GraviTrax - Starter Kit

My 8-year old daughter enjoys building things (she’s a *huge* fan of Minecraft), so when she found out about Gravitrax, she was excited to try it out. My 4-year old son couldn’t contain himself when he saw it involved marbles. So we tackled the Starter-Set together, and picked one of the pre-planned layouts provided in the “Construction Plan Booklet”. (The set also comes with a “Task Booklet” that provides partial layouts that need to be solved like puzzles. We haven’t tried that yet, but it looks like it could be entertaining.)Opening the package up, we noticed that there were a ton of parts (“Over 100 Components” per the description on the box). Hexagons everywhere! Be advised, not all of the plastic bags the parts came in were resealable, so you might want to ... MoreMy 8-year old daughter enjoys building things (she’s a *huge* fan of Minecraft), so when she found out about Gravitrax, she was excited to try it out. My 4-year old son couldn’t contain himself when he saw it involved marbles. So we tackled the Starter-Set together, and picked one of the pre-planned layouts provided in the “Construction Plan Booklet”. (The set also comes with a “Task Booklet” that provides partial layouts that need to be solved like puzzles. We haven’t tried that yet, but it looks like it could be entertaining.)Opening the package up, we noticed that there were a ton of parts (“Over 100 Components” per the description on the box). Hexagons everywhere! Be advised, not all of the plastic bags the parts came in were resealable, so you might want to have some large size Ziploc bags handy when you store things away, if you prefer to keep things organized.We started off by getting the “base plates” prepared, which involved popping the holes out of them, leaving a large pile of heavy cardboard hexagons to dispose of (or possibly use for arts and crafts, if your child is so inclined). Then, we started placing the various tiles down onto the board according to the plan we chose, which took a bit of doing at first-- we hadn’t realized that the orientation of the base plates matters, so that’s definitely something to keep in mind.The kids had fun deciphering the plan and figuring out how to piece everything together, and were undeterred when accidentally knocking things out of place from time to time (parts don’t lock into place so much as sit into grooves). Once completed, they really enjoyed racing the marbles around the tracks.Overall, the kids had a lot of fun giving Gravitrax a go (it's recommended for ages 8 and up, but my son did fine with some supervision). With all sorts of different parts to put together and figure out how they work, I have no doubt they’ll enjoy digging into the Task Booklet, and most especially creating their own layouts.This product was received as part of a promotion.

Excellent Marble Run

I have always loved marble runs. I always feel like I am designing a rollercoaster and I can imagine myself riding the runs created. I have used several in the past and purchased 2 different types. However the Gravitrax is by far superior. There are 3 things about the Gravitrax that make it stand out from other Marble Runs that I have used. 1: Instructions, 2: Versatility and 3: The Marble can go up? 1) Instructions: Most marble runs I have used in the past come with limited instructions. The instruction manual with the Gravitrax comes with a 48 page Instruction book. This includes 33 different tracks that can be constructed with the pieces included. 24 of these have a "figure it out" portion to complete the track. Of course this does not mean that one cannot create ... MoreI have always loved marble runs. I always feel like I am designing a rollercoaster and I can imagine myself riding the runs created. I have used several in the past and purchased 2 different types. However the Gravitrax is by far superior. There are 3 things about the Gravitrax that make it stand out from other Marble Runs that I have used. 1: Instructions, 2: Versatility and 3: The Marble can go up? 1) Instructions: Most marble runs I have used in the past come with limited instructions. The instruction manual with the Gravitrax comes with a 48 page Instruction book. This includes 33 different tracks that can be constructed with the pieces included. 24 of these have a "figure it out" portion to complete the track. Of course this does not mean that one cannot create their own. However, after following the instructions on several tracks, completing your own track becomes much more satisfying since you have a better idea of how the pieces fit together. 2) Versatility: While the wide base has this marble run take up a lot of table space, it also provides huge versatility. One can create 3 simultaneous runs that span the full board. Beware, with over 100 components, it is still easy to run out of pieces if you get too ambitious. 3) The Marble Can go up?: One of the most surprising things about this Run, is that there are a couple of different ways for the Marble to go up hill. This can be accomplished similar to a Rollercoaster or with a special magnetic piece that shoots a marble when another hits it. This adds a whole new level to a traditional Marble Run. It also complicates things and requires much trial and error to make sure the marble will run smoothly. This Marble Run is marvelously entertaining. It has already given my family and I hours of enjoyment in the short week we have owned it. I highly recommend it. I received a copy of this product in exchange for my opinion

