Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Mattel) 1181

Introduction

It's a neat little game. I love the idea that you get to be creative with it. That whatever you think up you can make come to life. However, there are a couple of faults with this. The pictures are horrible to try to take. It's like everything is backwards and i'm not coordinated enough to do it much less the 8 year old i bought it for. Sometimes there's blocks that show up that aren't on your board, just have to take a picture until it's perfect, but again that goes back to what a pain the pictures are to capture. We still play with it but i would like to see an update to make it easier to take the pictures. Other than that we love it! it was a big hit when we first opened it (of course with all toys the new wears off and it lays there for days untouched). Overall a good buy. Just beware when taking pictures! The Best Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game as-of ( Apr 2021 ) | Mattel-Toys And Games Review Featured Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game Build your video games with a mix of physical and digital tools that include designs to help get you started creating your first game. The toy insider stem 10 winner. get into the game - hands-on video game development - with bloxels video game creation platform. The bloxels builder app is free to download to your compatible device (not included). Create game rooms, characters and game art using the 13" x 13" gameboard and 320 blocks in eight different colors. When creating game rooms, each color in your design represents a different element, like green for terrain, blue for water or red for a hazard. when working on art, the color blocks represent the pixel art .

Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game Review (FFB15)

My 9 year old daughter received this as a christmas present recently. She is not what i would call a "gamer" but has done a little coding in school. She loves bloxels! she started by copying a design in the booklet but is slowly starting to construct her own characters. She has yet to design a custom level of her own but she has started playing the video game portion more and more. Bloxels has tons of potential. Families could play together by designing their own levels of gameplay. . I tried making a character as well and had difficulty getting the picture scanned into the tablet properly. I a still trying to figure out how properly lit the room needs to be to correctly scan the colored blocks. I wish there was a way to change certain blocks that are incorrect than trying to let the tablet fix it themselves by correcting the color balance and lighting (this is where the 4 stars comes into play). -P. Kellie

Rank

Toy

Brand

Mattel

EAN

0865740000105

Product Dimensions

Height:	11.25 inches
Length:	2.00 inches
Weight:	3.00 pounds
Width:	11.25 inches

Manufacturer

Mattel

Recommended Max-Age

156

Suggested Min-Age

96

Model

FFB15

MPN

FFB15

Total Items

1

Quantity

1

Part/Serial Number

FFB15

Group-Order

Toy

Category

TOYS AND GAMES

Product-Name

Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game

UPC

887961481143

Warranty

1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer Defects

Toy(887961481143:Toys And Games), Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (0865740000105:Mattel), build your own video games with bloxels! the innovative video game creation platform makes concepting and execution easy. watch your game world come to life as you create and animate play spaces, characters and objects because you are the artist, game designer, storyteller, programmer, publisher and player! the physical pieces in the bloxels game set work with the free bloxels builder app to digitize your creations, put them on-screen and make them playable. just download the free bloxels builder app to your smart device (not included) to get started. then use the 13 x 13 gameboard and colored blocks to design a room, create the art for game elements and bring your heroes and villains to life. when creating game rooms, each color in your design represents a different element, like terrain, water or a hazard. when working on art, the blocks represent the pixelated image. there are eight different colors and 320 blocks for lots of endless possibilities. once you have finished adding blocks, snap a picture with the "in-app camera" to digitize your creation. go from blocks to "bloxels" instantly! on-screen test your game, edit layouts and change the colors of your art assets. the process of building the game is easy to follow, with instructions and tutorials to help beginners. from creating the map of your game to animating your characters to adding power-ups to full-on playing, you make the decisions and produce the work. when your game is ready for the world to play, post it to the bloxels infinity wall to share. fellow 13-bit builders can play your game and buy your creations to use in their own games, earning you coins. coins you earn can be used to buy content from other players to remix within your game in new and creative ways. how will your game evolve? how will it start? what story will you tell? get ready to get in the game - video game development - with bloxels. includes gameboard, 320 blocks, challenge poster and instruction manual; the bloxels builder app is downloadable for free. for a list of the latest supported devices, please visit www. bloxelsbuilder. com. colors and decorations may vary..

Bloxels Build Your Video Game Toy

Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Switch to Mobile/Desktop Version)

There is so much that you can build and tweak to make your own video game world. My son bought a board with his allowance after watching a youtube promo from vat19 and several of their bloxels channel videos. Using both physical and digital formats, bloxels provides endless opportunities to inspire creativity and imagination. Lots of fun. I'll be buying one for myself so that we can play together and build faster.

Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Toys And Games) Ffb15

Click to see Notice

Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Mattel)"I am a k-8 computer teacher that found bloxels about a month ago. I immediately bought one set to test out in my ipad classes with 4th-8th graders. They love it! they can't get enough of it! i plan on doing a demonstration with the classroom teachers to show them they can use this in their everyday classrooms as well."

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Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set

It is a good playing and learning set, well working and easy to use. 4 starts instead of 5 because modern kids are generally so spoiled with their excessive number of toys and games that they need extra attractive entertainment to get interested and return to the game. In this very well working and well designed set, mouse is going to the cheese and makes some fun sounds, but need some more rewarding and attractive details to keep kids interested. Even if these extra details were just dumb plastic decorations, maybe they could keep the kid come back more to this very good developmental activity.

Build your maze, and then use the coding cards to create a step-by-step path for the programmable robot mouse. Program the sequence of steps, and then watch the mouse race to find the cheese! this deluxe set includes 30 double-sided coding cards, 10 double-sided activity cards, cheese wedge, and activity guide to provide the perfect hands-on introduction to coding concepts. Create endless maze path possibilities with 16 maze grids, 22 maze walls, and 3 tunnels. Add multiple players with the programmable robot mouse (ler 2841), sold separately. Mouse lights up, makes sounds, and features 2 speeds. Mouse measures 4"l and requires 3 aaa batteries (not included).

Learning-Resources-Robot-Mouse-Activity

See Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set (LER2831) FAQ.

This is a great game, and it really is a good introduction not only to programming, but to logic (and math) - to the idea of algorithms in general. It also teaches kids the idea of "following the rules" and "what a mouse can and cannot understand" - the kind of commands it takes. For the younger kids, even setting up the board as in the picture, is a challenge in itself, and a very useful challenge in maps/spacial orientation at that. . The mouse itself is very cute; the commands are easy to implement. . I did take one star off for a couple of minor annoyances:. - the mouse doesn't always precisely execute each turn, which means it may end up going off course. It's not so bad as to affect the algorithm unless you have many-many moves, but it means the mouse can run into the purple walls when there's a tight turn. . - whenever the mouse finds "cheese", it stops executing instructions, even if it had a further sequence programmed. I can see why they made it this way, but it also makes it impossible to program the "go there, get the cheese and bring it back here" kind of programs. . - kids need to remember to press "erase memory" in order to program a new sequence. I do understand this choice though - otherwise there would be no memory at all if you think too long between adding new instructions, and that would be even more annoying. . On the plus side, this is one of those games where the "puzzles" are not limited by the number of instruction cards. It's very easy for a parent (or for a kid themselves) to make up their own puzzles. . Our youngest one just turned 3, and he's still struggling with the concept of programming the mouse, but he likes it and is definitely getting some idea. Our next oldest is 8, and she's already programming (in scratch and trying out python), so this is "too simple" for her, but the mouse is cute enough to keep both her attention and her 11 year old's brother, and make them interested in playing with their younger brother. . On a funny note, our youngest was actually quite hesitant about touching the mouse at first (he was a bit scared of it). And even now, when it's running, he makes sure to get out of the way. -Notice from P. Yvette, Slough

Click to Show learning resources code & go robot mouse activity set (ler2831) Details

I like these robot mice a lot. They got 4 stars because they run out of batteries quickly. I found, however, that if you leave them in the off positions for a while, they will sometimes come back on w/o changing the batteries. I bought 10 sets to use with first and second grade classes during our unit on coding. They absolutely love working with the robot mice. I think the k-2 age range is perfect. You can add more complexity for the second graders with the kit materials and letting them find materials around the classroom to make challenges for their mouse. The tiles do take about 10 plus minutes to set up and can overtake the use of the robot mouse and coding unless students are given enough time. But, they help kids visually figure out how the mouse will move and really work on spacial abilities. Students just need enough time for set up, programing, and execution. I gave my second grade students about 30-35 minutes work time in pairs and most groups were able to set up 2 different mazes or just use one and make several different programs.

- V. MableThis was a gift for my 5 year old. She really loved setting up the maze and did well programming colby. Everyone had a chance to play with colby while my (grown up) brother and i challenged each other to program really tough courses. Good fun and i hope to catch her playing and programming more!

Love this with my k-3 classes, used it to teach beginning sequencing skills for coding. A good tangible way to drive the concept home. I wish more people could play the game, because the game one on one in the classroom is not feasible. Good beginner route to sphero balls, ozobots, dash and dot.

W. Kathlene, Harrow

LEARNING RESOURCES CODE & GO ROBOT MOUSE ACTIVITY SET Advantages
Brand :	learning resources
Size :	-
Weight :	4.05 pounds
Ideal for ages 5+ Part of the stem line of activity sets that help students experience stem through hands-on activities and experiments while challenging them to think critically, solve problems effectively, and acquire the skills needed to enter stem-related fields Introduce children to the fun of coding and puzzle solving with this colorful, programmable mouse with maze! a great way to introduce young children to science, technology, engineering, and math Mouse lights up and sounds and also features two speeds are perfect for tabletop or floor play Program the mouse with easy push-button controls to follow your created maze and find the cheese
Model :	LER2831
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (learning resources product review) for Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Minecraft Stop Motion Movie Creator

Now you can be a minecraft moviemaker! with the minecraft stop-motion movie creator, you re the director! with your smart phone or tablet and minecraft sets, turn your minecraft figures into actors and create adventure stories your way. Filmmaking has never been so easy and fun! inspired by the online community, this authentic playset comes with props and four mini-figures - two of which are exclusive to this set - to make your own minecraft story come to life. Choose from one of four brand new, iconic backgrounds to set the stage and use the mini-figures and accessories to set up your scene. Download the free mobile app and animate in three easy steps. Swap out the background cards, props, and environment pieces for endless storytelling. Use the app to create and edit your movies. Includes one movie stage, four different backgrounds, two exclusive mini-figure exclusive spider jockey (with enchanted bow) and exclusive alex (with diamond pickaxe), two additional mini-figures zombie and zombie in flames, props, and a phone/tablet holder. Colors and decorations may vary.

Minecraft-Stop-Motion-Movie-Creator

MINECRAFT STOP MOTION MOVIE CREATOR Features
4 mini-figures include exclusive spider jockey (with enchanted bow), exclusive alex (with diamond pickaxe), and zombie and zombie in flames, which can be swapped in and out of frames for stop-motion fun Includes 1 movie stage, 4 brand new backgrounds, 4 mini-figures (2 of them are exclusive to this set), a phone/tablet holder, and props The minecraft stop-motion movie creator combines game-authentic figures and accessories with a free mobile app for fans to create their own custom movies Swap out the background cards, props, and environment pieces for endless storytelling Direct your own minecraft stop-motion movies!
Brand :	mattel
Weight :	1.54 pounds
Model :	DYT67
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	-
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (mattel product review) for Minecraft Stop Motion Movie Creator available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Bloxels Box Set

The most kid-friendly video game creation platform, ever. Bloxels builder is a collaborative sandbox app that enables players to create, play and share games that demonstrate their personality and creative inspirations using a mix of tools to create characters, challenges, environments, objectives and stories. How does it work? build the layout of a game, create the art, build and animate a character to play in the game and then share it. Its that easy and can be done in as little as ten minutes our expanded on with endless hours of tweaking. Building games is extremely accessible and creative expression happens instantly, making bloxels builder a great tool for children from ages 5 to 14+ to make and play games. Bloxels builder uses a revolutionary, hands-on system for creating simple 13x13 pixel art by leveraging the bloxels game board, a non-electronic toy (sold separately). Art created on the game board is captured and digitized with the device camera to be used in the game in a multitude of ways.

Bloxels-63101-Box-Set

BLOXELS BOX SET Features
Brand :	bloxels
Bloxels is a collaborative sandbox app that enables players to create, play and share games The "bloxels builder" app is a free download on apple ios, android and kindle Bloxels uses three distinct game building levels that grow with the child as they gain experience Build the layout of a game, create the art and animate a character to play in the game and share it Bloxels a great tool for children from ages 5 to 14+ to make and play games
Model :	63101
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 1-2 business days
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (bloxels product review) for Bloxels Box Set available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Code Master Programming Logic Game

Code master programming logic game

Code-Master-Programming-Logic-Game

CODE MASTER PROGRAMMING LOGIC GAME Reviews
Playing code master won't just teach you principles behind programming, you'll also build planning, sequential reasoning and problem-solving skills Single player game 8 conditional tokens; instructions with solutions The ultimate coding board game 10 maps with 60 levels; 12 guide scrolls; 12 action tokens
Brand :	think fun
Weight :	1.19 pounds
Model :	CODEM
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (think fun product review) for Code Master Programming Logic Game available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse

My eight year-old got this for christmas and loves it because she loves coding the mouse to go through mazes that she builds. You don't need to buy the more expensive version that includes maze materials since you can use blocks and whatever else your child dreams up to create a path for little guy - promotes more creativity while engineering!

Create a step-by-step path for the programmable robot mouse using the 30 double-sided coding cards to provide a hands-on introduction to coding concepts. The mouse lights up, makes sounds, and features 2 speeds along with colorful buttons to match coding cards for easy programming and sequencing. Includes activity guide. Use with the robot mouse coding activity set (ler 2831) for more play options, learning opportunities, and fun! mouse measures 4 l and requires 3 aaa batteries, not included.

Learning-Resources-Code-Robot-Mouse

See Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse (LER2841) FAQ.

I use this mouse at school with my third graders. I have them solve math problems and they then program the mouse the find the answer on the large chart i made. It is very engaging and the students love the coding aspect of the activity. It basically kills two birds with one stone. . My only issue with the mouse is that its turns aren't always the sharpest. I thing the ball bearing that the mouse has in the front doesn't move as smooth as it needs, so the turn radius is off. As a result, the mouse doesn't always end up where we need it to be. . Overall, this is a great product and much cheaper than some of the other products that are similar. It is great for an engaging activity with students, especially with such a strong push for stem activities. -Notice from R. Sherry, Poole

Click to Show learning resources code & go robot mouse (ler2841) Details

Love it! easy to use and kids (students) immediately become engaged.

- I. WimbishI got this to go with the bigger set. More fun for two children, less fighting when one parent has to try and won't hand over.

Fun to pkay with. My daughter loves to play with it. I bought two of these so that we can play together. We code these mice to make stories like meeting at the street and bevome friends and go together for a drink and so on. I would recommend you to buy two.

M. Fabian, Bradford

LEARNING RESOURCES CODE & GO ROBOT MOUSE Highlight
Brand :	learning resources
Size :	-
Weight :	0.50 pounds
Model :	LER2841
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (learning resources product review) for Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse available as-of ( Apr 2021 )
Part of the stem line of activity sets that help students experience stem through hands-on activities and experiments while challenging them to think critically, solve problems effectively, and acquire the skills needed to enter stem-related fields Ideal for ages 5+ Use the pictorial direction coding cards to plan a path; then, program the mouse with easy push-button controls and send him on his way to follow your commands Introduce children to coding with this easy programmable mouse; mouse lights up and sounds and also features two speeds are perfect for tabletop or floor play Use with stem robot mouse coding activity set, sold separately, for more play options

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Makey Makey - An Invention Kit Everyone

This has been the hit of the spring with the kids. We've had musical bananas, a sandwich space bar, water balloon instruments and a few other crazy shenanigans. How this will become an instrument for the talent show this year is yet to be determined, but i see it coming - and can't wait. This is exactly the hands-on, creative and critical thinking kids need.

What is makey makey? turn the whole world into a keyboard. It's a simple invention kit for beginners or experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between. How does it work? alligator clip two objects to the makey makey. For example, you and a banana (or an ice cube, or a kitty cat). When you touch the banana, the computer just thinks a keyboard key is being pressed, so you can type a letter, jump in a video game, take a picture, or play some music. Who is makey makey for? kids, artists, educators, engineers, inventors, makers. Really it is for everyone.   what materials work with makey makey? ketchup, pencil graphite, finger paint, fruits, plants, coins, your grandma, silverware, anything that is wet, pets, aluminum, rain, and hundreds more. Really any material that can conduct at least a tiny bit of electricity. What can i create? make a banana piano, play mario on  a play dough game pad, take a selfie of your cat every time she drinks water. How? first, load up a computer program or any webpage. Let's say you load up a piano. Then, instead of using the computer keyboard buttons to play the piano, you can hook the makey makey to something fun, like bananas, and the bananas become your piano keys. Hundreds more of examples can be found at makeymakey. Com

Makey-Invention-Kit-Everyone

See Makey Makey - Invention Kit Everyone (TTMM-170017-US) FAQ.

The makey makey is a great way to introduce someone to the world of electronics. The possibilities with this thing are endless. From music to games and much more the makey makey provides an interactive medium that makes learning about stem and electronics fun at all ages. It is easy to set up, there are a bunch of guides out there on different applications, and skills you will learn while using this could allow you to further your skills to more challenging projects. -Notice from Y. Adrienne, Nevada

Click to Show makey makey - invention kit everyone (ttmm-170017-us) Details

Holy moly, did my kids have a great time with this. They spent an entire night getting along wonderfully playing with it. They haven't gone back to it since, but i think they will eventually.

- M. WandaAwesome product. Great for kids and experiments. I used it with ableton live to make a vegetable drum kit! . Easy to use.

Excellent tool for a project i was working on. I made a piano puzzle using a real upright piano and the makey-makey with alligator clips. Quick assembly and excellent performance. Just make sure you understand which button you are attaching to or you might accidentally code the mouse as a keypad press. This was great!

R. Kathlene, North East Lincolnshire

MAKEY MAKEY - AN INVENTION KIT EVERYONE Spotlight
Brand :	makey makey
Weight :	0..01 pounds
Turn everyday objects like bananas into touchpads! 1000s of possibilities! draw your own game controller! dance like never before! No software to install. works with mac and windows. Just plug, clip, and play! no programing knowledge needed. Connect the world around you to your computer! setup takes just seconds.
Model :	MMCE
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Hobby :	Best Hobbies (makey makey product review) for Makey Makey - An Invention Kit Everyone available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Code Monkey Island

Welcome to code monkey island, the board game designed to teach players of all ages computer science logic! as the wise leader of your own tribe of monkeys, it's up to you to guide all three of your monkeys safely around the board and into the banana grove. You'll have to use concepts like conditional statements, looping, booleans, assignment operators and more to earn moves for your monkeys, dodge quicksand traps, and score some delicious fruit along the way! after its successful kickstarter campaign, code monkey island is being used in thousands of homes and classrooms around the world, helping children and adults alike discover the magic and fun of coding.

Code-Monkey-Island

CODE MONKEY ISLAND Reviews
Helps kids learn computer science logic Used in schools and universities around the world Includes a 32-page booklet that teaches basic programming syntax For international orders, please visit http://codemonkeyplanet Seen on yahoo! , mashable, the wall street journal, nick jr. , kickstarter and more
Brand :	code monkey island
Weight :	2.60 pounds
Model :	na
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Toy :	Best Toys And Games (code monkey island product review) for Code Monkey Island available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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Osmo Coding Game Add-on

My son loves it and he doesn't even know he is learning coding.

Osmo coding teaches problem solving and logic skills, it helps kids succeed in an increasingly digital world. With osmo, coding is approachable, creative, and fun. Just snap physical blocks together to create sequences of commands and easily learn computer programming fundamentals. Works with ipad pro 9. 7 inch, all ipad mini, all ipad air, all ipad 2 & up. *requires the osmo game system, found in any osmo kit.

Osmo-TP-OSAP-PR-01-Coding-Game-Add-on

See Osmo Coding Game Add-on (Toys And Games) FAQ.

Fantastic learning experience. It starts off slowly and allows anyone to understand the steps. The levels become more and more robust. It appears the developers also left room for future additions. Well worth the money. -Notice from B. Rose, Bedfordshire

Click to Show osmo coding game add-on (toys and games) Details

My children and my students love using osmo as a learning tool. It is so engaging and fun! osmo coding is amazing! children of all ages can learn to code using this set. My son attended a conference with me to guide teachers as they worked to code with osmo coding. It was a cool experience!

- V. JosephineThis product is a very good way to learn the principles of coding computer programs. To write programs you need to think out a series of clear steps to meet the objective. In this learning game you see a pathway on the ipad screen. For example you need to move three spaces down and then left two more spaces to reach the goal. Select the appropriate plastic blocks and place them in order at the base of the screen. The ipad camera sees the blocks and moves your character on the screen accordingly. You do need the basic osmo system to use this. It is an add-on module. It would be great for homeschoolers, especially if the parent/teacher is unfamiliar with coding. The only negative is that it is probably not as fun as other computer games you child plays. My 9 year old grandson likes it, but still gets tired of just "2 spaces right and then 3 spaces up".

As a first grade teacher, my students love osmo and the osmo coding game is an awesome addition. It starts very basic so that a 6 year old can understand and then challenges them to go on. Our second and third grade students love it as well. We work in groups of 2 and 3 and i love to see them collaborate as they problem solve to the next level. Osmo coding is a great addition to the osmo kit to keep students engaged. We love osmo!

X. Shayna, Limousin

OSMO CODING GAME ADD-ON Review
Brand :	osmo
Model :	TP-OSAP-PR-01
Quantity :	1
Order click here :	normally ships in 24 hours
Teaches logic and problem solving skills. Osmo coding is the easiest way to introduce coding to your child. Designed for kids 5-12. *requires osmo game system, sold separately in osmo kits* Each coding command guides awbie on an strawberry-munching adventure!
Boost :	Best Toys And Games (osmo product review) for Osmo Coding Game Add-on available as-of ( Apr 2021 )

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MattelTop bloxels: build your own video game (mattel) Content

The F.A.Q. for Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Mattel)

We got this for our 8yr old for christmas. He thought it looked really cool but had a hard time getting the app to work, then had a hard time getting pictures once we were logged in to the app. Maybe he just is too young for it, i'm not sure. His dad & i messed with it a bit, and we liked it. However we were upset to find out that you don't have to have this to use the app/game! you can just download the app and they can build on the screen as well. Somewhat of a wasted buy, but cool concept and for someone more into the building aspect, perfect.

A number of questions have been asked here.

Q&A

(0) Question: Can i use this with a laptop or desktop. we do not have an ipad and i do not see any downloads for windows based devices.

(1) Question: Will this work on a online store fire tablet?

(2) Question: What is the age group for this game ?

(3) Question: My12 year old grandson is very bright (in the excelled learning clases) would this be to young for him?

(note) Question: where/how to get Mattel (manufacturer's brand) accessories & similiar Mattel's products

Electronic System Accessories 110571661, Kids' Electronics 110461661, Systems & Accessories 110861661, Toys & Games 110397561Top Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game (Mattel) FAQ Content

Best bloxels: build your own video game (mattel) in review

So far, so good, no complaints. We unboxed it, set up the registration and my son got busy. We also purchased one for my nephew who absolutely could not believe that we got him bloxels! (i didn't even know he knew about it). We purchased three (one for our son and one for each of our nephews so that they'd all be able to play with each other within the app). The app makes it so friends are able to play each other board's. The game board isn't really needed to build but the boys use it. They're figuring out that it takes some thinking to make video games. Nicely done mattel.

U. Guest, City of Kingston upon Hull

M. Evelyn, Buckinghamshire says

My son and i played bloxels even before i purchased the physical board. Creating your own characters and video game world is mostly very exciting! the excitement ends quickly when it's time to capture your board and it doesn't quite go as it should. I would recommend you make sure your lighting is bright, but too bright will also cause problems. In our case natural sunlight did not suffice. I used an adjustable lamp but made sure it was about a foot and a half from the board then the magic continued. I would also encourage parents to let your kids figure out the buttons and game play on their own before jumping in to simplify everything.

K. Lisa, Wyoming

Bought this for our 9 year old. He absolutely loves it. Although we learned the hard way we can't play with this when the 5 year old is up :( i think it is way more then just a video game, it helps our son think "outside of the box". I found it helps with his fine motor skills in his hands also, that's always a plus! our 7 year old also loves to use this and has no problems understand "how" it works. I also love that there is a sturdy storage box for all the little "cubes".

R. Jennifer, British Columbia says

My son and i played bloxels even before i purchased the physical board. Creating your own characters and video game world is mostly very exciting! the excitement ends quickly when it's time to capture your board and it doesn't quite go as it should. I would recommend you make sure your lighting is bright, but too bright will also cause problems. In our case natural sunlight did not suffice. I used an adjustable lamp but made sure it was about a foot and a half from the board then the magic continued. I would also encourage parents to let your kids figure out the buttons and game play on their own before jumping in to simplify everything.

A. Rose, Rutland

My kids really enjoyed the bloxels experience. The board isn't necessary for making games but the physical board is enjoyable in itself and my kids use it to create pixel art which then prompts them to take their creations into a game. . As a parent i really like the focus on design thinking. Those skills are going to be very valuable for today's children. The story telling aspect is a great addition too. . The codeboard feature also looks really interesting. We'll be keeping an eye on that and trying it out more when we have some spare time.

Z. Gina, Kansas says

This board and app combination is a fantastic tool/game/toy. It really is! the idea of having a physical piece to make game design feel "more real" is terrific and it's great for my 7 year old son, who loves his minecraft and legos and all those things. . However: the initial setup of the board was a major pain in the ass. It really was. Between my husband and i, who are respectively an accomplished computer scientist and a reasonably tech-savvy gamer, we played with the board for over an hour last night each and some more this morning. The board is not matte enough to use in super bright light, but it's not shiny enough to use in low light. We finally made it work in our son's room which has a medium ceiling light with a white light-filtering glass housing, positioning the board so that we can have the light off to the side to get light without glare. Also, my son's kindle wouldn't get a good picture of the board because it's an older kindle and has a lower quality camera. (my phone, with a really good camera, did work very well once we got the right setup area for the board. ). . Now, my son has been playing with the board and making his own individual characters and levels and "what if" scenarios, exploring what the game can and cannot do, for the last couple of hours. He's having a blast and getting to be creative and think about game logistics and design! it's exactly what i hoped he'd get out of the game! but getting to this point gave me a few extra gray hairs for its difficulty. . I'm hoping that as mattel refines this concept they can make setup easier so that the average person can do this much more easily. Getting to the point where it's fun for a kid (should really be able to be set up by the child in question) is way too difficult for the average person unless they get lucky on the first or second try.

A. Anonymous, Newham

This "game" is the coolest! i bought this for my 5 year old son and he loves it! it can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. We build a couple characters and imported them into the game. It's so neat seeing your creation come to "life! " he usually likes to just use characters he made on other people's video games, which you can access through an online community built into the app. But you could get as detailed as you want to; create textures for the ground and import them, make huge levels, design traps, bad guys. It's really impressive! a huge win for any video game enthusiasts, future coders and dreamers alike.

H. Walsh, Calderdale says

We've tried a few different programming tools like scratch and stencyl to get our girls into coding, including a video game coding camp, but nothing "stuck". They like playing video games and minecraft, but just weren't that interested in creating them. But so far this changed it - makes it very easy to design your own games. They now spend hours developing games on their ipads rather than mindlessly playing pokemon. . Yes, it's not really coding, but they still have to design a game, and do some logic. Hopefully it will be a good stepping stone towards the more powerful game development kits out there.

H. Kristen, Wisconsin

I first saw bloxels at a mini maker event with my 8 year old and got very excited to get it for him for christmas. I love the concept of being able to make your own video game, all on your own, complete with your own characters and villains. I also like the fact that it simulates the old school video games. We went through the challenges after christmas and he was able to complete it with no issues. What i thought would probably be one of his favorite gifts was not so. It actually became one of my favorite gifts. He hasn't taken to it yet and isn't interested in even starting his own game. However, he will happily play the games i create. I got a bit confused when i started to build my game. But after that, i understood the steps and my games have been improving. . I have to admit, i'm a bit addicted to this app. Many things such as characters, animations and props can be made/built directly on the app. However, if you want to add "brains" to the enemies, such as the size, power, coins collected when defeated, etc. That needs to be built on the board. And yes, you need a tablet to play and build. I believe you can also use a phone but the screens would be too small in my opinion. . I do agree that the photo capture functionality needs some work. Most of the time it doesn't capture the correct block color. There's an adjust functionality after you capture the photo to adjust the color of blocks and sometimes that works but a lot of times i have to retake the photo over and over again. So now i only use the board to add brains to the enemies i create. . I read in the reviews that other buyers found there aren't enough blocks in this set. This is a starter set and you can buy additional blocks to add. However, i find there is enough to build characters and props for my games. If not and you need more blocks you can capture your photo then go in and edit and add the additional blocks in the app. . If your child is really into programming, coding and building their own games i would definitely recommend this. If they are only interested in playing video games, like my son, then maybe not so much. I think perhaps when he's a little older he may be interested in creating his own game. I would say the age group would be 8+

V. Wade, East Riding of Yorkshire says

Purchased two of these for younger children in the family (both about 10 years old). Worked perfectly with their android tablets. This is truly a unique and creative game that is perfect for children who like playing video games, and those who feel that video games can also be a learning experience as well. The game does take some getting used to, so adult supervision might be a good idea at least for starting off, but in the end, nothing is really cooler for a 10 year old than having them make their own game!

R. Debra, Kansas

This is better than expected based on other reviews! some people had issues using the grid and uploading pictures of there designs. At first, we did too so i just brought the grid to a brightly lit area where we had no issues other than finding out one block didnt tranfer. That is a one second fix in the app though. Also, our first picture ended up being an "asset" rather than a frame of the game. We quickly discovered, creating the grids, and assets, is really easy in the app once you experiment with the different settings. Of course, the grid could still be used as a way of remembering where things are when adding a new frame. Or, it could be helpful to create ideas or backgrounds. So cool playing a game my daughter created!

B. Hayward, York says

This "game" is the coolest! i bought this for my 5 year old son and he loves it! it can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. We build a couple characters and imported them into the game. It's so neat seeing your creation come to "life! " he usually likes to just use characters he made on other people's video games, which you can access through an online community built into the app. But you could get as detailed as you want to; create textures for the ground and import them, make huge levels, design traps, bad guys. It's really impressive! a huge win for any video game enthusiasts, future coders and dreamers alike.

Y. Imelda, Ontario

There is so much that you can build and tweak to make your own video game world. My son bought a board with his allowance after watching a youtube promo from vat19 and several of their bloxels channel videos. Using both physical and digital formats, bloxels provides endless opportunities to inspire creativity and imagination. Lots of fun. I'll be buying one for myself so that we can play together and build faster.

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