Unboxing
This My Little Pony play set comes in a large box. Once opening the box there are several small pieces in separate bags and an instruction manual. There is adult assembly required to get the play time started and you will need 3 AAA batteries to play.
The Playtime Experience
All of the pieces snap together very easily when assembling the Equestria Crystal Empire. It comes with a Princess Cadance and Baby Flurry Heart doll. It also comes with several other interactive pieces and accessories such as a baby swing, princess tiaras and a hair comb.
Once you’ve put batteries in the playset the play experience is enhanced with projector lights. The base of the castle has a heart shaped button, when pressed it starts lights projecting from the bottom of the play set. Press the button again and the lights turn into a heart and star shape and flash different colors.
Things I Liked
I like how easy this was to assemble. No tools necessary and absolutely no frustration.
Things I Didn't Like
I thought that for requiring 3 AAA batteries there would at least be cute little sounds and a few songs. But the lights fell short of my expectation.
Appropriate Ages
The recommended playing age for the Equestria Empire is three and older. There are plenty of small accessory pieces that could present a choking hazard for anyone younger than that age.
Final Note
I liked my play time with the My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle, but it did fall short of some of my expectations. All in all, I think this is a great toy for imaginative play. I just don’t think that the lights add that much to the experience. I think it would have been better if there were music or sounds and not just flashing lights. However, if your child is really into the My Little Pony series this is a very cute set that is sure to be a hit.
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