Build Your Own Marble Labyrinth Review
THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER'S OWN.
Reviewed by Dave Connor
This item is produced by Paper Engine Ltd (https://paperengine.com), retails at £19:95 and consists of sheets of press-out sustainable cardboard that slot together to form the finished maze; there is no glue or paint to worry about. The makers describe it as easy to assemble by simply following the provided instructions, with a build time of 90 minutes. It is recommended for children aged 8+ but with adult supervision recommended.
On the colourful box sleeve there is a QR code that can be used to access the instructions, but they are provided in the box anyway and there did not appear to be anything additional via the code other than information on other products that are also available. There are two games to choose from, ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Marble Frenzy’. You can switch between the two by changing the playing area and you are also provided with sufficient extra walls to be able to create your own mazes.
When you open the box you are greeted with 7 colourful sheets of press-out pieces, an envelope containing 5 marbles and 2 sheets of instructions totalling 10 pages. The instructions are all in black and white, which is a shame as coloured instructions would make it much easier to relate them to the pieces. The pieces are numbered, but do not necessarily all appear on sheets in a logical manner as the manufacturers have obviously minimised the amount of cardboard used by fitting them in wherever they can. This resulted in a bit of hunting around for some pieces.
The cardboard is sturdy and of good quality. You need to press out the pieces plus a large number of slots and holes within each piece. Some parts are thinner card as they wrap around parts, after struggling with the first of these, we found it easier to pre-fold them before trying to fit them. Some of the slots are very tight when trying to insert the cardboard tabs; a ‘tool’ (a shaped piece of cardboard to press out) can be used to help loosen the holes and this proved useful a number of times.
The model is created in sections then the whole thing is brought together to form the final labyrinth. The final assembly involves fitting 2 frames together which tilt in different directions (forwards/backwards and left/right) which allows you to roll the marbles around the maze. Then you place the 4 pieces that make up the playing surface within the frame. This worked well apart from the fact that you then have to fit 4 final walls between the 4 sheets. No matter how I tried I could not get them to remain standing upright due to the sheets not being a tight fit. Also, the inner frame kept catching on cardboard tabs on 2 sides of the outer frame so that we could not roll the marble smoothly.
It is a very clever kit and should last well. The manufacturer’s estimate of 90 minutes build time might be a little optimistic as it took us longer and there were moments when frustration set in when it was proving difficult to put some parts together. It certainly required assistance from an adult in interpreting the instructions and fitting some parts together.
Despite this the children enjoyed playing with it and have tried both games. I’m sure this would be well received as a present and the ability to construct something (without the mess of glue, paint etc) and then play with it will be attractive to many children and to their parents who will not have a lot of mess to clear up afterwards!
Rating: Rating 3 out of 5
RRP: £19.99
This product can be purchased from Build Your Own here.