A few weeks ago, I was one of several bloggers contacted to review HEXBUG Nano, touted as “one of the hottest finds for both boys and girls ages 3+”. Not one to pass up hot finds, I agreed to receive a whack of HEXBUG toys.
Truth is, I had no idea what the heck HEXBUGs were.
So sue me. I’ve got toddlers, okay? They still play with toys that are shaded in primary colours. But, I had seen mentions of the micro-robotic bugs popping up all over the place. “Best Innovative Toy of 2011”. “Top 25 Toys for Christmas”. “Best Toy of 2011”. And my personal fave – from Time Magazine, “The 15 Smartest Toys for Young Geniuses”. Interested? You bet I was.
The box arrived. Inside, I found:
• 1 HEXBUG Nano 5-Pack
• 5 Glows in the Dark HEXBUG Nano bugs
• 1 Glow in the Dark HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Spiral Starter Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Bridge Battle Habitat Set
• 1 HEXBUG Nano Elevation Habitat Set
• 1 Carton of “Bug Food” (batteries)
Still, I was unmotivated to set it all up. Call me crazy, but I worried that it was too complicated a concept for my two boys. So, I sat on it.
Then the blog reviews started popping up. Here, there, everywhere – the toys were universally adored. And I began thinking… perhaps I should really see what all the fuss is about….