LEGOStar Wars Boost Droid Commander 75253 Star Wars Droid Building Set with R2 D2 Robot Toy for Kids to Learn to Code (1,177 Pieces)

Our family has owned Vernie (Lego Boost Creative Set) since it came out. We have an extra set of the 'brains', Boost Hub, Motor, Eye, and an understanding of how the iPad application intends on guiding you through the build and challenges. We also have two iPads to allow for independent builds. You need all of these things to build and control two simultaneously. But, to unlock all of the missions you'll need to do one at a time or scrape together substitution obstacles.Simultaneous Build Pros:- Each Droid can be built and controlled entirely independently. (we had a double build session)- Only need a few common pieces needed to install two hubs simultaneously.- With two iPads, kids can swap which Droid they can control to complete missions independently.Simultaneous Build Cons- Accessory kit for missions is shared. This is huge bottleneck.Having the other Lego Boost set gave me a good understanding of both the programming language and Lego's design language with the application. The kids really enjoyed the immersive portions, the cut scenes, the characters, the missions. These are steps you need to accomplish to get to all the features of the droids. It also helps to understand the missions (just make Gonk punch 20 times, easy). And an understanding of how the color sensor and distance sensor work (R2D2's search and map needs to see Yellow and Red to pass). This allowed us to use old Legos to mimic the shared pieces to push through the bottleneck of not having multiple accessory kits. We haven't swapped motors yet, but swapping out of R2D2 looks difficult where out of Gonk is very easy.As a single kit, this kit is awesome. We loved Vernie and are comfortable with coding in the boost language. I was worried that nothing would compare to R2D2, but Gonk holds his own! The Droids are much larger than you'd expect (though my six year old pointed out smaller than on the box).The kids built their own unsupervised, so from time to time something wouldn't align. The ability to rotate the 3D model to check their work and solve any issues isn't possible with a paper book. (I've torn apart whole kits for single misalignments). We like the paper books, but the guided build does work well.The R2D2's ability to turn his head, go slow upright and fast with lean, then snap between the two is really endearing. It's difficulty for me not to steal these for my own collection! As an adult, the missions are tedious, and for kids (mine are 6, 8 years old) they still need guidance to see what the goal is. But, after doing them once you can totally 'cheat' your way through if you understand them. The programming language is simple and fun, especially if you use the sensor (walk up and shoot Daddy). The kids mostly just use the audio functions endlessly.There are many comments that the kit is expensive. However, considering the application the motor and the piece count, this seems like a high value to our family.

The media could not be loaded. I've been a LEGO fan since the early 70's and I've been knee-deep in LEGO robotics since 1999--for myself and for my classroom. I have thoroughly enjoyed building and controlling these ADORABLE droids. I found the building techniques surprising, ingeneous, and exciting.Here are some things to know before you purchase this:+ Although the droids and accessories can be constructed independently of each other, they do share one BOOST HUB, which is the power and logic/control unit. This hub can be switched out between the 3 droids with some minor construction. I have no problem with this, as having 3 hubs in this kit would probably raise the price by at least $150.+This is not your typical LEGO robotics kit. I would call it an INTERACTIVE APP-BASED BUILDING EXPERIENCE. You MUST download the LEGO Star Wars Boost App to use this product. The App almost plays like a LEGO video game--you interact with LEGO Star Wars character to get the building instructions, access the coding platform, and the RC-style controls. (Although after you've unlocked any of these things features you can go directly there in the future.)+There are no paper instructions, but the in-app instructions are amazing. The builder can actually rotate each step of the build 360 degrees in every direction. As I mentioned above, this is really and APP-BASED experience.+The box indicates this kit is for ages 8 and up. Kids under 10 or so will probably need adult help. I helped my 7 year old son with the builds, the app, and the programming.+You MUST use the APP to control the droids. They are pretty nice models for shelf-sitting, but they really come into their own as part of this APP-BASED EXPERIENCE.In conclusion...APP-BASED EXPERIENCE!!!

This is a detailed Lego set with three droids that can actually move! Keep in mind you must use the app for this set - it will show you the instructions and is needed for them to move. Also the sound comes from the app.When you first open the box, you find a ton of Lego bags but the instructions don’t tell you how to build the robots, instead it tells you to add batteries to the hub piece (batteries not included), and then download an app. The app is really fun, it’s almost like a video game, there is a small video intro, and then you have to find the instructions inside some building, and then finally you can build the robots using digital instructions.After the robots are built, there is an extra bag, for making small props for the missions that are in the app. After you finish building the robots, then you can either do the missions, code the robots to do stuff, or remote control them, only using the app. But without the app they're dead, so you NEED the app to have any fun.Included is a distance sensor that you attach to the hub, so the robots can tell if something is in front of them, and apparently it can also sense color, but I’m not sure how that works. But it doesn't have a mode to follow you.Only one robot can be controlled at a time, because there is only one hub (the piece that controls the robots), which you can easily move from one robot to the next. But other than that they don't share pieces so you can build all three robots.There are three robots:R2D2, is my favorite robot, because he can easily turn (unlike the others who have trouble turning). When he doesn’t have the hub inside him, then you have to switch his legs around, or he falls over.The Gonk droid is cool, because it can actually walk with his legs! But if you make it walk too fast then it falls over.The mouse droid is basically a car that can’t turn. It has flaps on the side, and you can open and close them with the app, which is a very nice touch!This set is great for kids who are just learning how to code, because the coding is very simple, and of course it’s also good for Lego Star Wars fans!

Each droid is super fun to build. There's only 1 motor so you swap it for each droid. The droids all come with a "display" build without the motor and they all look great as display. The app is ok...missions are mostly being told what to do. There is a playground that's much more fun for older kids which younger ones can utilize the pre-programmed functions.

Fun product. My son and I spent some great evenings building each of the three droids. The app is cool for coding the droids once they are completed.Being restricted to the app for instructions was a bit annoying at times.

I have brought different lego sets for my 8 years old son for years, he love lego, but unlike all the lego set he played in past, this one has few problems, #1, it don't have printed instruction. #2, it doesn't support old version of ipad2 mini then I have to buy a new tablet for him to play, #3, the result is not perfect, when my son finish the Gonk, I think he did something wrong as the top plate has no any connection with the rest part, so I redo everything with him from the beginning but actually he is right.I will continue buy traditional lego set but not this kind of lego boost set, as I can pay less money to buy other smart programmable robot toys for kids to learn basic programming.