Toysmith 4 M Soda Can Robug
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Toys and Games Reviews of Toysmith 4 M Soda Can Robug
Customer Review: Take it apart and build it again!
Summary: 5 Stars
For ten bucks, it's not really a robot, but really, expecting such would be unreasonable. It doesn't sense or respond to it's environment, avoid obstacles or follow a programmable course. It simply wanders around until it gets stuck somewhere.
But the great thing about this kit is that it is pretty easy to disassemble. I let the kids build it and then when they got tired of it, I took it apart and boxed it up like new. A couple of weeks later, when the kids were looking for a project, I gave it back to them and they built it again, more quickly, but with just as much enthusiasm as the first time. Since then it's been torn down and rebuilt 5 or 6 times.
It is a bit tricky to assemble, especially if you ignore the instructions. But that's a good thing. My kids finally figured out that if they actually READ the instructions and study the diagrams, assembly is MUCH easier. So it was good training for some of the other, more complex kits I've found for them.
Do be aware that the motor leads are fragile...I don't think they really intend for you to take it apart and rebuild it multiple times. After the third or fourth rebuild I replaced the leads with 22awg solid wire and taught the kids to solder in the bargain.
The bottom line is that it was well worth the 10 bucks. It has occupied the kids for 5 or 6 rainy afternoons and I expect that they will continue to ask me to get it down for them in the future. I'm planning to buy several more kits in this series so that we have a library of choices.
Customer Review: It could be worse?
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this Soda Can 'Robug' for my niece who is 9 years old.
It's very simple, really. You build a sleeve to insert a soda can into. That sleeve has legs that are very similar to bent paper clips. It also has a motor attached that is similar to a video game controller's rumble feature. When turned on, the 'robug' vibrates enough to move the entire thing in circles (about half a Meter in diameter for me, but I doubt this is consistent across the product line). It only works if it's on a smooth, level surface.
That's it. Other than the shaking motor, there are no moving parts. No leg movement or anything like that. It does resemble a fly, and the motor makes a bzzzz noise that imagination could make like a bug, I suppose.
My niece either is polite and a gifted actress, or she was delighted by this thing. She assembled the entire thing with no trouble (then again, it's extremely simple, requiring a few screws to be screwed), and I thought it was fun watching her follow the instructions.
But it's not educational, it's not challenging, and it's not interesting when compared to all the little robot kits I grew up playing with.
Now, I don't think I was deceived or anything... but I wouldn't have bought it if I had paid more attention to the utter simplicity of this thing. I'm giving it 4 stars because it is well made, and I simple was disappointed this wasn't a different sort of product (that's my fault).
Customer Review: Very Poor Toy
Summary: 1 Stars
There is nothing good that can be said about this toy.
It is incredibly hard to assemble with very poor instructions. The screws are VERY small and no child under 16 could assemble it without becoming incredibly frustrated. My boys were patient as I put the toy together over the course of 2 hours. The legs are nearly impossible to put on then offer no support so the toy immediately falls over.
Then we turned it on. A WWII allied bomber made less noise than this toy. The box says "It really is a vibration sensation" when it should read "THIS TOY IS REALLY LOUD and also it vibrates." The vibration on the bad legs then causes it to fall over and the can to dislodge.
If you kids crave yelling over a loud motor as a piece of plastic vibrates on the floor then this toy is for you. If not, I would stay away.
Customer Review: OMG! This is lame!
Summary: 1 Stars
The shipping and packaging was great. Getting a soda can is easy enough. The educational value is decent because the kids get to understand how to build things. I was personally very exsited to build it. Some of the screws were very hard to get in. I almost hurt myself because I had to use a lot of force on these very tiny screws to get it together. I soon as I was done I started to wonder if I did something wrong. It only had 3 legs! But look at the box carefully and you will notice that there are only 3 legs on this thing. No balance, if any at all! Oddly enough it came with 2 more legs but with no way to attach them.
If you can get it to balance, the vibrations from the motor will shimmy the object across the floor...very....very....slowly.
Customer Review: Interesting - at least for a few minutes
Summary: 3 Stars
Overall not a bad toy but average. My son 8yr was excited to help put this contraption together. The parts are kind of small so he was limited on how much he could help, but was interested from start to finish. We had no problems with the assembly, and has it buzzing around the floor in less than 10 minutes. When I say buzz I mean buzz --- a very loud buzz. The mini electric vibrator motor is very loud. All in all for a <10$ gift its ok. It is now sitting on the bureau collecting dust, but his friends ask what it is, so its a conversation piece at least.