Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Some random observations about this product that may help you make your decision:
On the positive side, once it's set up, it's loads of fun with seemingly infinate replay / rebuild value. The kids (and their Dad) are mesmirized by the marbles tumbling through the nicely varied chutes. My 7-year-old can effectively build her own towers, one of which turned out to be taller than my six-feet. (She had to stand on the coffee table to complete it and get the balls rolling.) Little friends that have come over have all expressed excitement and had fun putting their own marble runs together. There are enough pieces for 2 separate but adequately sized towers to be built simultaneously. This set is much easier to assemble and far more steady than any wooden set I've ever encountered. It's one of the most played-with toys from this Christmas, and that includes a new electronic gaming system.
But, I also have a few gripes for the manufacturer.
1) Initial set-up is a royal pain, especially when you've got an anxious child sitting at your elbow, eager to play. Each of the chain links need snapping together (the process hurt the little lady's fingers), and the instructions are paltry at best. (We did better following the picture on the front of the box.)
2) The motors for the lift system broke within the first 10 minutes of use. Though we didn't "abuse" them, per se, my daughter did hold up the chain mechanism while attempting to dislodge a stuck marble, and instantly it started running in a jerky fashion, then quit altogether. The lifts can still be turned manually, but it takes all the "cool" out of it. Way too wimpy for a childrens toy.
3) Inexplicably, some of the pieces are of different lengths (about 1/2" shorter than the rest), making towers crooked and wobbly. We haven't figured out a way to utilize them effectively, so by and large, we just leave those pieces out of play. Silly, and it seems like a waste of box space.
In spite of the shortcomings, we still have a lot of fun with this set. Ours just now happens to be powered by gravity only. If you intend to buy a marble run (which I'd highly recommend for the logic building/educational/FUN value), you may want to bypass the motorized version and get something like Marble Race Deluxe or Quercetti Super Marble Run Vortis, 224 Pieces.
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