Original K’NEX are fairly straightforward—use the rods and connectors to build whatever your heart desires. The new K’NEX Dueling Racers, however, are a little more sophisticated. The kit contains everything you need to make two different sets of two racing cars powered by AA batteries (unfortunately you have to supply the batteries yourself).
Our testing mom tried it out with her 8-year-old son and his friend who are both fairly experienced toy builders. They were really excited to get started and got the blue car together in no time, but the yellow one proved to be much more difficult. In fact, the boys lost interest before they were able to get the second car put together and it took some adult assistance later that night to get it assembled. The mom also warned against letting your kids put the batteries in themselves—they’re tricky to put in and can get jammed if not installed properly. Once all the pieces were together and the batteries were in place, though, the kids had a great time racing the cars around the house. Overall, it was a fun toy, just expect to offer some help to younger kids.
K’NEX Dueling Racers are recommended for ages 7 and up and retail for $19.99. For more information visit www.knex.com.