We were sent the Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.
Since my son discovered Geomag about five years ago, he’s enjoyed playing, building and creating with this innovative, Swiss made construction toy. He’s had a few different sets over the years, but the Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike kit was something a bit more challenging for him. He’s 11 and dyspraxic, so sometimes struggles a bit with his fine motor skills, but at the same time likes to stretch himself in that department. This kit was ideal for that.
Geomag is a magnetic construction toy which is made in Switzerland. The sets contain various different pieces, but the basic kits are usually made up of plastic coated metal bars and other pieces with magnets inside on each end and metal spheres which can act as corner pieces. Magnetic forces hold the bars and spheres together, creating the possibility for millions of different construction designs. There are basic sets of bars and balls and also specially designed sets where you can build specific designs, like this Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike set.
If you’ve ever watched the TV show, Total Wipeout, then this fun game might remind you a bit of that. Once constructed, you use the small metal balls to spin the corkscrew gravity motor, which powers the arms to try and knock over the plastic towers along the edge of the circular board.
See the Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike in action over on Instagram.
Suitable for ages 8+, it can take a little while to build the Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike set. Children might need the occasional bit of help from an adult for the fiddly bits. The set comes with a very detailed instruction booklet, which is easy to follow. There are 185 pieces to put together, these are mostly made with 90% recycled plastic, which ticks a big box for me. There’s also a detailed instruction manual, a board to build your set on and a set of metal balls.
The set can take a little while to build, so we sat together while he did it. I assisted where needed, passing him the pieces as he needed them, and so on. I think most of the fun in these kits is the build itself, which kept him occupied for a good hour or so. Once built, he enjoyed dropping the metal balls through the corkscrew gravity motor and making the swinging arms spin. It really was like a kitchen table version of Total Wipeout. We all had a go, and there is a bit of a knack to getting it to spin hard enough to knock down the little towers, but once you’ve got it, it’s great fun for all the family.
It’s not just a one-trick wonder, there are a few different options for how to play, so that you can choose to make things more challenging once you’ve got the swing of things. You can play this alone, or against up to three other players. It’s also a game where dexterity and timing are the key to success; not always things people with dyspraxia are known for, but it’s good to work on them, and so we did.
The Geomag Mechanics Challenge Strike set is a great addition to the Geomag stable. It’s a step up from the more basic building kits we’ve been using at home. I also like that once built, you can play games with it, set up challenges and dabble slightly in the world of physics.