HEXBUG ROBOT SOCCER

Bring the football pitch home for some tabletop fun with the HEXBUG Robotic Soccer Arena.  Imagine your favorite national teams competing against one another in a robot vs robot soccer match.  This game comes with an arena complete with netted goals, two remote control robots and a soccer ball.

Remote controls allow each robot to be controlled individually.  Players can steer their robots forward and backward as well as left and right. Each robot also has a magnetic boot on its front side that lets it capture and hold the soccer ball included with the game. A button on the top of the remote control lets a robot give the ball a kick. The HEXBUG Robotic Soccer Arena game comes with two robots but up to four can be played at the same time with each being able to sync to a different control frequency. For two on two matches though you'll need to buy an additional robotic soccer duel pack from HEXBUG.

Each robot comes with three removable tops that can be customized with included sticker sheets to display the flags of various countries that are known for their global competitiveness in soccer. The kids enjoyed playing out a bout between two South American soccer powerhouses in their first game playing with the HEXBUG Robotic Soccer Arena.  My son played as Brazil and daughter had Uruguay.

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I threw the metallic soccer ball onto the court and my daughter got to it first.  She gained control of the ball and started heading towards the goal on my son's side of the field. Uruguay looked likely to get the first shot on goal and score of the game.

Not so quick! My son spun his robot in front of my daughter's.  He pushed up against the ball contesting her control of it.

Brazil with the steal! The ball got knocked loose from Uruguay. My son hooked onto it with his robot's magnetic boot and now has control of the soccer ball.

Brazil is now rushing towards the other end of the field! Uruguay spins around to block the way. Can they cut in front and steal the ball back?

No she can't! She misses her angle and my son jumps in front where she can't catch up.  He's heading in for the score!

GOOOOOAL!!!! Brazil strikes first getting the first score of this match!

Her brother may have gotten the first goal of the game but my daughter was still all smiles playing the game.  She quickly got the ball back and scored a goal of her own to even up the match. They are both very competitive when it comes to challenging one another. The game was on!

He was really focused on beating his sister!  Yet she kept tying up the score.  They had agreed to play to 10.  My son was leading 9 to 8 with Uruguay coming in for a shot that would tie the game again. He swerved his robot into hers though and her shot bounced off to the side of the goal!

Brazil grabbed the rebound! Raced down the field! GOOOOAL!!!! Brazil won 10-8 to win the HEXBUG CUP that night at our home.  Both kids were winners though because each of them had lots of fun playing robotic soccer!

The HEXBUG Robotic Soccer Arena earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval because my kids have had an incredible time playing with it.  Also as a parent, I appreciate how it was easy and convenient to pull it out of the box and start playing it right away.  Just quickly snap together the game's boundary walls and goals which then snap into the fold-out soccer field mat to connect everything nice and sturdy.  Batteries are included to power the robots!  Select one of the four available channels for each robot on the remote controls and hit the power on button on the bottom of each robot.  You are good to go!

We've had a lot of fun playing with the HEXBUG Robotic Soccer Arena. To find out more about it head over to hexbug.com.  You can purchase this robotic soccer game through their website or look for it at major toy retailers across the United States and Canada.

HEXBUG nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND

Imagine out of this world adventures with the nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND playset from HEXBUG.  This fun playset that was a finalist for the 2018 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards combines three of my son's favorite things ... bugs, robots and outer space.  Blast off to adventure with the nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND which includes a space station, explorer rover and rocket ship along with a pair of robotic nano HEXBUGS.

HEXBUG nanos are tiny, collectible, robotic creatures that use the physics of vibration to propel themselves.  Powered by a tiny motor and 12 fixed, angular legs these critters traverse about the environment around them.  Watch as they explore the maze-like layout of the SPACE COSMIC COMMAND buildings.



Features of the SPACE COSMIC COMMAND  include air lock tunnels, an elevator, gravity trainer, communications and scanning dish, along with an ion cannon.  This playset isn't just for watching nanos explore it but also to get kids engaging in imaginative play.  Pretend a nano is getting accustomed to the stresses of rocketing into outer space by spinning it around in the gravity trainer. Protect the base from invaders with the ion cannon.  Explore alien environments by entering and exiting the space station through its air locks.

There are also a number of accessories that come with the playset that compliment the space station.  Snap on one of the included space suits to a nano to give it an astronaut looking appearance.  Put a nano underneath one of the explorer rovers that can be customized with snap-on parts for a variety of different looks to have the creature drive the vehicle across the ground.  Pretend to fly the rocket ship with a nano placed inside the cockpit.

