Customer Reviews

Hot Wheels Color Shifters Dr. Bones Color Lab Playset

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

My six-year old son bought this set with some birthday money. I couldn't talk him out of it (I knew how much his mother and I would enjoy the watery mess). As a father of six boys, we've had many Hot Wheels sets in our house over the years. Most of them end up out of use (because of lost or broken parts) within weeks, and I've only found two or three sets I really like well enough to recommend. This one is a mixed bag.

This was neither the easiest nor the most complex set we've had. My son was able to get some of the pieces together on his own, but needed some help with the rest. As has been the case with many sets lately, there have been no stickers to put on. To me, that's a real improvement.

We got it together in about 15 minutes, and then we moved the set to the kitchen table, with a large bath towel underneath. You fill different parts of the set with water of different temperatures. The cars are finished with a temperature sensative material that changes color depending on how warm or cold the car is at the moment.

The Spring Launcher is Great
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The spring launcher is great. It shoots the cars out at a good clip, and can be used with any other track section, making it useful for other play. With just some extra track segments and a stack of books, you have a good launcher for your own stunt tracks.

Don't Run it Dry
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It's very clear that this set is designed for use with water. Without it, particularly in the blue tube on the loop, the cars go through too fast and end up crashing as they try to emerge from the little tunnel. That means that, without the water, cars won't run through the set as intended, making it largely useless.

The Color Change that (Almost) Wasn't
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With hot tap water on the far end of the track, and ice water in the blue tube (it's divided so you can actually put a few ice cubes in where they won't block the car), the car should go through a couple of color changes along the route. We found, however, that once the car got hot, the cold water did little to change the color. The car that came with the set, for example, is brown at room temperature, and yellow when hot. Once it got hot (all yellow), even going through the ice water tube did not change the color to any noticable degree. Of course, it also takes only about two seconds to go through the entire course, so if the color was starting to change, it reverted to yellow when it hit the hot water again.

The only time the color changes were really noticable were when the car was left off the track long enough for the temeperature to better match the room, or when our son was leaving part of it dunked in one bit of water or the other (hot or cold). They were more noticable on the times (will your kids be able figure out the pattern) when the car falls through the trap door and into the central basin. Then it seems to get doused in enough water to change the temperature. In any case, our son still had lots of fun.

Color Changing Cars
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While many Hot Wheels cars can be shot through this set, the real excitement comes with the color changing ones. Unfortunately, those cars are three to four times the cost of regular Hot Wheels cars. In my opinion, that's a bit spendy for a gimmick.

One Annoyance
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Nearly every time the trap door is activated (when Dr. Bones' skull opens up and flips back), the sponge brain gets thrown loose. We've tried it with the sponge wet and dry with no noticable difference. That means our son has to get down from the table to retrieve the sponge from the floor every time it happens (or he had to convince his younger siblings to do it). It also means that the sponge is more likely to get dirty faster. It's just a minor annoyance--the more he moves around, the more likely he is to spill the extra water we've set aside for him.

Durability?
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Our initial feel is that this set is similar to many of the sets we have not liked. The pieces come apart too easily, and since it requires water, it's not suitable for everyday play. As such, we're trying to increase the odds that it will last by boxing it up and putting it away after every session (unlike his Starter Set that can stay on his dresser). That means he typically only gets to play with it on the weekends, but we're fine with that for a water toy in the house.

This Parent's Verdict
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Would I recommend this toy? Honestly, no. I think you'd be much better off going with something like the Starter Set (especially if your child's first set). That said, if s/he really, really wants it, just realize what your're getting: it's a water toy, it doesn't strike me as very durable, and the cars that work best with the set (the color changing ones) cost about four times as much as your typical Hot Wheels car. Still, if you expect it to be something that will only last a few months (or have one of those rare children who takes exceptional care of everything), it can be a lot of fun. If you're the type of parent (or grandparent) who doesn't mind putting toys away and bringing them out on special occasions, it would be a fun and memorable toy.

My 7-year-old boy purchased this with gift cards from his birthday. Assembly was somewhat challenging for me, but once complete he played with it for the rest of the weekend along with his 4-yr-old brother and any friends who happened to be around. It's messy but we put it on the floor on top of an old towel, on top of a yard of old shower curtain. And who can resist the idea of a sponge brain for clean-up?! Bonus: no batteries.

This was bought for my son. My son rates it a 5 for fun alas for me it's a 4. The major reason it's really messy. This should be played with outside like maybe on a porch or if playing with it inside use towels underneath. Your floor will get wet real quick. I also give this a 4 because Amazon has it for much more than it is worth. I did not buy it on Amazon I bought it at Target which has it 17.49. Major Bargain!!Oh also You have to buy special cars(color change) for the colors to change..YOU cannot use regular hot wheels. Please keep this in mind. You only get one car with this playset...

My sister bought this toy for my son's 4th birthday. And when I told her how horrible it was, she insisted I write a review! It doesn't change color like it should and it makes a big, watery mess! Also, doesn't snap together well. It doesn't go thru the loops very well either.

My two grandsons (11 and 10) are having a great time with Hot Wheels Color Shifters Dr. Bones Color Lab. It's the first thing they go to when they come over.

My four year old son really enjoys this toy. I put several towels under it on the hard floor and he just plays for the longest time. I do have to keep refilling the water for him, but he has a blast.

Whoever thought hot and cold water with metal & plastic cars, plastic race track pieces, and metal screws would be fun as an indoor toy should be fired. Water everywhere. Was purchased for our 6 year old, and water will get everywhere no matter how careful you are. You can't hook it up with other hot wheels tracks. Requires special cars. Directions poorly laid out and in black, white, and gray while the pieces are flourescent green and purple. Steer your child toward another Hot Wheels track product as this is a horrible idea.

I found this toy on clearance over the summer for ten bucks and just gave it to my son for Christmas. He told me it was his favorite gift from Santa. It was pretty easy to assemble and although it's messy, it's just water. My 5 year old twins have had so much fun playing with it so far. We've had a few Hot Wheels sets that were either no fun after the first couple uses or were constantly falling apart. This one seems pretty well constructed, and my kids love how the cars change color and how fast they go around the loop. I think they will have lots of fun with this, especially in the summer when they can bring it outside and make as much mess as they want!

Although my son is enjoying this toy, it should be advertised as an outdoor toy. There is such a mess everytime he plays with it. Water is everywhere, on the floor, chair, the towel I stuck under the toy, and all over my son. I am all for him having fun, making messes, but this toy is way too messy with the water. On the plus side, it doesn't seem to be flimsy, and he does like it. If you do buy this, just be prepared for a major mess, or just set it up on a porch outside.

Ok, so the track is cool, easy to put together, and fun to play with... For a while, after a few days my kid got kind of bored of the same thing over and over... My wife got bored of the water all over the place... But that's a different story. Now, if you keep in mind that you can connect most of the Hot Wheels tracks the possibilities ti make it fun and different are always there.