Editorial Review

Many high-tech toys start with a fun and fascinating idea only to make it frustratingly complicated in the execution. Leave it to LEGO to make a technologically advanced toy fun to play with. The enormous 718-piece LEGO Mindstorms Robotic Invention System lets you construct a variety of moving robot vehicles and then program them from your Windows 98- or Windows Me-compatible computer. The robots are all based around a bright yellow basic unit, which serves as the functional heart of whatever is being built. The brick receives commands from the computer via an infrared tower unit. The computer interface is incredibly user-friendly and intuitive. What's most impressive about the system, however, is the variety of robots that can be built. There are detailed instructions for each one, and since these are LEGOs, builders are free to come up with an endless variety. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (55)

The Best Toy I have Played with in 40 Years
This system is phenominal. We own version 1.5, purchased a year ago and we have not put it down. And trust me, this is not for kids only. I only wish there was something around like this when I was 12 - I was stuck with Robbbie the Robot replicas.
When my son opened it for Christmas, we knew it would be a big hit. We have spend uncountless hours working on this together (quality, quality time) and the problem solving skills he has gained have put him in a position that he can now program a computer in Visual Basic at 12 years. (Not that this system teaches you VB, but it sure teaches you logic and structure, necessities for any program language)
We have since bought all the expansion kits, a few books and have built robots capable of some unbelievable feats.
Keep in mind that older Technic sets work well with these sets as well as many of the other Lego sets you have.
I would recommend this set to anyone, especially those who longed for a real robot as a child, not a "flashing lights only" Robbie.

Best think ever
I have this toy for more then a yeat and it still is fun,i keep making stuff i even made a robotic hand, this is the best thing ever well what are you wating for buy it!!!

Beware of software incompatibilty
Unless you have Windows 98 or Windows ME, it may not work (who knows -- you may get lucky). I refuse to use either of these operating systems, which I consider wretched. The Mindstorm official FAQ says it was tested only on those 2 operating systems. For those who can get it to work, apparently it's a great product.

Great Product, but IR Tower has problems w/certain computer
Great Product - but like another reviewer, I had the same issues with the IR Tower and XP. Non of the Lego Support Documents were of much use, but using an older PC with Windows 98 did the trick.

A MUST!!!!!
I am an engineering student and we use these in our robotics lab. Adults with an interest in programming can use java or C to program, children can use the included software. The software is an easy to use visual drag and drop type software. I would recommend every parent to purchase this toy. It allows the kids to learn the basics of programming and see the immediate results when the program is downloaded to the robot. My 9 year old daughter never lost interest in my assignments. This is one of the best learning toys I have ever seen. I am planning on purchasing on for myself to use with my daughter (lots of little parts, messy children will need some supervision or most of the robot will be in the vacuum). Children between 7-12 will enjoy the product, with alot of assistance from parent, over 12 should have no trouble at all with it. Excellent for education, and a lot of fun for a parent - child activity. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This neon green and grape roller coaster is impressive in both size andscope. When fully built the coaster stretches 6 feet long and stands 3 feethigh. The directions are detailed and clear, and we had no trouble putting ittogether. It did take us a bit over five hours, though, and it's likely that anychild under 12 will need parental assistance. But assembling it is half the fun.When finished, the track careens so hazardously, it's hard to believe the carswill stay on, but they do! The plastic chain hauls the three cars up slowly,just like a real roller coaster, and the sound effects box re-creates the noiseso perfectly you'll squirm with anticipation. After reaching the top and passingthrough the serpent's mouth, the cars begin their dizzying descent past thesound effects box, which has now switched to emitting enthusiastic and terrifiedscreaming. Gravity and centrifugal force whip the little cars along the rest ofthe track until at last it reaches the beginning of the ride, only to be towedup for another round. If you don't have 6 feet of space, there are instructionsfor a smaller version, and you can turn the sound effects off if you prefer toplay quietly. Entirely worth the time and effort, this is ideal as a familyendeavor. --M. Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (112)

This is Awesome!!!
I'm 13 years old and thought this is the best toy ever. I got kind of bored with the set that it tells you to make so I built my own. I built the new boomerang ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain called "Deja Vu". I ran out of pieces, so I love it so much that I'm going to buy another one. I think that it should come with more pieces so you can build your own coaster, but that is the only flaw in it. I think it's the best toy ever especially to roller coaster enthusiasts like me.

