GeoSmart Mars Explorer STEM-Focused 51-Piece GeoMagnetic Vehicle Building Set

I am editing to add that I was so happy with the customer service and response I got from Geosmart -- I sent a little video of my grandson demonstrating what was happening, and Geosmart promptly sent me replacement components, including a working light. It was such a good learning experience around fixing rather than replacing the whole thing. I am a fan. Here is my original note: This was a big hit with my six-year-old grandson -- he loved it and continued to play with it past his birthday three months ago. One of the non-essential pieces had a stripped screw out of the box (LED light) but I didn't reach out about it., just overall so happy with it. However in the last few days, the motor stopped and replacing all batteries didn't fix it. I sent a message a couple of days ago to the manufacturer and I am hoping to hear back. I will come back and report on how that goes ....

The grand kids really like these toys from 'GeoSmart'. This 'Mars Explorer' is the 3rd. of the group I've gotten them: first was the 'GeoSphere' which is the entry level toy with a variety of shapes, then the 'LunaRover' that came with wheels, and the "Mars Explorer" with it's tracked wheels, a motor and remote control. These are the first toys the kids choose to play with as the variety of different magnetic shapes provided are challenging and rewarding. And what's capable of being put together seems endless. What's especially nice is the kids - my 5 year old grandson and his 8 year old sister - will spend a lot of time, together, building with GeoSmart as there are enough pieces for both to enjoy.

Their pieces are clean, sturdy, bright, and the magnets are amazing. Geosmart sets: Kids don't necessarily have to align the pieces in perfect positions - the magnets do that for them! It's crazy what they charge for them though!!! Considering what's out there - they're very pricey but the pieces are much better than other brands --- 4 stars instead of 5...

Turns out you CAN operate two separate motors/remote controllers simultaneously. So you and your kid can build and race. At least true with the Mars and Moonlander kits. Have had the ML for seven months and thus far nothing broken, though I have emphasized not to use too much force when separating pieces. So yes quite sturdy. Nice to have other shapes from the Mars kit. We’ve been running EBL rechargeable batteries without issues. Great gift idea for a five year old, with a good value for the money.

The first mars explorer we received had a broken motor. The replacement barely moves an inch even on hardwood floors with brand new batteries. Very disappointed in this purchase.

We love the geosmart series. My 4 year old likes to build the models shown on the box, but he also invents all kinds of new contraptions and comes up with long explanations about what they do. This was the toy he most looked forward to for Christmas! We also got a set for my nephew and he was able to mix in with a set of magformers to make larger robots.

We had an issue with the motor. There was no number to call, but someone called us back from the online forms we filled and sent us a replacement. We got to keep the original so more magnets for all! My 3 and 5 year old spend HOURS building things with these. We are VERY pleased with the purchase and customer support.

The basic idea behind the GeoSmart Mars Explorer is fantastic - a highly modular design, with easy to construction basic shapes featuring interlocking plastic components or strong magnets, and simple battery operated motors. For the most part, the manufacturer delivers exactly that. The major shortcoming with this toy, however, is really the vehicle tracks which have a bad habit of slipping off. -------------------- ►Building: -------------------- Out of the box, you have the option to make four different vehicles which are all covered in the detailed and colorful instruction manual. My son and I opted to build the dump truck looking, tracked explorer. For the most part, the major body components all fit together and are held together with the strong magnets. There are some components that are interlocking plastic components and those are the components that keep the body and wheels together. Construction of our truck explorer really only took about 5-10 minutes. Note, that you'll need six AAA batteries, three each for the vehicle and the remote control. The components all feel like very high-quality plastics and the colors are bright and vibrant. -------------------- ►Remote Control & Vehicle Control: -------------------- The RC features a simple four-button setup. Pressing both buttons in the same direction (forward or reverse) translates into movement in the desired direction. Pressing just one button results in the vehicle turning. Tighter turns are made by pressing opposing forward/reverse buttons on each side. The remote works fine and testing indoors up to about 15 feet away led to no problems. The vehicle isn't fast nor is it I think intended to be. My son and I tested the Explorer on a few different surfaces mostly inside but with some man-made obstacles. For the most part, the vehicle operates just find and even climbed over a simple cardboard box ramp we built. -------------------- ►Slipping Tracks: -------------------- The only issue we encountered is that the tracks on this vehicle tend to slip off. The issue is most notable when turning the vehicle and the tracks just slowly slip off. If you're just moving in straight lines there isn't a problem. This is obviously a bummer and means that my son kept asking me to fix the toy again and again. For a parent, this means you'll need to be very involved fixing the tracks on this toy. The tracks are just simple pieces of rubber with a channel or rubber nubs that fit into grooves in the plastic wheels. -------------------- ►Closing: -------------------- This is a neat toy that would be better if it didn't require constantly fixing the tracks. The track issue isn't befitting a toy that's otherwise made so well.