Is that a real bug or a HEXBUG? (Review)

ABOUT:

A HEX BUG is a micro robotic creature that behaves like a real bug.  There is the Original, Inchworm, Crab, Ant, and Nano.

• Crawling bugs
• Behaves like a real bug
• Flips over by itself
• Fits in your hand
• Batteries included
• Each bug can be registered online

MY THOUGHTS:

I got the chance to throw a HEXBUG party and again I have received mom and neighbor of the year.  The newest robotic creature is the Nano and I was sent 30 Nanos, a Habitat, the Bridge Battle, extra batteries, and extra pieces to get the party started.

Now first off, I hate bugs!  The HEXBUG creatures though are battery operated, colorful, and don’t bother me at all.  The best part is though, these little creatues occupied my sons time for hours each time.  I was worried at the HEX BUG party it would be chaotic and we would loose bugs since they are so small, but the kids were all so good keeping track of their bugs and playing on the track that we didn’t have any causalities.  I will say though if you don’t have the Nano Sets, it would be hard to play with them just on the floor and not loose them.   The Nano HEXBUGS come individually in a test tube in various colors and then you can buy extra bugs, pieces, and sets to play with.

At our Nano HEXBUG party I had twelve kids total ranging from ages 1-9 years old, both genders.  Everyone played together and we had no issues or complaints.  My 2 year old especially sat even after everyone left and played  alone with them.

I was amazed at how HEXBUGs are so versatile that they can be fun for such a wide range of ages.  Each kid did something different, whether they played alone on the floor with them, raced them in the tracks, battled them on the bridge, or just watched because they were afraid to pick them up!  They are small though, about the size of a pinky finger so they can be lost easily if not watched.  We haven’t lost any of ours so far but we do keep them in the Nano habitat we built.

As far as pieces go, I recommend getting a Nano Set and then buying additional sets or pieces to further expand your design.  I got the Nano Bridge Battle Set and the Nano Elevation Set., as well as tons of extra pieces.  What is nice though about the sets is they come with 1-2 rare Nano bugs and they give you an idea of how to start your set.  I will say at first I was totally intimated looking at all the pieces, but then I realized it was just like building a train set or car track.  You just snap the pieces together and they stay, very easy and quick to set up and change.  I also want to add that the pieces do stay together quite well, they are not flimsy.  The possibilities really are endless as far as designing a habitat though as you can change the pieces over and over to make different designs.  For example, I set ours up and then within minutes my husband and dad were re-arranging pieces to make a cooler design, then I saw one posted online that looked so cool I am going to try and copy it!

Overall, the HEXBUGs are a hit in our house and with  our neighborhood kids.  Many of the moms (including myself) had never heard of them and loved that their kids got to test them out before they bought them.  Now though I have a feeling HEX BUGS will be taking over my neighbor’s houses!  They are fun and it is so neat to watch them move around.  They do take special hearing-aid size batteries but they are relatively cheap (about $4.00 pack), luckily the bugs do come with batteries initially.  Also, the bugs do come in a few colors and styles, so I recommend putting a small dot or sticker on your child’s if they bring it to a friends so they know which is theirs just be glancing.

I recommend though buying these early if they are going to be a Christmas present because I have a feeling they are going to be a hot item this season and will sell out.  They also make great stocking stuffers and small gifts for friends.

BUY IT: The Nano HEXBUGs are available at most major retailers including Toys R Us and RadioShack.  You can also buy them directly off the HEXBUG website.