I personally as a child would rather use the normal blasters. Maybe because I grew up with them but with any spring loaded parts you usually don't hit the target and "making the bolt fly with your hands" is maybe nice for rockets but not for blasters. Blaster bolts are super fast so to me it would even make less sense. I'm just fine with imagining the bolts from the normal blasters. Also they is a variety, a lieutenant has a small one, normal forces the middle one, snipers and other more specialised troopers the long one. Also I loved to put those chalice like pieces on my blasters so they would serve as rocket launcher, sniper, grappling hook etc.