud, and it's kind of annoying, but perfectly audible from the same distance.

Documentation

The instruction manual that comes with the Halex Elight 2.0 contains warranty information along with setup and mounting instructions. It also covers operation of the unit, setting up games, and various functions of the board. Finally, includes a list of all 75 game modes and which number corresponds to which one, along with rules to each game.

Darts

The Halex Elight 2.0 comes with 6 soft-tip darts and a pack of replacement tips. There are 6 metal base pieces, with 6 black plastic tips that easily screw into the front, and 6 black plastic backs that easily screw in the back of the base. There are 3 red and 3 black plastic fin sets that you unfold and then slide into the back of the dart to complete it. The plastic fins aren't perfecly straight, and the darts are a little light, but they are pretty good for something that came in such an inexpensive set.

Note: Never use steel tipped darts with the Halex Elight 2.0.

Game Modes

The Halex Elight 2.0 comes with 24 different games, including standard 301 & 501, Cricket, Shooter, Count-Up, High Score, Round the Clock, Double Down, All Fives, Shanghai, Baseball and more. Most of those games have additional variations bringing the total number of game modes up to 75. The board defaults to 2 players games, but you can change it with a couple button presses to accommodate up to 8 players.

It also has a CyberMatch feature, which allows you to play against a computer competitor at five difficulty levels ranging from Beginner to Professional. However, only one player can play versus the CyberMatch competitor at a time.

There is also a Trash Talk option that can be enabled for some game modes. It just spits out random remarks like "Superb!" or "You're all over the place!" sometimes when you make a particularly good or bad throw.

Final Thoughts

The Halex Elight 2.0 is a very inexpensive dartboard that contains everything (sans batteries) that you need to get started. It works well and is very popular with people of all ages. The soft tip darts even make it fun for slightly younger kids that you wouldn't want playing with steel tips.

Recommended: Yes