Fun, but lots of work
I'd first like to say that I find the claims of other reviewers here that this toy can be assembled in 2-3 hours to be pretty unbelievable. My adult brother and I spent about 7 hours building this model, mostly working in parallel. This was our first KNEX model, but we are hardly novices at building complex toys.

I generally avoid Chinese-made toys due to their notoriously poor quality, and I was concerned about the not-completely-specified Chinese content of this model. Apparently, all of the standard KNEX parts are made in the US, and were of a very high quality plastic that snapped together nicely. It looked like only the electrical components (motor and sound box) and the train were made in China (and were of noticeably poorer quality plastic).

The actual construction process was a lot of fun. My only complaint here was that some parts of the manual dealing with the track support system were difficult to reproduce exactly, and failing to exactly reproduce this left us with a track fit problem. We finally had to fudge and use an unspecified part to make the track support work.

After construction, very little tweaking was required to get the model working as advertised. As other reviewers have noted, the model moves a lot when in use. This was resolved easily by building the model on a piece of pegboard and using a few strategic tie-wraps to hold it in place.

My major complaint: the motor assembly. It has a small, difficult to operate power switch. To make matters worse, it's apparently a generic KNEX motor module, and the power switch also has a "reverse" setting which, when accidentally activated while trying to turn the model on or off, can cause the model to jam (and possibly even cause damage).

Once the construction process is completed, this is not much of a "hands on" toy. There's really nothing you can "do" with it other than watch the train go round and round. The actual "ride" from the top of the lift to the bottom is only 2-3 seconds long.

This toy is awesome!!!
Its definately worth the 90.00 bucks that you spend on it cause it is VERY fun to build and even more fun to play with...The only thing is that you have to know and use your imagination to be able to build this thing cause it can be pretty hard in some spots...but never the less awesome!I'm 13 and built this in a Day in a half(took alot longer than most people)but I had fun doing it.If you do order this item TAKE YOUR TIME on it and don't rush it cause I did that and I had to start all over cause I couldn't figure out where I was at on building it.so I hope this review helped you and if you liked this try building the other knex theme park rides such as other rollercoasters and the ferris wheel.

The Screamin Serpent Rollor coaster rocks !!!
This toy is amazing and very entertaining. It is just a little complicated by with a little help it looks awsome. One of the best parts about it is that if you dont' like the the way the instructions tell you to build it you can build your own. You can have your own mini millenium force if you choose to in your own house. If I was to rate this out of five I would give it a four and a half. The only little flaw is that the instructions are a little hard to understand.

screamin serpant roller coaster
my son has one and it isnt extremly hard but slightly difficult to build. it has been almost a year and he still hasnt fixed all the bugs! some problems were bad design, track shortage and when the car goes through the loop sometimes it doesent go over the small hill or get a head start on the chain lift. I think that after awhile it gets boring and takes up too much room and money. ... Read more

Editorial Review

People have been fascinated by rockets since the first ones were launched in China almost a thousand years ago. Now your kids can observe the principles at work behind rocketry with the Meteor Rocket Kit from Scientific Explorer. The kit contains everything rocketeers need to build a rocket and send it shooting to heights of 100 feet. Rather than using gunpowder or liquid fuel, the Meteor is powered by baking soda and vinegar, so it's safe and can be launched again and again. A specially designed fueling module lets kids experiment to find just the right vinegar and soda mixture. The informative guide gives detailed instructions as well as information on rockets, chemistry, and suggestions for experiments. This Scientific Explorer kit is a 1999 Parents' Choice recommended toy. --Lisa Whipple ... Read more

