K'Nex Loopin' Lightning Coaster

by K'Nex

Product Features

• Includes 615 pieces
• Builds over 3? high
• Motorized chain lift and 19+ feet of track
• Over 19? of track
• Color-coded instructions

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 32 x 36 x 21 inches ; 0.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B001TH8KR8
• Item model number: 50025
• Manufacturer recommended age: 9 years and up
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,823 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Build the K'NEX Loopin' Lightning Coaster, an all-new vertical roller coaster building set. Standing over 3’ high with 19+ feet of twisting, turning track, the motorized Loopin' Lightning provides a building experience that's just as thrilling as its performance. This set includes 615 colorful K'Nex pieces, including 2 coaster cars, motor and track. Follow the color-coded instructions to build this exciting thrill ride step-by-step. Then switch the motor on to bring the model to life. The motorized chain lift quickly carries the cars to the top. As they crest the peak, both cars accelerate through 19’ of twists, turns and loops. Instructions for a second dynamic model are available on www.knex.com. Loopin' Lightning is appropriate for builders and roller coaster enthusiasts ages 9 and up. Requires 2 "AA" batteries.

Product Description

Build the KNEX Loopin Lightning Coaster, an all-new vertical roller coaster building set! Standing over 3 feet high with 19+ feet of twisting, turning track, the motorized Loopin Lightning provides a building experience thats just as thrilling as its performance. This set includes 615 colorful KNEX pieces, including 2 coaster cars, motor and track. Follow the color-coded instructions to build this exciting thrill ride step-by-step. Then switch the motor on to bring the model to life. The motorized chain lift quickly carries the cars to the top. As they crest the peak, both cars accelerate through 19 feet of twists, turns and loops. Loopin Lightning is appropriate for builders and roller coaster enthusiasts ages 9 and up. This set requires 2 AA batteries- not included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for Everyone, October 26, 2009

By 

Joshua D. Trutwin (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: K'Nex Loopin' Lightning Coaster (Toy)

My 4-year old son was upset with me last week cause I forgot to say goodbye to him or something silly when I dropped him off at daycare. To make it up to him I searched for some project we could do together and found this. Obviously it's way out of his age-range but he LOVES coasters and puzzles so I gave it a shot and it didn't disappoint. We built it together in about 6 hours, mostly it was me reading the excellent full-color picture instructions and telling him which pieces to find/connect and he got the hang of it quick. Seeing the final result and switching on the motor was very rewarding for him and he's telling anyone that'll listen about his coaster.

I'm giving it 5 stars but there are a couple things to be aware of with this model:

1. As stated in other k'nex reviews there are no extra pieces, be careful to not misplace anything, some are smaller than your fingernail. We ended up with one missing piece and a handful of random extras. I found our important missing piece by going to the store and picking up some little $3.00 K'Nex gizmo that had what we needed.

2. Why did they put two different black pieces in the same bag? The 100 or so chain links are mixed in with about 8 other black pieces of the same size. Arg...

3. Putting the track together is most frustrating part - track pieces need to bend and typically connect to main model with one tiny connector that often can't handle the strain until the full track is assembled. Once done though it's not a problem. My son was thrilled by the loop.

4. The chain - I swear I used the recommended number of links but I had to adjust it a little cause it kept slipping on the gear attached to the motor and falling out of the guides on the track. It still slips a little when hauling the cars up the track.

5. One of the cars inexplicably is faster than the other - so eventually it hits the other one just going up the chain and misses the chain itself. Oh well.

One nice thing is you can go online to [...] to find another plan for these parts, though it appears much smaller than this model. Since this is considered new in their product line I hope they publish more build plans.

I plan on getting more of these - it's fun for me too. :)

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's OK, December 28, 2009

By 

Buster - See all my reviews

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: K'Nex Loopin' Lightning Coaster (Toy)

This was a gift that my five year old adores, but this review is from the parents perspective.

It took two high school honors students quite a while to assemble, so don't be in a hurry. The instructions are pretty fair, which is good considering the plethora of parts and the complexity of the build. Many of the parts are smaller than ordinary (older) K'Nex, so if you remember snapping these things together at a good clip, it ain't gonna happen here.

Once all together, it worked. For a while. But as the coasters zipped around time after time and parts worked loose, it stopped working so well. Coasters started stopping at the top, they failed to catch the chain for the ride up, and the chain started skipping like mad when the coasters were on it. I had to wire tie one of the track supports because it would not hold on to the track at all after several runs. Overall it literally required a couple of hours of re-engineering with the parts available to get it all to work passably again, and I really feel like I shouldn't have had to do that.

And, (again, from a parents perspective) what do you end up with once the fun (frustration?)of the building is over? Basically a modern re-invention of the old gravity-driven wooden marble races. Watch the coasters go up. Watch them come down. Watch them go up again. It's the definition of a passive play experience.

However, cats LOVE it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is fun and hard and reusable., January 8, 2010

By 

Sparkly Pinecone (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: K'Nex Loopin' Lightning Coaster (Toy)

I got this for my son (7) for Christmas, on a whim, because he had noticed it on a sweep of the K'nex aisle in Target about a year ago. I am over electronic games right now, and this was an extra "guilt" gift to mask the totally analogue Christmas. He built it yesterday, and it was a wonderful, challenging experience, and a huge success. It looks really cool when it's just running.

Cautions:

-The instructions are all visual. My son is a Lego veteran, and so is fairly confident about interpreting these images (which are like gibberish to me).

-When they say 7+, they really mean 7+. Otherwise, plan for a joint venture.

-The bendy track is somewhat fragile! I could see where the bendy track weakened from being disconnected roughly. It is soft plastic.

-Counting the chain links...ugh. I did that part.

Praises:

-It is a challenge that pays off. My son tried shortcuts when he thought he could, and used trouble shooting to figure out sticking points or flaws. There's definitely an "I did this!" factor to it, when it is up and running.

-Gravity is still kind of awesome, you have to admit.

-It's reusable! There are plans for additional configurations on the K'Nex website, and of course it can just go into the giant K'nex bin under the bed for free building.

-The process itself is valuable. After admiring the finished roller coaster, he moved right into "what happens if I...[run both cars together, move track, simulate crashes, run it backwards, tape figures/people onto the cars, etc]." Obviously a precursor to destruction, but lots of exploration along the way.

In short, it is an inexpensive kit, a fun way to spend time with your kid, and it provides a sense of accomplishment for the builder.