Height: 10.5 in - Width: 6 in - Lenth: 15.75 in - Weight: 4.45 lbs
Description
A lightweight headset containing sensors for the forehead and earlobes measures your brainwave activity. When you focus your concentration, a small foam ball will rise on a gentle stream of air. Relax your thoughts and the ball will descend. By using a combination of physical and mental coordination, you must then guide the ball through a customizable obstacle course–the various obstacles can be repositioned into many different configurations. Mindflex™ combines advanced technology with the power of thought to create an interactive experience unlike any other– a game where players compete in the ultimate mental marathon!
For ages 8 and up.
Requires 4 "C" and 2 "AAA' batteries.
Amazon.com Review
Mindflex--featuring a headset that reads your brain waves and a levitating foam ball--is the kind of game that must be seen to be believed. Recommended for players aged eight and older, the game begins when you strap on the headset so you can use your powers of concentration to move the ball around the game console and through a mind-bending obstacle course. A dial-in console lets you to keep the ball lifted on a cushion of air, but raising and lowering the ball must be accomplished by alternating concentrating and relaxing your mind.
 | | At a Glance Ages: 8+
Requires: - 4 "C" and 3 "AAA" batteries (not included)
- Screwdriver for battery installation
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Your telekinetic fantasies becomes a reality with the Mattel Mindflex. View larger. |
The challenging obstacle course will hone your mental focus. View larger. |
Headset Measures your Brain Waves
Tired of games that depend on the roll of a die or lucky draw? With the help of advanced technology, Mindflex introduces a whole new way to play--by using the power of your mind! You'll feel like a character in a science fiction movie as you strap on the headset, connect the clips to your ear lobes, and align the metal forehead sensor just above your left eyebrow. But even this strange accessory won't prepare you for the sight of a foam ball quivering five inches above the game console!
Move the Ball with the Power of your Mind
Skeptics will be quick to point out that the console's moveable fan nozzle holds the ball aloft on a cushion of air. However, as players learn to alternately focus and relax their minds, the ball will respond by rising and falling. An instruction manual provides various concentration and relaxation techniques to try such as math problems or visualization and practice exercises.
Once you feel like you've mastered the art of telekinesis, you can test your mental acuity with five challenging games designed for groups of one to four players. Use the game console to select your game, set the difficulty level, and track your scores.
Design a Mind-Bending Obstacle Course
A variety of hoops, hurdles, funnels, and a teeter-totter can be positioned however you choose on the game console. Players use their minds to move the ball under, over, or through the obstacles. Several games test speed, while another challenges players to lift a ball up and through a funnel, shooting it across the game console to score points.
While Mindflex's advanced technology is sure to intrigue, mastering the games may prove difficult for some. Because concentration techniques will vary from person to person, the game rewards patience and a willingness to experiment. Fans of mazes and brain teasers will appreciate the mental challenge, and creative types will like designing the obstacle courses.
Mindflex's game console requires four "C" batteries (not included), and the headset requires three "AAA" batteries (not included). The four foam balls should be handled with care to keep their ability to levitate. Fortunately, the game console features an inner compartment for safe ball storage.
What's in the Box
Game console, headset, four foam balls, and various obstacles. (Batteries not included.)
Customer Reviews
My son loves it! - May 18, 2010
I bought this item for my son's 9th birthday due to his request.
He likes it and I think it is good for improving his concentration.
Used 1 week - Apr 22, 2010
My 11 year-old son waited with excitement for the toy to arrive. He was entertained for the first few days, but lost interest thereafter and hasn't used it since.
I got the toy, because he wanted it so badly and I figured a little biofeedback training wouldn't hurt. I doubt he's benefitting from it much while it gathers dust in the closet.
Mindflex - Apr 22, 2010
I received Mindflex for my 13th birthday from my mom, I'd looked into it a few times before, and was sure to ask her about it. To start, the packaging might be a bit complex as the items come in two smaller boxes and the console itself within the large box. And all the obstacles are in little bags, but are easy to open as most of them are taped. Their is also included a manual on various subjects, like how to set up the headband or how to play certain games. When I first tried on the headband, it was pretty uncomfortable, but not due to the two side sensors. What really bugs you, is the metallic piece or sensor that is found behind the logo on the front part of band, that digs into your bare forehead. But if you put some hair between it, along with moving it to a sweet spot, it shouldn't bother you too much. Finally, after getting used to the controls, I got around to setting up the obstacles. The pieces are made of a plastic that isn't that thick, but as long as you don't abuse them, they'll be alright. The balls are also pretty soft, so you might want to try not to sit on them (which is where the extra 3 come in). The game's pretty fun if you've got patience for that sort of thing. There are a few game modes in which you can, play, the interesting part is that most of the modes can be multiplayer. Overall Mindflex is pretty cool when you get used to it, my technique for lifting the ball is by singing a song in my head or imagining some t.v. character walking around the ball. A downside that's pretty annoying is that the ball falls out of the air a number of times if you move it around too quickly, or simply because it gets unstable while floating.
