Playable Battle Robot Kit

[FTR- Michael, contact us for replacements. Sounds like an unlucky set of defects that we will make right. We're taking notes for future improvements too, thanks!]

I got 3 of them in August 2021 for my 2 sons' birthdays (5 & 6). Hammerhead, Mustang, & Rage Wheel.

First, the good: the kids were PUMPED about them, and it was fun to build them together (though a little frustrating - watch the videos and use your own tools if you've got them).

The bad: the weapon motors barely worked. The Mustang never had a good flip from the first attempt. It moved slowly about 1cm, but then stopped altogether and just clicked when you hit the button after that. The Hammerhead weapon worked for a few hours, but then required you to manually move it upright before the motor would move it.

Rage Wheel weapon motor works, but the 1st little rubber band that rotates the top snapped within minutes, and I've since misplaced the 2nd one provided (that's on me).

I tried taking them apart and putting them back together better to see if that would help, but it was a pain and didn't help. Now, the kids wanted to pull them out again today after a few months, and the Mustang doesn't want to work at all (won't take commands or pair with the remote), and the light on the charger is off, meaning it's charged or not charging.

I should have written a review or contacted them the week of, but I was frustrated and hoping I could get it working, and then time just got away from me. Figured I'd write it up now since it's fresh on my mind.

TL;DR: great in concept, and these may have been duds that were exceptions, but at the very least it was a quality control issue, as 2/3 of the weapons either never worked or failed the first night. Would be worth every penny if they worked as intended, but instead were just an expensive frustration. Added a star just for my kids' excitement with it all.

I have Stag Beetle or The Lobster as we have renamed the bot. Mounting the motors with my kit would be best with screw heads inside and bolts on the out side. There is a wooden wrench that you need to punch out for assembly. The parts are not as delicate as I thought but use caution. I mounted the battery on top with Velcro to make charging easier. I love the bot but should have put the money towards a Viper . My dog got jealous as I was using the bot to clamp onto and drag around her dog toys so she hid them. Grabbing a Swifty with the bot did not impress girlfriend with my mini roomba emulation but I told her it counts for me cleaning the house.
Thank You Fingertech for all the fun !

Great, but would really appreciate custom controllers. Also motors could use better durability for the gears. Mine broke within 5 seconds. [FTR- Sorry to hear that! Must have been a manufacturing defect as they're normally very robust. We'll send a replacement.]

I got the Snapping Turtle (vertical spinner) and Mustang (flipper) and really had a lot of fun putting these together and driving 'em around.

Plus, it really seems like there's potential for customization of parts as well if you want to play with batteries and motors.

I can't recommend them enough for adults that just want some robot fighting amusement or kids who want an awesome intro to engineering.

That 1 missing star is for some build issues.

Both controllers had issues with the alignment of the right/left turn buttons. I had to cut away some of the wood around the holes in the top. It's soft, and a pocket knife took care of it, not difficult, but...

On the Snapping Turtle, the wires popped off the weapon motor shortly after unpacking it. Some wire stripping and tape fixed it up and it works but...

On the Mustang a number of wood parts have to slot into one another and slide into place. This is reasonably tough to do, you want it to stay put, but in some cases the wood would start to peel off layers or need some trimming down to work. Again, not too tricky in the soft wood, an it all works but...

...these things could be problematic for younger, less industrious, or more easily frustrated builders. So take that into consideration.

A last note that is actually a recommendation for Fingertech - supply controller buttons in a color that matches the wheels of the bot, or have the bot name or profile etched into the controller's battery cover. Something to help identify that a controller matches a specific robot vs. having them all look the same. [FTR: Thanks for the review! Actually, any remote can pair with any kit, so don't worry about mixing them up!]

Been watching battlebots since I was 9, had a blast building my own.

Ordered two kits, on opening the box I was impressed at the quality and attention to detail of the kits. Every detail had been thought of from carefully packaged hardware, pre-soldered electronics to the included batteries and mini screwdriver. The kits went together easily with the aid of the very clear build videos provided on the website. The laser-cut parts are produced to a tight tolerance so some minor sanding may be required in certain places to get the best result. Once together the bots are a joy to play around with and battle each other. The small motors pack a surprising amount of power and it is very satisfying to watch them zip around like your favourite heavyweights from TV. Overall a great gift for any aspiring bot builder. 5/5

Mine arrived yesterday. I had an absolute blast putting it together and for an absolute novice like me it's an awesome reference piece in moving on to the real thing. Plus me and my fiancé have had a huge amount of fun battling on our living room floor.