Excellent STEM marble-run toy

The Gravitrax Set is a really great toy for kids and adults alike! You could spend hours doing the suggested set-ups in the booklet provided or build your own marble-runs. You can race your marbles against others, or pay solo and set up the pieces to do trick shots/jumps. The tracks test your knowledge of kinetics, gravity, and magnetism, akin to a more advance K'nex set! Don't be swayed by the price tag--this is really a one of a kind investment. The pieces themselves, heavy cardboard, plastic, and metal feel very well-made, and high-quality that would likely last for many years.I will say, I think the child you purchase this for has to have a level of focus and patience because it's not a quickie-type game. It can be quite time-intensive, even just to build a ... MoreThe Gravitrax Set is a really great toy for kids and adults alike! You could spend hours doing the suggested set-ups in the booklet provided or build your own marble-runs. You can race your marbles against others, or pay solo and set up the pieces to do trick shots/jumps. The tracks test your knowledge of kinetics, gravity, and magnetism, akin to a more advance K'nex set! Don't be swayed by the price tag--this is really a one of a kind investment. The pieces themselves, heavy cardboard, plastic, and metal feel very well-made, and high-quality that would likely last for many years.I will say, I think the child you purchase this for has to have a level of focus and patience because it's not a quickie-type game. It can be quite time-intensive, even just to build a pre-designed run too 2 adults close to an hour. Recommended for kids/families that spend hours building complicated Lego structures, model building or other enjoy challenging toys/games.I received this game in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fun and engaging for Parents and Kids!

I was given a copy of this item for review in exchange for my honest opinion, so here it is!Long Story, Short:This item is great, engaging for kids and parents, high quality build, easy to follow directions, and endlessly re-buildable. Definite buy!Short Story, Long:I was excited to try Gravitrax with my girls (6 and 3 years old) and wow, did it deliver! The recommended age is 8 and up, but with some helpful coaching from mom and dad, my girls loved it.The idea of Gravitrax is that you use basic building elements to create courses that some marbles follow to the finish line. There are curves, bridges, a launcher, criss-cross pieces, stacking columns, and more to build everything from simple single turn tracks, to what is pictured on the box cover.When we ... MoreI was given a copy of this item for review in exchange for my honest opinion, so here it is!Long Story, Short:This item is great, engaging for kids and parents, high quality build, easy to follow directions, and endlessly re-buildable. Definite buy!Short Story, Long:I was excited to try Gravitrax with my girls (6 and 3 years old) and wow, did it deliver! The recommended age is 8 and up, but with some helpful coaching from mom and dad, my girls loved it.The idea of Gravitrax is that you use basic building elements to create courses that some marbles follow to the finish line. There are curves, bridges, a launcher, criss-cross pieces, stacking columns, and more to build everything from simple single turn tracks, to what is pictured on the box cover.When we first got the box, my wife and I opened it up and went for the most complex build. We had fun putting this together. Took about 15 mins to do and we had fun with i!.The directions for the builds are very well presented. My girls are able to gather the required pieces for each build and the 6 year old can follow the "map" to lay them out pretty well on her own.The package comes with various tracks to build, some just for fun and some with learning experiment components as well. For example there are tracks that you build and then try to predict which marble will reach the finish first, or there are track maps that leave a piece or two as question marks for you to figure out which piece is needed. My kids were engaged and eager to see if their predictions were correct.The space needed to set up this kit is not excessive. The base boards are only a couple feet square, so a regular size table top will easily suffice. Packs up and sets up quick.Really clever product that does a great job as a stepping stone getting kids interested in building, physics, and engineering. A bit pricey, but I think you'll get your money's worth!

Hours od play!!

I got this during the pandemic to keep the kids off the screen! Our 8 and 6 year old loved it and soon built their own runs! Our 2 year old even liked putting the marbles at the start and watching it make its way through the maze.I love the imaginations and creativity this allows them! We have since gotten an extender set to make longer and higher mazes! I highly recommend it for any parent that have kids that tinker with things! It’s awesome!

Missing pieces

My set was short a few tracks! In contacting Mastermind I was told to return this and buy again if it is in stock, which it isn't anymore, and also I got it on sale so I would lose out on the discount too. Then I was told to contact the manufacturer to request for the missing pieces. Very disappointed at Mastermind for their unhelpful response. This was a christmas gift for my son and there were builds that we could not complete due to missing pieces.Some of the builds included in the instructions DO NOT run properly, as there is simply not enough height to the builds. There should be more instructional builds included that utilize most of the pieces as well.

Shoot the balls across the Ottawa River one day.

Excellent build quality with 1/2 price on sale. No Gravitrax lovers could resist the offer. The different results than what you have expected are:1) this track game occurs in instant seconds, a little bit hard to watch and follow in real world for kids. You can shoot slow motion and replay it and let the kids find what is a gracefulness and fun of gravity in the role of this game.2) You have to prepare/clean up each layout for 20+ min each time. Better to find a table in a corner to place them.3) too much momentum, as a result, the ball may go out of track frequently, even the suggested layouts on the manual have this issue. I think that is why you won't see so many expansion units are included in the starter kit. The starter kit, in my opinion, not large enough ... MoreExcellent build quality with 1/2 price on sale. No Gravitrax lovers could resist the offer. The different results than what you have expected are:1) this track game occurs in instant seconds, a little bit hard to watch and follow in real world for kids. You can shoot slow motion and replay it and let the kids find what is a gracefulness and fun of gravity in the role of this game.2) You have to prepare/clean up each layout for 20+ min each time. Better to find a table in a corner to place them.3) too much momentum, as a result, the ball may go out of track frequently, even the suggested layouts on the manual have this issue. I think that is why you won't see so many expansion units are included in the starter kit. The starter kit, in my opinion, not large enough to hold a real fun.4) you need at least 4-10 starter kits, and 15 more different expansion units to build a relative large layout. The fun then really starts.5) Ravensburger does not introduce electronic module into the Gravitrax. So you won't be able to make a loop to run a layout forever. Most of the expansion modules only run once, so you need to reset them one by one if you want to play again. Most people don't know this is a tedious job.5) unlike other toys, you have 99 years to enjoy/invent/hack your own layout. You can even shoot the balls across the Ottawa River. I agree.

