Hexbug Nano Zip Line Starter Set Hands-On Review

IMPRESSIONS

What?! A zip line? For a Hexbug Nano? That's impossible! There's no way that a Hexbug Nano could go an a zip line! This is a moot point. Well, not exactly. Technically, the Hexbug Nano Zip Line Starter Set seems impossible at first glance. But what you don't see right away is that that the Zip Line comes with four "zip clips," as they call them, which can be attached to any Hexbug Nano. These clips allow (or are supposed to allow) the Hexbug Nanos to grasp onto the Zip Line and have a nice ride down. The Zip Line has even more to it than that. One of the best parts is that you can put it at different lengths, either really short or the longest it will go, which is 18 inches. Seems really innovative, but will the "zip clips" work?

TESTING

Yes, they really do! The Hexbug Nanos will grasp onto the Zip Line just fine and they also will come off the Zip Line by themselves, which is a big plus. If the Nanos have a full battery, they have a chance of falling off the Zip Line a few times. It never gets annoying, but it's a little tiresome when you find yourself reaching out and righting any Hexbug Nanos that have fallen off the Zip Line. This doesn't happen constantly though, and the Hexbug Zip Line is fun to watch and play with. Since the set comes with four zip clips, you can have more than one Hexbug Nano going on the Zip Line. I tested two, three, and four Hexbugs on the Zip Line at the same time and came to the conclusion that two was the best number, three was a little too crazy, and four... let's just not get into that. The reason three and four were not the greatest was because the Hexbugs would always collide with one another. If I could give you any advice, stick to two Hexbugs at a time or just one.

ANY DOWNSIDES?

Even though the Hexbug Nano Zip Line is a great little toy, there are a few issues. First, since the Hexbugs are higher because of the zip clips, they sometimes struggle to get up the spiral. It's really hard to adjust the spiral just right so that the Hexbugs don't get stuck, and so that it's not so steep that the Nanos can't climb upwards. And second, because the Nanos are bulkier because of the zip clips, they can't squeeze by one another like they normally could without the clips on.

CONCLUSION

Despite those minor setbacks, the Hexbug Nano Zip Line Starter Set remains a great little toy. Being able to watch Hexbug Nanos go down a Zip Line is innovative and outstanding. I can tell the developers of this toy worked hard and put a lot of thought into it. If you like zip lines, you'll love this toy too.

Check out my full video review of the Hexbug Nano Zip Line Starter Set!



GRADE: A-