Designed to spark kids' interest in the science behind space exploration, HEXBUG nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND provides hours of entertaining playtime that promote an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) topics while children are having fun.  My son has been having a great time playing with the nanos and all the accessories, structures and vehicles that are included in this playset.  This toy has captured his interest and imagination so the HEXBUG nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND playset has earned A GEEK DADDY nod of approval.

GIVEAWAY

To share my future astronauts enjoyment with this playset, A GEEK DADDY is giving a HEXBUG nano SPACE COSMIC COMMAND to one lucky winner.  It has a suggested retail price of approximately $50.00 and is recommend for children ages 3 and up. Batteries for the nano toys are included. Who wants it?!

Just complete the rafflecopter entries below before 11:59 pm ET on Friday, May 11, 2018 for a chance to be our randomly selected winner.  Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to be eligible for the prize and yes we do check to verify that you actually completed the actions requested in the rafflecopter form.  Must reply to notification of winning the prize within 48 hours to accept it or another entrant will be selected. Good luck to all our entrants!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more information about nanos and their playsets, head over to hexbug.com

HEXBUG BattleBots Twitter Party

Join me as I co-host The Toy Insider's #BattleWithHEXBUG Twitter Party on Friday, March 10 from 11 am - 12 pm ET.  We're going to be having a fun hour chatting about the cool BattleBot toys from HEXBUG based upon the popular robot gladiator TV show.  Check out The Toy Insider's review of these fun toys here.

Of course we'll be giving out some great prizes too!  During the #BattleWithHEXBUG Twitter Party we'll be giving away four HEXBUG BattleBots Rival Packs to randomly selected eligible participants.  The HEXBUG BattleBots Rivals Pack features remote control miniature versions of two of the television show's most liked contestants, Tombstone and Witch Doctor. Both battling robots feature magnetized and snap-together pieces that fly off on impact to provide a full BattleBot experience, just like on the ABC TV series. Each of the toys have their own simple remote controls with an Activate Weaponry button, which activates either Tombstone’s spinning blades or Witch Doctor’s sabotaging scoop and spinning vertical disc.

One lucky participant will also be selected as a Grand Prize winner receiving the Hexbug BattleBots Arena.  So we'll be giving away 5 prizes in all throughout the hour!  With the Hexbug BattleBots Arena, kids can watch their bots battle in the 20- by 20-inch arena. It features a fold-out game board, two push-activated hammers, R/C versions of Tombstone and Witch Doctor, and protective glass surroundings.

To be eligible to win one of these great prizes you need to RSVP in advance of the party, follow the Twitter accounts of @TheToyInsider, @Hexbug & @Geekdad248 and participate in the conversation throughout the party using the hashtag #BattleWithHEXBUG.  RSVP here in advance of the party.

Hope to tweet with you all on March 10!

HEXBUG Battle Spider Battle Ground

**A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review** 

Hexbug has put to shame the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots Game of my youth when it comes to being able to have robots fight against one another with its Battle Spider Battle Ground playset.  My kids have been having a blast competing against one another as they battle robotic spider toys in a replica war torn town.  The set includes two Hexbug spiders plus 15 "wreckage walls" to create a maze for the robots to battle in.  Each robot has a remote control that independently sync to it allowing for head to head action, plus if you purchase additional Battle Spiders up to four people can play against one another simultaneously.  With futuristic sound effects and infrared technology that allows the spiders to actually shoot ray guns (beams of light) at one another these toys would have just been a sci-fi dream when I was my kids age.  These toys are a reality now and really fun to play with!

Put your geometry or pool playing skills to the test as the infrared beams these robots fire at one another can bounce off the wreckage walls in your battle ground to score a hit.  Or maneuver your Spider to get a straight shot at your opponent's robot.  In addition to controlling your six legged battle bot as it moves around the maze of walls that players can create, the remote control also allows you to steer its head 360 degrees to target enemies on the battle ground with your infrared cannon.



A match ends when there is only one functional Hexbug Spider left in the game.  Each robot has damage detectors that measure each time it is hit by another player's infrared beam causing the Spider to recoil and react every time in reaction to the impact.  Also when a Spider is hit it will be stunned for one second prohibiting the robot from moving or firing its gun.  After being hit 10 times a Spider will shut down. The last functioning robot left standing on the battle ground is the champion of the match.  We've only played matches with 2 Spiders at one time, but I'm sure it would be incredibly entertaining to have 4 friends battling against one another at the same time.