Editorial Review

Every child seems to go through a dinosaur phase, and this kit is perfect for those who are intensely curious about digging up bones and being a scientist who studies dinosaurs. An adult will likely need to help with just about every part of this process, from casting the 18 pieces (making sure to expel any air bubbles) to painting them to gluing magnets on the back. Obviously, assembly is only one part of this endeavor. An 11-page instruction booklet thoroughly answers the "why "questions, such as: Why are there holes in the skull? Why is the neck so short? Why do we call this dino "lizard-hipped"? Satisfaction comes when the job is done and the skeleton can be displayed on magnetic surfaces. The kit is designed to complement the Eyewitness book Dinosaur. --Sally James ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Class Project
An excellent project for your child's school report. We purchased the Velociraptor kit for our 8 year old daughter not knowing what to expect. After opening the package my wife came up with a clever idea of pouring melted chocolate chips it into the dinosaur molds, instead of using the plaster mix. We experimented with white chocolate chips and created realistic looking dinosaur bones! We buried these edible bones in ground up Oreo Cookies. What a thrill to see our daughter's 2nd grade class excavate these delectible prehistoric fossils!

Need to buy one for dad, too!!!
I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY EIGHT YEAR OLD FOR CHRISTMAS WITH A BUNCH OF THE "WHATS POPULAR NOW" TOYS. THIS BY FAR IS THE TOY THAT HAS KEPT HIS ATTENTION FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. MORE LIKE NEARLY 2 HOURS THE FIRST TIME WE TOOK IT OUT. IT ALSO KEPT MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND THE EVERY ADVENTEROUS 4 YEAR OLD BUSY. I HAD TO KEEP DAD FROM DIGGING AND DUSTING OR ELSE THE KIDS WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN A TURN. AFTER FINDING THREE BONES - I TOLD THEM IT WAS TIME TO PUT IT AWAY AND SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY. MY HUSBAND WOULDN'T QUIT FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES UNTIL THEY HAD FOUND AND UNEARTHED ONE MORE BONE. THEY HAVE MANY HOURS OF FUN LEFT WHICH IN RETURN WILL GIVE THEM AN ADDED BONUS--NOT ONLY ARE THEY HAVING FUN; BUT ARE LEARNING AT THE SAME TIME!! ONE CONSIDERATION IS THAT IT DOES SAY FOR AGES 8 AND ABOVE, BUT MY 4 YEAR OLD HAD HIS SUN GLASSES ON AND MANAGED QUITE WELL. HIS ONLY PROBLEM WAS GETTING DAD OUT OF THE WAY!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Now we are learning the names of the bones!
My son (now almost 6) has been a dinosaur fanantic since the age of 2. He knows the names, where they lived, what they ate...you name it, he knows it! Or so we thought, until he got this for Christmas! After having a great time making and painting the "fossil" he read in the manual that each bone has it's own name--so now we're learning those as well! The only problem we have with it is when the smaller pieces get dropped on a hard surface they tend to break pretty easily. They are, however, also fixed easily with a dab of super glue.

This is my child's favorite toy!!
This is rather amazing, as I didn't realize that my son was as interested in fossils and dinosaurs as he is. He is so thrilled with his project, we are now spending lots of time at the library finding all sorts of information pertaining to this subject. He seems to be more interested in all his subjects at school. What a surprise to all of us!!

Great toy for kids who like to build
We loved this toy. It is a great project toy--something best suited for several leisurely days on the porch. We cast the mold one day, then painted the next day. We glued on our magnets a third day and later that day we built the dinosaur. (Magnets hold the beast together). My child is six so perhaps an older kid would have a longer concentration block, but doing a project in a series of steps is a great tool for those hours where some downtime is needed.

