Thank you to Hasbro for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.
We have two huge fans of Transformers in our house, so when we were sent the Hasbro Wheeljack and Ironhide Transformers Construct-Bots to “try” for ourselves, there was quite a lot of excitement. I quote “try” because who are we kidding, to play with!
The Elite Class Transformers Construct-Bots kits, but not the Scout Class, come in wonderful reusable cases instead of throw away boxes, what a great idea. The storage container-like cases can be used to store the disassembled kits or any other knick knacks you may have. I always ask myself why building block toys come in throw away boxes when it is so important to store and keep track of your parts after play. Nice touch.
The kits are bright and colorful and scream to be opened. Although the kits state they are for children 6 years old and up, the assembly was not easy for our 9 year old. A couple of the parts needed a bit more force to get them together than he could muster. Once assembled, the Construct-Bots are appropriate for kids aged 6+ to play with. The toys convert from vehicle to robot easily….. after a bit of practice. Once you master transforming one robot, you will be able to transform the others because they all have a similar design. I can see a parent needing to help a younger user a few times to master the conversion (Our 9 year old did it fine on his own).
Unlike the classic Transformers, the Construct-Bots are made so that children can switch the parts between two or more bots. This requires at least partially disassembling each bot in order to reassemble them with new parts. Again, a child as young as 6 years old may have difficulty with this.
The fun factor is pretty much out of the park with these kits. Transformers, vehicles, guns, buggies, robots, all the usual things required to unleash some play fury. My only complaint is the material used for the tires. The tires are made of plastic and just don't feel right. They spin easily, but tires not made from rubber or silicon just aren't good enough by my standards. I would happily pay a little extra money to get the tires right, they are that important.
Although disappointed that the tires aren't made of rubber, the Transformers Construct-Bots are great fun and the kids love them. I cannot imagine that a child opening one of these kits as a gift this Holiday would be disappointed in any way.
At the Hasbro Construct-Bot website there are games, videos, and even an app for your smartphone or tablet to enhance your child's play. The kits sell for $9.99 and up and would make excellent gifts for any child from 6 to (*cough*) 43 years of age.
