Lego Spybotics Shadowstrike S70 3808

by Lego

Product Features

• This 223-piece kit contains everything needed to build a spy robot
• The first thing to do is plug the CD-ROM into your computer and download the special features, training exercises and instructions
• A programmable controller allows you to customize the Shadowstrike with special features before starting on a mission

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000063XMS
• Item model number: 3808
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,637 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

Leave it to LEGO to come up with another great toy that will keep kids occupied for hours, if not days. This 223-piece kit contains everything needed to build a spy robot. The first thing to do is plug the CD-ROM into your computer and download the special features, training exercises, instructions on how to build the purple Shadowstrike S70, and 10 global missions for it to complete once ready. A programmable controller allows you to customize the Shadowstrike with special features before starting on a mission, so you're as prepared as possible for what lies ahead. The Shadowstrike’s best attributes are speed and agility, having a tripodlike build, but it also offers some strength. Its signature feature is the grabbing arm protruding from the front of its body, allowing it to grasp at things in its way. Having two robots work against each other on a mission is possible if you have multiple LEGO Spybotics, or a friend with one. A computer and three each of both AA and AAA batteries are required, none of which are included. --Pam Lauer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to robotics, March 6, 2003

By 

H. David Peirce "Zossima" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

This review is from: Lego Spybotics Shadowstrike S70 3808 (Toy)

The Lego Spybotics line is an easier and lower-priced introduction to robotics than the Lego Mindstorms series.

ABOUT SPYBOTICS PRODUCTS
Spybotics contains four robots (so far). Each is designed to be strong in only one or two of the categories of speed, strength, and agility. That means that the user will have to learn how to capitalize on the vehicles strengths in a competition with other Spybotics vehicles.
* Shadowstrike is a vehicle that scores high on speed and agility
* Gigamesh scores highest on strength, but low on other
* Technojaw is probably the most balanced, scoring quite high on speed but well on strength and agility
* Snaptrax scores high on agility and strength

COMPARISON TO MINDSTORMS
There are several key differences with Mindstorms:
* Mindstorms is far more programmable; there are even artificial intelligence algorithms available for Mindstorms so that the Mindstorms robot can learn
* Mindstorms has more components that can be controlled: The program doesn't just control wheels; it can control gears and infrared sensors, etc.
* Spybotics is like a smart remote control car, but not really a robot; it is also geared toward playing competitive games when a friend has another Spybotics vehicle
* Unlike Mindstorms, but like most other Lego kits, you can only bid 2-3 different vehicles with the Spybotics kit

Because of its greater programmability (you could actually write your own operating system for it), Mindstorms costs a lot more.

PURCHASING RECOMMENDATION
I think this is a great product. If I was purchasing for an adult, though, I'd buy Mindstorms--which is used in college robotics classes. But, ANY OF THE SPYBOTICS PRODUCTS ARE A GREAT FIRST ROBOTICS EXPERIENCE FOR A CHILD.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Cool, November 11, 2002

By A Customer

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

This review is from: Lego Spybotics Shadowstrike S70 3808 (Toy)

Bought this for my brother, who just turned 12. He loves it! It was fun for him to put together and loves the idea that you can program missions into it. The down side is you have to go to the website to get the instructions to put it together. You can't print them, so he had to sit in the family office and put it together, which wasn't as easy. However, now that it's together he loves running it around the house. It's like a remote control car made of legos! He hasn't put it down since. This toy is great for young boys (even older boys, my fiance helped my brother put it together and they had to wrestle eachother to play with it) and provides them with hours of entertainment. I would recommend it for children over 8 or 9 because it does require a little inginuity to put everything together. All in all, fun for the family. My mom and I even got to play with it!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My son loves this toy and I love Legos!!!, February 8, 2003

By A Customer

= 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: Lego Spybotics Shadowstrike S70 3808 (Toy)

We were disconcerted by the lack of printed instructions but a quick glance at lego's web site told us the instructions were on the CD. Running XP we had no problem installing the software. My 9 year old son who has put together a lot of complex lego projects had no trouble putting this together, too. Then he followed the on screen instructions and it worked like a charm. A couple of false starts in running missions were solved when he retraced his steps and saw what he had missed. I watched him do all this while I was busy with some other work. I was ready to step in and help if needed but that was completely unnecessary.
I also bought a spybotics book on amazon which I look forward to reading. Maybe we can expand the frontiers of what the spybot can do.

BTW, we also the movie maker kit from Lego and had some trouble with its software but got email answers from customer support within 24 hours on the day after Christmas!