Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)First of all, I should make it clear that I am definitely a nerd, and have had a passion for all things robotics since about the age of 10. My home office/den is full of robotic toys and half completed construction projects. When a new robot, or robot toy, hits the market rush out to see it in action, and if it looks halfway decent, then it's going to come home with me - no question. Of course, after a month or two it earns a place of honor and regular use, or it will end up gathering dust on the shelf.
I'm very happy to say that the Roboraptor has already proved itself to be worthy of a place near the top of my robot collection. It was a ton of fun right out of the box - though getting it out of the box was a major challenge. My wife and I popped in the batteries, put the Roboraptor down on the floor, and immediately started having fun. It was the first time, in a long time, when we actually turned off the television and played with a toy together for a couple of hours.
The next morning (Saturday) we set Roboraptor loose in roaming mode to see how our dogs would react to it. It turned out to be a perfect test of what the toy is capable of. As our dogs moved around, barked, and tried to attack the Roboraptor, it would sense their movement, and hear their barks. There is no question that our dogs really believe that the Roboraptor is another animal.
That afternoon we let it roam around upstairs and videotaped it exploring the rooms, poking into the corners, sniffing everything, and getting into a fight with a metal coat rack. We laughed so hard, and enjoyed it so much that we had to share the videos with our friends on our "Robot's Dreams" blog.
Why were we so successful, when other people have had negative experiences with the Roboraptor. I think there are a couple of factors.
1- Since we ordered it online and had to wait for it to arrive, we spent the time to carefully read the online manual, and posts by users on the internet.
2- We used only fresh batteries.
3- We had a lot of experience with other robot toys, especially the Robosapien - even to the point of developing a PC based remote control program for it.
4- We really wanted to see what the Roboraptor's roaming mode could do, and how it would react in a dynamic, interactive environment. If you just turn it on and let it sit there expecting that it will entertain you - it's probably not the toy for you. But, if you actually play with it, move around, try to approach it, touch its tail, etc. it's a lot of fun. The sessions with our dogs really taught us a tremendous amount about what the Roboraptor is capable of - and gave us lots of things to talk about, and wonder about, for days.
5- Our house has hardwood floors, and doesn't have alot of clutter - except in my den. I'm sure that the Roboraptor won't do as well on heavy carpet. He also seems to do very well in hallways or rooms with a lot of flat vertical surfaces like bookcases or solid chairs. But, as you might expect, he has problems with thin chair legs and picture windows.
Is it going to teach you, or your child, a lot about robotics? Probably not at a technical level. That's why I gave it a 3 for educational value. Still, if it inspires curiousity and interest in robotics, then it's well worth the price.
Would I recommend it?
Yes - absolutely, if you like interactive toys and are willing to spend a little time figuring out all its different modes.
No - if you expect to turn it on, sit back, and expect it to do everything by itself. This great toy is definitely not for couch potatoes.
Click Here to see more reviews about: WowWee Roboraptor Robotic Dinosaur
Roboraptor is a predatory dinosaur robot with instincts to match his wild technology! His mood determines his behavior. He'll go into predatory mode, nervous and cautious mode, or into a friendly, playful mode depending on how he wakes up. Laser tracking system allows you to draw his path to the prey, and he'll follow it. He loves to play tug of war, and he's sensitive to his environment, so he'll stay away from table legs. Requires 6 "AA" batteries (not included) and 3 "AAA" batteries for the remote (not included). Measures 32"L x 11"W x 9"H. (Measures 32" from head to tail.)
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