Hexbug Robot Wars RC Battle Arena: Hands-On Review

Robot Wars RC Toys - The Hit BBC TV Series Brought To Life

It’s been a long time since Robot Wars first aired on television back in 1997, and back then kids and grownups alike could only dream of battling their very own RC Robots. Alas, shelved alongside our other dreams for Jet-packs and Laser-guns, we thought it would sit gathering dust forever. Until now... 2016 brought the iconic TV show back to our living rooms, and the guys over at HEXBUG saw an opportunity to bring our nostalgic memories to life...

The 2018 Robot Wars RC Toy Collection  

HEXBUG have made a selection of ‘Ready to Battle’ Robots inspired by some of the fiercest competitors from season 10. Available in the 2018 collection is the infamous Robot Wars Arena (which includes two RTB robots, Royal Pain and Impulse) and a variety of Attachments and Accessories to keep surprising your opponents. And of course, no Robot Wars battle would be complete without the notorious House Robot: Matilda. Today we have the pleasure of reviewing the Arena, Royal Pain and Impulse, and then we’ll mix it up a bit later by adding some Accessories to our ‘Bots.  

Unboxing The Robot Wars RC Head-to-Head Arena

As we started to unbox the Robot Wars Arena, we were pleasantly surprised at the level of detail there was. Even the packaging fills you with excitement: we couldn’t wait to dive in! First out of the box was Royal Pain, who had more way attachments than we first thought. Armor plates, shunts and spikes are all easily attached (and detached we presume?!) to the ‘bot, allowing for multiple play styles. Similarly, Impulse had its own array of attachments. However, instead of the Havoc Hammer brandished by Royal Pain, Impulse wields a destructive spinning disc to devastate it’s opponents. Next was the Arena itself. The 50cm x 50cm battleground comes complete with side barriers and clear viewing panels, exactly like in the TV show. We were really impressed at the level of detail captured by HEXBUG. The barriers completely surround the arena, ensuring that no stray chunks of robotics are sent flying into the abyss (mum’s carpet). They are easily clipped into place on the cardboard play area, and the Arena looks awesome when  fully assembled. There’s even space on the barriers to customise your Arena with the included decal pack.

Prepare for battle

Next we had to set up the Robots. The remote controls are tiny but still feel ergonomically comfortable. The RCs have 4 channels which are easily swapped and bound with each Robot. To bind the Robot with it’s RC, you simply flip the robot onto it’s back and press the button. (This is also how you switch each one on). After you’ve pushed the bind button, bring the RC as close as you can and start mashing buttons. You’ll soon hear the successful sound of the motors whirring to life, and you’re good to go. Aside from their main weapons which are controllable from the ‘trigger’ position button on the RC, each robot has a selection of ramps and shunts to attach to the front and back. The sides are reserved for the the armour plating, which is attached to the Robots with tiny magnets, just enough to hold them in place until they come into contact with a crushing blow from an opponent. With the Arena set out and the Robots equipped for battle, there was only one thing left to do…

3, 2, 1 - ACTIVATE

Naturally all this excitement caught the Boss’ eye, who promptly plays the rank card and gets the first go. Our wonderful customer service agent Laurel, gladly accepts his challenge. Once they both got the hang of the controls (forwards, backwards and SMASH) they were off. The spinning disc of Laurel’s Impulse came crashing into Royal Pain’s flank, and successfully removed the first piece of his armour within seconds. Laurel 1 - Boss 0 Hammer swinging, and fleeing for his life, Royal Pain is chased all around the Arena, desperately trying to save his last armour plate. Impulse however, hot on his pursuit, sneakily cut a corner and came blasting into the exposed side of Royal Pain again, knocking the Robot onto its side and amazingly detaching the last piece of armour. Laurel 2 - Boss 0 (FT)

Changing Tactics: Accessories and Attachments

The 4 accessory packs available from HEXBUG enable you to swap out your main weapon for one of four others:

1. Fury Flipper
2. Dangerous Disc (already wielded by Impulse)
3. Havoc Hammer (already wielded by Royal Pain)
4. Deadly Drum

Since Impulse destroyed Royal Pain in the last battle, we thought it would be wise to upgrade the loser. We opted to replace Royal Pain’s Havoc Hammer with the Fury Flipper. Could this be a fair better against Impulses’ OP spinning disc? Removing the current weapon was really easy, the modules just clip in and out of the servo port. A quick test of the SMASH button and we were ready to go head to head once more.

Robot Wars RC Toys by HEXBUG: Our Conclusion

We found the Robots to be really impressive. They look awesome, have a decent range, and pack a punch. To be ale to swap out the main weapon of your Robot for one of 3 other options is a really nifty feature, and adds a strategic element to the game. We found the battles to be pretty quick, but this was probably down to our skill level, and meant that the spectators weren't waiting too long to have their turns. Overall, we've found the innovative Robot Wars RC Toys to be excellent value for money. They're fast, fun, and full of nostalgia!