Accurate pulses of light let you do trick shots bounced off walls or take a direct sniper shot through a gap in the maze combined with the special effects that occur when a Spider takes a hit as these Hexbug robots battle it out make for some exhilarating competition.  Designing your own battle ground maze with the walls and tower included with the playset add an extra element of creativity and imaginative fun.  Adding extra batteries to keep the bots powered up once their initial ones run low on energy was a nice touch by Hexbug because I always hate having to hunt for new batteries when my kids have been playing a lot with a toy ... and yes your kids will spend a lot of time playing with these! I also appreciate that these Hexbug Spiders include remote controls instead of having to access a phone or tablet to control the robots -- I hate turning my mobile devices over to young kids so they can play with a toy.  Plus the fact these toys are in my opinion are just plain cool really make them worth checking out.

For more information, please visit hexbug.com

Robotic Aquabots provide fun of a fish tank without the hassle and mess - A Geek Daddy Toy Review

 ** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review **

My kids have been begging me to get some new pet fish since their most recent ones passed away but one thing I realized from the last go around is they really aren't up to the responsibility of feeding them nor keeping the gold fish bowl clean.  I didn't want to be the one taking on the responsibility of a second go around with pet fish but also my kids nagging was starting to wear on me.  The problem may have been solved with some AquaBots™ from Hexbug® that are part-toy, part-pet.  These robotic little critters provide the fun of watching an aquatic creature swimming around under water without the hassle and mess of taking care of a live fish.  Of course learning responsibility is an important part of growing up so when my children get somewhat older and a bit more mature we'll give real fish another shot - but for now these AquaBots™ will do just fine.

Hearing about my goldfish predicament, the good folks at Hexbug® sent A Geek Daddy a few Aquabots™ to try out with my twins. We received an AquaBot™ Jellyfish and AquaBot™ Seahorse which my kids couldn't wait to open up when they came in the mail.  To describe them as excited would be an understatement as they anxiously watched me unpack the toys and fill up the included fish tanks with water.  What is really nice is you can just drop the toys right out of their package into water and off they go!  The AquaBot™ Jellyfish and Seahorse have an automatic on and off sensor activated by water.  Once they are submerged in water the toys begin to swim around but pull them out of the water and they stop...pretty cool! To maximize battery life after several minutes of swimming a Hexbug® AquaBot™ will go into sleep mode as not to wear out its batteries.  When you are ready to play with the AquaBot™ again thanks to high-tech sensors and patent-pending technology there are 3 easy ways to wake it up:  run your fingers through the water, touch the toy, or tap on the side of the fish.  Plus because Hexbug™ knows parents hate to go out and buy more batteries for toys, each AquaBot™ comes with a spare set of button cell powers - I really like that!

The Hexbug® AquaBot™ Jellyfish come in 5 different colors: Pink, Purple, Orange, Blue and Green.  We received a pink version that just thrilled my little girl.  The Jellyfish uses its 18 tentacles, powerful ducted impeller and 15 pre-programmed swimming routines to spin and slide through the water.

We also received a blue Hexbug® AquaBot™ Seahorse that was also a real hit with my kids.  The Seahorse has a selection of 5 translucent colors to choose from (blue, purple, green, red & orange) and by using smart fish technology and powered by electro-magnetic propulsion its curly rubber tail and back fin steer itself through the water.


My kids are at an age where they still like to play in the tub but many of the bath time toys out there are too babyish for them.  These toys worked just as well in the bath tub as they did in the fish tanks they came with.


The Hexbug AquaBot Jellyfish and Seahorse get A Geek Daddy nod of approval because my kids had a lot of fun with them and these aquatic creatures kept my children amused without my having to worry about feeding them or picking up poop. In addition to the Jellyfish and Seahorse, Hexbug® also produces a variety of sharks and fish AquaBots™ to choose from.  You may want to consider picking up the AquaBot™ Tri Pack which includes an Angelfish, Jellyfish, and Seahorse that retails for approximately $29.99.

One thing consumers should be aware of is that while on the Seahorse switching out the batteries is as easy as unfastening a screw it is a bit more complicated with the Jellyfish involving a special tool (that if you aren't looking out for can easily be thrown away with its packaging) which needs to be inserted into a special groove to open up the water tight seal.  Don't worry though because the Hexbug webpages for each product include a video with instructions on how to change the batteries on each of these Aquabots if you find yourself stumped.

For more information, visit hexbug.com/aquabot