The next marble set you should get.

I received this product for my honest opinion. My children are veteran Hape marble set builders, and Gravitrax takes marble pathway building to another level. It is definitely the next set to get for kids who are ready to move on to more complex marble fun. It arrived right after my oldest turned 5 and was excited to see what "gift" was in the box. We went right into playing with it. We followed the instructions to build the easy level designs and had lots of fun constructing it and watching the marbles go. We then started making our own designs. I thumbed through the instructions and it looks like as the design difficulty gets harder, they don't tell you where to put the pieces that they list and let you figure it out yourself. It makes it more fun and puzzle like ... MoreI received this product for my honest opinion. My children are veteran Hape marble set builders, and Gravitrax takes marble pathway building to another level. It is definitely the next set to get for kids who are ready to move on to more complex marble fun. It arrived right after my oldest turned 5 and was excited to see what "gift" was in the box. We went right into playing with it. We followed the instructions to build the easy level designs and had lots of fun constructing it and watching the marbles go. We then started making our own designs. I thumbed through the instructions and it looks like as the design difficulty gets harder, they don't tell you where to put the pieces that they list and let you figure it out yourself. It makes it more fun and puzzle like instead of just following instructions all the time. The pieces are plastic and the base is cardboard, so you do have to be careful about handling the pieces or they may break. Younger kids would have to be supervised while playing with it, but it's a great toy for an elementary school kid. I would definitely get it for any child who is into building things and making things move.

Very different to a normal marble run!

I think I got this as a present for Christmas and is very different to a normal marble run because you don't have the parts already made so there is more construction work with this toy!!!!!!!! I have only put **** (4 stars), because sometimes when you make your own really complex one, the tracks are not as long as you need them to be and the marbles sometimes come whizzing off the tracks. Some of the pieces are quite small so they can very, very easily get lost. The marble run can go out of place when the marbles are running on it or when you are still building your marble run and you knock a piece off. Sometimes when you have very steep bills the marble can again come whizzing off the tracks to get lost. When it is completely the opposite of that, you don't have ... MoreI think I got this as a present for Christmas and is very different to a normal marble run because you don't have the parts already made so there is more construction work with this toy!!!!!!!! I have only put **** (4 stars), because sometimes when you make your own really complex one, the tracks are not as long as you need them to be and the marbles sometimes come whizzing off the tracks. Some of the pieces are quite small so they can very, very easily get lost. The marble run can go out of place when the marbles are running on it or when you are still building your marble run and you knock a piece off. Sometimes when you have very steep bills the marble can again come whizzing off the tracks to get lost. When it is completely the opposite of that, you don't have enough momentum for the marbles to carry on to the finish, especially curved parts. And again, another way the marbles can get lost is, that, when there is a very steep hill on the track and it ends up off the track so you need the most bent part of the curvy bit so the marble can turn around to stay on track. But, it will come whizzing off at the curvy bit since the marble is travelling so, so fast. But one way to stop it doing that is to make a barrier by stacking the other track pieces at the outside of the curve. Another way if you have not got the other track pieces because you have used all the others, or you are just getting annoyed that when you are stacking up the pieces and it keeps falling over, you can use the box as the barrier instead. Apart from that, great!!

great family fun

This is such a fun STEM set. recommended age is 8 & up, but we built and played with my 6 y.o. and she did great with minimal assistance. My husband and I spent quite a few hours playing with it as well. It is a great starter set that comes with more than enough pieces to built some great courses. The pieces are also of a great quality. We also got a chance to explore the app, if you have a chance, I would suggest you download it, it enhances the experience!! The app gives some courses to build, and lets you digitally edit and test prior to building. It lets you play with different views and angles of your design. It is really cool! I think it would be cool, if GraviTrax also had an accompanying PC download, and not just an app, when you get to the complex models, ... MoreThis is such a fun STEM set. recommended age is 8 & up, but we built and played with my 6 y.o. and she did great with minimal assistance. My husband and I spent quite a few hours playing with it as well. It is a great starter set that comes with more than enough pieces to built some great courses. The pieces are also of a great quality. We also got a chance to explore the app, if you have a chance, I would suggest you download it, it enhances the experience!! The app gives some courses to build, and lets you digitally edit and test prior to building. It lets you play with different views and angles of your design. It is really cool! I think it would be cool, if GraviTrax also had an accompanying PC download, and not just an app, when you get to the complex models, it would be better if I could get on my computer and edit them. Overall, I am so excited over this, and recommend it to any kid or adult who likes to build, it will not disappoint! I received this game in exchange for my honest opinion.