K'Nex Lava Launch Coaster

by K'Nex

Product Features

• Includes over 1200 pieces
• Builds over 4? high
• Motorized blaster
• 20+ feet of track
• Color-coded instructions

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 36 x 54 x 32 inches ; 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0024H7JJM
• Item model number: 50050
• Manufacturer recommended age: 9 years and up
• Batteries: 3 C batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,559 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Be the engineer of a towering, monstrous model roller coaster with the K'NEX Lava Launch Coaster building set. Containing over 1200 colorful plastic pieces that click into place, this set includes a motorized blaster that shoots a miniature car up the volcano-shaped structure and through 20 feet of spirals, twists, and loops. Color-coded instructions make assembly easy for kids nine years and older. This exciting ride is sure to get their hearts racing!

Lava Launch Coaster Ages: 9+ Requires: 3 "C" batteries (not included) Screwdriver to replace batteries

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Motorized blaster shoots a miniature coaster car along 20 feet of track. The Bad: Improperly connected track pieces may snag coaster car. In a Nutshell: Kids will be excited to watch coaster car speed along the tracks they constructed.

At 4 feet in height, the Lava Launch Coaster makes for a blistering ride. View larger.

Build Your Own Volcano-Shaped Model Coaster
Fans of amusement park rides will be thrilled by the size of this Lava Launch Coaster. The structure's 20 feet of track rise to a height of four feet, then plunge down a dizzying series of upside-down turns, twists, and sudden drops. With over 1200 plastic pieces, the task of building this monstrosity may be daunting, but the payoff-- blasting a coaster car up, down, and around the perilous ride-- is well worth the long assembly time.

While assembly is part of the fun, it certainly doesn't hurt that the instructions include over sixty pages of colorful, detailed illustrations. The color-coded plastic assembly pieces are easy to identify and each clicks nicely into place so that kids can build with confidence. The motorized blaster requires three "C" batteries (not included) that must be installed with the help of a screwdriver. Otherwise, the only tools required are a nimble pair of hands.

1200 Color-Coded Pieces that Click Together
While prior experience with model kits is not required to construct this K'NEX coaster, dedication is a must! Assembly time ranges from three hours to several afternoons. Kids can choose to build on their own with the help of the easy-to-follow instructions, or they can invite friends to join in the fun. Once the coaster is complete, kids will be proud of their work and excited by the ride that awaits.

Five graphic panels provide a final decorative flourish to the volcano-shaped structure. Then, it's blast-off time! Kids should wait a few seconds after turning on the motorized blaster to allow it to spool up. After gently pushing the coaster car into place, kids can watch in awe as the car blasts to a height of four feet.

If the track pieces have been properly connected, the car will race along the entire length of the 20-foot track. Otherwise, if the car gets hung up, the assembly instructions make it easy for kids to identify design flaws in the track and make the necessary corrections.

Optional Turbo Booster Coaster for Added Excitement!
The fun doesn't end with the completion of the Lava Launch Coaster. Kids will find additional instructions on the K'NEX Web site to build a second model, the Turbo Booster Coaster, using the same building set. Additionally, separately sold K'NEX building sets allow kids to add more rides like a Ferris Wheel or Octopus Whirl to create their very own model amusement park.

What's in the Box
1300 K'NEX pieces for assembly, five graphic panels, one coaster car, one motorized blaster, instruction manual. (Batteries not included.)

Instructions for a second thrilling coaster are available at knex.com.

Product Description

The KNEX Lava Launch Coaster is an all-new roller coaster building set that features an explosive, motorized blaster! Shaped like a volcano and towering over 4+ feet high, the Lava Launch Coaster provides powerful performance that matches the thrilling building experience. This set includes 1,200+ colorful KNEX pieces, including a motorized blaster, roller coaster car, and over 20 feet of track. Follow the color-coded instructions to build this exciting thrill ride step-by-step. Then switch the motorized blaster on, let it spool up, and watch in awe as the coaster car shoots up and out of the volcano. On the way down, the coaster car whips down, around and through the volcano with awesome speed. Instructions for a second dynamic model are available on www.knex.com. Lava Launch Coaster is appropriate for builders and roller coaster enthusiasts ages 9 and up. This set requires 3 C batteries- not included.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical K'Nex project, December 25, 2009

By 

J. Manchester "Super Mom Wannabe" (North Carolina, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: K'Nex Lava Launch Coaster (Toy)

We have an almost nine year old who builds with EVERYTHING from K'Nex to Uberstixx to all types of lego's. She even makes her own creations to include machines and things that "transform." She asked for this for Christmas and Santa brought it for her. The product says for ages 9 and up. The reality: This coaster took two adults HOURS to assemble, and MANY of the photo-instructions were difficult to decipher.

Once you DO get it put together, it works well. It is fun to watch the car ZOOM quickly around the track. For about two minutes. Then the novelty pretty much wears off. I anticipate that our daughter will leave this up for about 2 days, then start taking it apart to build other things.

She also received the K'Nex Educational series kit about gears and that item, I feel, is much better. She has already built a few different items with it and was able to do so completely on her own.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Knex roller coaster...EVER!!, August 5, 2010

By 

mom of 3 "mom of 3" (Fuquay-Varina, NC United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: K'Nex Lava Launch Coaster (Toy)

By Mom of 3's 10 year old son:
When I bought this toy and waited for it to come, I was jummping out of my pants!! It took me about 5 hours to build, but it looked awsome half way through. By the end it looked even better. I love knex, but this made me love knex even more. Its toataly worth the money. If you're looking for a good knex toy, this is the toy to get.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Long assembly time but very cool, July 11, 2010

By 

Adam F Theriault - See all my reviews

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: K'Nex Lava Launch Coaster (Toy)

This thing took over a month to put together (working on it for an hour at a time off and on). Once we got it put together it was very cool and the kids loved it. Certain minor parts of the assembly did not hold together well but this could be user error. The instructions are a bit tough to manage.