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Mega Brands Magnext iCoaster (2008 Version)
 
Manufacturer: Mega Brands
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $54.25
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Product Description

Experience fast-paced magnetic fun with the MagNext iCoaster from Mega brands. With lights, sound and the ability to plug your iPod into it and customize the background beat, this 64-piece set features a stunt-packed track that can be configured 10 different ways. This construction set provides a creative outlet for kids aged six and up. Small pieces make it inappropriate for small children who require constant supervision.



Seven stunt pieces add drama to each iCoaster ride. View larger.


A magnetic elevator takes metal rider balls back to the top of the coaster. View larger.
What We Think

Fun Factor:

Durability:

(what this means)

The Good: Track can be reconfigured for long-lasting fun

The Bad: Small parts may get lost

In a Nutshell: The iCoaster is a unique building set for action-loving kids.
At a Glance

Ages: 6 and up
Requires: Four C batteries
Ten Extreme Configurations
The 64-piece iCoaster set comes with a booklet that illustrates 10 extreme roller coaster layouts to choose from. With 10 towers and seven hyper stunt track pieces, the possibilities seem endless. Each piece is identified by a symbol at both ends so that assembly is a straightforward process that encourages little engineers to be precise in building the suggested tracks. When they've mastered these layouts, they can unleash their creative instincts and invent new ones.

Once a coaster has been constructed, five 15-millimeter magnetic rider balls act as cars, zipping around the track, providing a serious adrenaline rush. Before the action starts, an adult will need to use a Philips head screwdriver to install four "C" batteries, which power the lights, sounds and cool magnetic elevator.

Lights, Music and Speed
Stunts that can be incorporated into the track include a bounce jump, vertical loop and magnetic slide. One of our favorite features was the sleek, magnetic elevator that transported each metal ball back to the top of the iCoaster at the end of a ride. Two flashing lights can be placed in any tower to complement the neon track pieces and add visual interest every time a ball goes whizzing by.

The plug & play control box features 10 music backgrounds, 10 sensor beats/sound effects, and a jack where you can plug your iPod or other MP3 player in and customize the sounds behind your roller coaster. You need to provide your own connector cable and music player to take advantage of this feature.

Durable and Educational Design
The plastic pieces seemed quite durable, and they snapped apart just as easily as they snapped together. Our only concern about the iCoaster was the potential for losing or damaging small connector pieces, but even these held up well in our construction and reconstruction of the track.

It's easy to see why the previous iCoaster was recognized by The National Parenting Center and Parents Magazine as an incredible building toy. This version retains all the great qualities of its predecessor and is bigger, stronger and faster.

The construction oriented iCoaster encourages kids to build with determination, helping enhance their ability to focus and their fine-motor skills. It also promotes understanding of magnetism, inspires creativity and helps kids develop problem-solving skills, adding an innovative dimension to play.


What's in the Box
Magnetic elevator, 10 towers, 10 tower bases, 11 track pieces, 7 stunt pieces, 17 connector pieces, 2 light-up sensors, plug & play control box with speaker, 5 15-millimeter magnetic metallic rider balls, and illustrated instruction booklet.

Product Details

  • Plug and play your MP3 player and watch the LED lights synch with the beat (beat detection)
  • Kid powered fun?
  • 8 incredible stunts including the intersection and magnetic swing
  • Awesome for stimulating imagination and creativity
  • Excellent way to enhance assembling and building skills

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

New 2008 version is great!
 
Review Date: September 5, 2008
Reviewer: L. Toback,
My son wanted this toy for awhile and finally got it this past week. We have read the negative reviews and he was worried that it would not be worth the money, but he really wanted to try it. The new version doesn't seem to have any of the problems that the older version has. The track now snaps together and is does not fall apart- he even applied pressure on purpose. The music player still needs an extra attachment ire, but that was not his biggest draw to this toy. The music box sounds are sufficient. All-in-all, it has been worth the money.
Fun toy. 7 yr old needs help putting together. Great Customer Service
 
Review Date: November 16, 2009
Reviewer: W. Wise,
I think this is a fun toy. Lots of fun ways to put together and the automatic marble tower makes it fun to watch the marbles go around and around. My 7 year old needs some help putting it together. But, I like helping him. It's a great toy for me to play. All my kids

I have had two pieces break in the last 7 months. But the customer service is great and they have mailed me the broken parts quickly, no questions asked.
Fun for all
 
Review Date: December 22, 2008
Reviewer: Kevin J. Yellick, Minneapolis, MN
My 5- and 7-year-old sons have enjoyed playing with this, although it takes some real thinking by an adult to put it together the first time. Once you figure out the notations on the diagram (there are 3 different types of curves that look similar), the finished product is quite sturdy and fun. The only problem we have is the "suspension magnet bridge" - the balls tend to get stuck there. Oh, and the music gets a bit annoying after a while, but there are volume and off switches.
Very cool, way beyond the usual marble runs
 
Review Date: August 21, 2009
Reviewer: Peter Jeffe, software architect in lovely Austin, Texas, USA
This is a very well-thought-out toy, and goes way beyond the usual marble run sets. The electronics really add to the fun rather than just being an afterthought (though of course you can leave them off if desired), and the elevator is a brilliant touch.

The set is a bit finicky to set up and maintain, entropy takes its toll pretty quickly so it requires periodic maintenance to keep it together. It would be great if they beefed up the connection mechanisms, making them positively latch instead of just pushing together. But unless your kids really tear it up then it should be fine given a bit of TLC from them and you. My twin 6-year-old boys are pretty rough on stuff but they do fine with this, especially since it's pretty obvious that you need to give it some love to keep the fun going.

The set has a good variety of features. A few more curves and straights would give you more flexibility, but that's a minor quibble. Overall a unique and very successful take on the marble roller coaster concept.
This is a BIG Improvement over prior model!
 
Review Date: January 9, 2009
Reviewer: Picky Shopper, Lancaster, PA
Bought this to replace last year's model, which pulled apart continuously at the joints - very frustrating. This new 2008 model is much improved - corrected all of the problems. Lots of fun.

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