The casting compound is the best I've used, much better than plaster of paris. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The name Gustav seems more appropriate for a Lutheran pastor than a mechanical insect, but despite his moniker, this specimen is pretty impressive. Resembling an enormous robotic potato bug, Gustav sports red plated armor that covers his body. After you follow the detailed assembly instructions, the bug is ready to roll and one AA battery (not included) allows him to walk. Besides Gustav himself, the set includes two mobile platforms, complete with four additional, smaller Zoid figures. When you see the relatively tiny size of these other Zoids, you understand the scale of Gustav in the Zoid universe where, the packaging promises, he weighs 68 tons. In real life, he weighs considerably less and is about the size of a small guinea pig. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Well, it is a great Zoid! ^_^
Okay, this Zoid is da bomb! First, the zoid is kinda complicated when it comes down to when you have to assemble it's armor. But, that is the only difficult part on building it. I gave it 5 stars on eductional value because ALL zoids teaches contructional skills, and you learn how to put models together! I gave it 5 stars on fun because it comes with two transport platforms that comes with items to put on them. The platforms are not really the large size in the animie but you can put a large zoid on them or two small zoids on them;). I gave 5 stars on duralbility because it really dosent have anything to fall of it. And so far, no breakage!. Oh yeah, it comes with a Van pilot standing , a Moonbay pilot standing and sitting, Fiona standing, and a Zeke figure standing;) Note that they all are unpainted tho:( Oh yeah, when turned on, the Zoid rolls across the floor at a medium speed. Even with a large Zoid on the platforms it tows, it still seems to move at the same constant speed. Once I stacked up two of my other Zoids and it still kept moving well. and, as a bonus, if you turn the platforms right and the Gustav right, it will even turn with the Zoid still on the platform! Oh yeah, all the stuff before this sentence explains why I gave it a 5 on fun! I hope you found this helpful ^_^

Transporter
This is a very nice zoid it surprised me alot it is one of the very very very few zoids that can walk on carpet. It was able to pull my ultrasaurus over medium thickness carpet. To put the Ultrasaurus on the Gustav's trailers you need to turn the Ultrasaurus sideways. SEE YA!

gustav rules!!!
this gustav is awsome it has FIGURES!!! they include zeek(organoid), Fiona(zoidian), Ban, and Moonbay(driver) in two modes. of course i bet half of you don't know what i'm talking about. so heres a summery Ban found Fiona and zeek in a ruine.then he met irvine and Moonbay. well the driving motion is awsome. so is the bed for carring zoids it has a welder painter and a wrench. but if your looking for a kick butt amont of weapons this is the wrong zoid. it has armor and radar block.PAINT THE FIGURES!!!

Gustav
A MUST HAVE!! It is a really cool Zoid that has two crate holders and crains and such on the platforms. Actual Zoids can fit on it. It comes with a standing Moonbay (and sitting ) a Van, Zeke, a Fiaona and some pilot guy that you get in all other Zoids models. The shell really moves up and down when it moves(like in the show). It is motorized. Excellent deal!!!

Get it here
I know I don't have the Zoid yet but I know I know those reviews get annoy but I just want to say that you should buy this Zoid here and now because rather than paying almost 30 bucks for it why not save at least 75% on it and get it for 10 here so then you save your self a bit of money and hasle. Thank you for your time. Happy Shopping :D ... Read more

Editorial Review

If it's true that food always tastes better when you cook it yourself, then this old-fashioned build-it-yourself old-fashioned tank from Home Depot might be proportionately more fun than the average toy. Nearly everything is needed to complete the process as the kit comes complete with pre-cut wood pieces, wheels and rubber treads, wood screws, and a screw driver. Clearly explained instructions help you complete the job with relative ease. No paint is included with the set. One might wonder how good a job a tank made out of wood might actually perform on the battlefield but as a toy and a fun project, this is a great choice. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Editorial Review

If it's true that food always tastes better when you cook it yourself, then this old-fashioned build-it-yourself old-fashioned semi truck from Home Depot might be proportionately more fun than the average toy. Nearly everything is needed to complete the process as the kit comes complete with pre-cut wood pieces, wood screws, and a screw driver. Clearly explained instructions help you complete the job with relative ease. No paint is included with the set. One might wonder how reliable a wooden semi truck would be hauling a heavy load on the open highway but as a toy and a fun project, this is a great choice. --Charlie Williams ... Read more