Note: I've noticed a bunch of people saying the technology in the console is fake, and that it just makes the movements up. Well if you look around on the internet, you can see some sites where they take the console and band apart and show you different parts.
Mindflex - Apr 16, 2010
Pretty fun toy. Watching everyone trying to relax enough to keep the foam ball up is interesting. My nephew who has ADD was the best at it! He could do the hoops inside and out.
Not a toy for everyone. Kind of a biofeedback type toy.
Use your Brain - Don't buy Mindflex - Apr 13, 2010
This is the worst money our family has ever spent. My children were fascinated by Mindflex and waited about a year and a half before we finally purchased it. The anticipation was incredible! The product, not so incredible. First, the headset has a metal button which is suppose to be placed over your left eyebrow to 'read your brainwaves'. It HURTS! We all ended the night with small welts on our heads and yeas we tried loosening the head strap... Second and probably most disappointing is the fact that this entire game is really just a small light nerf ball and a fan blowing it into the air. How does a fan and nerf ball promote any kind of brain activity? A complete waste of time and money. I am very disappointed that Mindflex misrepresented itself so completely. Should be illegal...
Becomes quickly boring; not everyone can do it - Apr 06, 2010
I got this game about a month ago, and have to say that it is disappointing. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to raising the foam ball; in my case, if I let my vision blur, it goes up. If I concentrate it goes down. And it is wildly inconsistent - you do your best for the first 60 seconds, then your performance begins to peter off. My daughter does somewhat better, but at 4 years old her concentration is very scattered and ought to do worse than me.
The base unit is sturdy; not so much for the obstacles which are very flimsy and knock off accidentally all the time. The headset is headache-inducing; the metal button over your left eye is, literally, a real pain.
This is a great idea, but merely an idea; not really a good toy at all. Shame on you, Mattel.
This game is a hoax! - Feb 24, 2010
As my description says this game is a total hoax. Prooven by a team of brain scientists in germany. John-Dylan Haynes one of the leading scientists to this subject prooved that this game can't react on the brain activity with such simple device. He connected the sensors to a wet styrofoam head and the game behaved exactly like beeing connected to a real head. There is a random generator in the device.
The psychological effect named "control-illusion" pretends that you have full control of a situation even if you don't!
Theres a video that prooves this. So don't give too much to this platic device and don't even believe you can really control the ball with your mind. Real device which are capable doing this are much more expensive and complex.
Buy it at retail, it's back in stock - Feb 18, 2010
I had to give my grandson an IOU for Christmas. I just bought it at the local [...]. At 9 years old, he took to it right away. It does put a dent in your forhead from the sensor in the headband, but it's fun and ther are many ways to set it up to keep it interesting. Contrary to another review, it does have multi-player funcion. As my grandson said, "It's about relaxing!" Frankly, he did it better than me. I highly recommend it, but not at the prices on this website. Check your local retailers, as they may have it back in stock at $80.
difficult - Feb 11, 2010
We could never get the toy to work we tried everything. If whoever reads this could let us know what we are doing wrong that would be greatly appreciated. We made sure that everything was positioned correctly but, nothing. We all tried it.
frusttation - Feb 06, 2010
For the amount of money, the game was a total disappointment. My granddaughter was so excited to get it for Christmas and no one could ever get it to work. We are now in the tedious process of the return.
We enjoy Mindflex - Feb 05, 2010
This is a difficult toy to master (if mastery is even possible) but it is fun and chlalenging to try!
Mind Over Matter? - Jan 30, 2010
My daughter enjoyed this game for about 10 minutes on Christmas day and hasn't picked it up since. It's an interesting toy but without much substance. It's way over-priced for it's entertainment value.
Baltimore's View - Jan 30, 2010
At Christmas time I looked everywhere for this game. No one had mindflex (all sold out). Went to amazon.com and there it was. Had to pay more , however the look on faces on Christmas was worth the amount I paid.
