K'NEX Atomic Coaster by K'Nex

The Atomic Coaster builds over
four feet tall. .

Coaster Stands Four Feet Tall

This exciting K'NEX kit features 1,255 pieces, allowing you to build your Atomic Coaster from the ground up to four feet high. Visual diagrams in the included booklet show you how to connect your K'NEX pieces to steadily transform your coaster from a pile of colored rods and connectors into a towering thrill ride. Once the frame is completed, connect twisting tracks that loop around your structure to create an exhilarating course for your racing cars.

Motorized chain lift
.

Two coaster cars
.

Motorized Chain Lift

Once your cars have made their way down the coaster, a motorized lift uses chains and pulleys you've built into your Coaster to pull the cars back to the top, where they can begin their rapid descent again. The K'NEX motor runs on two AA batteries (not included).

Rewarding and Stimulating Construction

Like many construction toys, playing with the Atomic Coaster is more about the journey than it is the destination. The real fun here is putting the coaster together, not necessarily what it does once it's completed. Although this product is intended for children ages nine and older, our testers found that this set may be a bit too complicated for children on the young end of that spectrum without some adult help.

The instructions aren't entirely straightforward–the first step in the booklet is actually comprised of a large number of individual steps, many of which require paying close attention to the small visual diagrams and using deductive reasoning to figure out how pieces are aligned. Determining which pieces belong where, based on the diagrams, requires some focused thinking and spatial reasoning. Building the Atomic Coaster properly requires some patience.

Hours of Fun

It took our testers upwards of six hours to fully assemble the Atomic Coaster. The finished product is an impressive sight, and its architect will rightly feel a sense of accomplishment for constructing such an intricate structure. Once assembled, the racing cars lift up the motorized track and zip down the tracks in an endless loop (well, endless as long as you replace the batteries). When you're ready for another challenge, you can use the same pieces to construct another coaster, the Proton Plunge. The instructions for the Proton Plunge can be found on the K'NEX website.

What's in the Box

1,255 K'NEX pieces, two coaster cars, motorized chain lift, and instructions.