HexBug Battle Spider Product Review:
From the moment I saw these in the store, I wanted them. The only thing I wondered, was if they were as cool as they looked. When I found them on sale, I decided to take the chance. The set I bought came with two spiders, and a battle ground. The spiders can be bought separately, and range in color. The battleground consists of cardboard cutouts, and plastic stands. Everything went together easy, and worked straight out of the box.
The Good
These mini robots are pretty sweet, especially for the price point. The controls, although basic, work well. There are 3 buttons on each remote. There is a forward, a left/right, and a weapon fire. My 3 year old was driving it around with no trouble.
They also move at a decent speed. They crawl around best on hard surfaces. They can turn and walk simultaneously. The laser weapons have lights and sounds. The battery life seems decent, and they are tons of fun. The robots also came with an extra set of batteries.
The Bad
Although they are very cool, they could use one or two “bug” fixes. The laser weapons are a bit unreliable. They do function, but are a bit hard to land. The remote’s are so small, that my thumbs can touch while holding one. My robots also came with dead batteries. Luckily they had a spare set, so I still got to use them right away.
The Conclusion
I would buy these again. I enjoy them, and consider them a great purchase. They could have better battery life, better lasers, and larger remotes, but for the price I can’t really complain. They are loads of fun. They are easy to use, and HexBug makes a variety of robots to add to your collection. I am glad to see a few companies coming out with solid working robots for children. Many toys today are cheaply made, and don’t work well, especially remote toys. These do work well though, and they feel well made. The box says 3+, and I agree with the recommendation. I would add though that adult supervision is a must. They are not delicate, but given to a young child, they may end up broken.
Price: $69.99 $49.99 (Amazon)
HFR Rating:
