Hex Bugs - educate me please!

[Suddengeekgirl]

Ds is 5.5 and played with some at a friends recently. He was very keen on them so I thought if add them to the list of stuff for when everyone in the family asks me what he wants.

What's a good starter set?
Is there a difference between v1 and v2? Are they compatible?

Thanks! :)

I think The Hive is a really good starter set. It's got bits in that you can move about, it's two levels and it packs away into a carry all.

Buy a TON of cheap batteries on eBay.

After Christmas you can usually pick up stuff on eBay to add to it if you want to.

We have the glow in the dark V1 track which has kept DS2 (8) and DS3 (6) happily entertained for the last year, although obviously through the summer it didn't have much chance to glow.
I thought it would lose its appeal quickly but it hasn't. The boys enjoy making different tracks or opening/closing the little doors to let the bugs go different directions.
The V1 and V2 tracks are compatible but the V1 bugs won't go up the V2 vertical parts.
Cheap batteries from ebay are definitely a must, as is a screwdriver to change them.

We have a basic set. It was whatever was reduced in The Entertainer a couple of years ago. I bought more bugs, so we have four in total. They eat batteries, so buy lots.

Our set is the nano v1. There is a new v2 out, which the v1 bugs are not compatible with. The v2 can include tubes, verticals etc and the v2 bugs can crawl upwards.

I really like the v1 racetrack (you can race two bugs).

Its a good toy, I think. I was expecting it to be poor wuality and a flash in the pan, but it has stood the test of time in our house. I am toying with getting more v1 stuff to add to what we have, or getting some v2 kit and bugs to make a separate set.

I should have also said that the v2 bugs chave no problems with the v1 kit. Its just that it doesn't work in reverse.

I just came on to ask the exact same!

Poundshop of batteries as they seem to eat them. My DS has two - the ones with the fins on the back can crawl up tunnels apparently!

Suddengeekgirl - where is the cheapest you have found it?

I saw the entertainer has some for half price! I was going to get the nano set for my nephews ;-)

i saw something in tesco 30 or 4o down to 12 ? some sort of track and hex bug.
they had a few discounted.

i got dd one in stocking last year she loved it, until it shot out and wqent under heavey hard to move cabinet.

Thanks all! :)
What type of batteries do they use? The bugs look too small for AA.

batteries

DS has lots of these. V2 do more. The Tornado set is great. The zip wire set is a nice add on and comparatively cheap. The Entertainer sells the right batteries at a reasonable price.

DS wants the zip wire for Christmas, glad to see a good review!

The batteries are little watch battery type ones. Can usually find them cheep on ebay.

I'm finding there is not a lot of choice on the original nano sets, everywhere has the v2 in stock. For that reason alone I'd be tempted to go with the v2 if we didn't already have some.

That said have found the hive online at less that £20 in a couple of places. The elevation set with the spiral ramp has loads of track and seems to be around £20, DS has played with it all year.

my DDs age 9 and 10 still play with the hexbug set they got a few years ago. I keep it in a big plastic crate and every so often it comes out for days on end. Be careful with the batteries, they are the ones that can kill as easily swallowed details here

my DDs had a screwdriver and packs of batteries upstairs as they tend to go through them very fast, i bought big packs in Ikea, but after reading that they have to do it downstairs. Not that i think they would eat them but we often have little cousins around. doesn't bear thinking about.

the race track is now 12.50 in The Entertainer. I paid 16 (it was redeuced to 20 and then had 20% off) for it in Smyths and thought I was having a bargain!