Mindflex or peanutbutter - Jan 30, 2010
With great anticipation, my grandchildren opened and set up the Mindflex game, They found that almost any thought, not necessarily focused on the ball and its movement, would cause the fan to blow and the ball to move! My ten year old told me, "Grandma, I thought about peanutbutter and the ball rose!"
The excitement wore off in about 30 minutes.
Interesting game - Jan 28, 2010
We have an ADHD child and he loves this game. It is mind boggling how it works, but it does and we as a whole family enjoy this game.
MindFlex fun - not challenging - Jan 23, 2010
you use your mind - but certainly not the way you think. it is lots of fun for both my 9 & 11 year old. I enjoyed it as well. Easy to figure out and assemble.
Quadriplegic hubby , Therapists, Patients, Caregivers, Kids and Family All Agree - It Is Great! - Jan 14, 2010
Fun and Therapeutic!
I bought this as a Christmas present for my husband who is quadriplegic from a Brain Stem Stroke. He loves it. While I have to rotate the fan under the ball to move it around the board. He can move the ball up and down quicker and more accurately than the rest of us . Ie. family and friends, from 4 yrs to 68 yrs. So he can maneuver it through the obstacles faster and win the game. ( some games are timed with the game keeping track of players 1-4's time and announcing the winner).
My husband is finally able to join in the fun and really excel at something.
Caregivers, et al, have noticed my husband responding verbally more after playing this game. (He is usually mute, but has been saying yes and no, and other responses occasionally) . He is obviously making gains therapeutically that he hasn't in many years. Seems like new connections or brain pathways are being formed, and/ or neurons are firing better...great for his attention deficit too!
Back to the fun.... My 68 yr old Mother really enjoyed it , 4 yr old nephew could play, with a little help, 32yr old caregiver loves to play , but I think my 17 yr old nephew may love it most, besides my husband and I. I am thrilled!
It was another big hit at our New Years Eve Party. With everyone waiting for their chance to play. I have even taken it to therapy and now we are planning on having Mind Flex tournaments.
I think this game was WAY worth the price. But I will be happy when the price comes down because I want to purchase more to share.
Btw, buy it! Read the directions before you play and practice moving the ball with your mind. It makes all the difference in understanding how the game works.
Excellent invention! I just hope there are more games using EEG technology to come!
itgirl - Jan 09, 2010
Fascinating toy. Expensive. Kept my extended family very busy on Xmas Day. But, hasn't been out of the box since. Kids who play well alone would have a lot of fun with this toy. We see it as great entertainment for groups of kids or adults.
Worth $50, not $180 - Jan 07, 2010
Fun toy, 13 year old likes it best. Don't overpay for it - will be just as fun when the price comes back down.
Mindflex - Jan 01, 2010
My eleven year old loves this chistmas toy. Fun to play with wish it came with more head devices.
More than I expected... - Dec 30, 2009
Mindflex comes across as a novelty toy but actually does work how it is stated to.. My wife, daughter (she's 7) and I have all played with it and gotten some pretty fascinating results.
I would say that I doubt we would play with it much after it's initial arrival for Christmas, but some families might find the toy much more engaging than we did after it's initial use. I'm sure we'll end up bringing it out for friends and relatives to try out as they visit though, as everyone should give this a try.
Overall though, great toy, works like it's suppose to work, is made very well and is a lot of fun.. I would highly recommend this toy for purchase as long as you aren't paying too much over the manufacturer suggested price.
Disappointing - Dec 30, 2009
I found the Mindflex very disappointing. Tried it with a variety of people, and all said that the only time they managed to get any response out of the unit was when they looked away and didn't (!) concentrate. Way overhyped for the price...
Realistic Expectations - Dec 30, 2009
First, let me say that some people expect more than what technology has to offer. The fact that you can only move the ball up and down with your mind is still a huge step for today's toys!
Those who say the reading is sometimes "off" simply haven't played the game long enough to develop an understanding of how to control the ball. After a few days of playing my kids ages 13, 9, and 6 were able to control the ball well enough to complete the obstacles in a matter of seconds, including my ADHD child.
As for the parts, they only break if you use excessive force while putting them together. All of the pieces fit nicely back into the box, and the game only takes a few seconds to disassemble and return to the box.
For those who say it eats batteries... use better batteries! Mine has been played several hours a day for the past week and the batteries have yet to die.
As for the price, $80 is not too much to ask for one of this year's top toys, but I'm sure it will go down to a more-appropriate $50-$60 as the hype wears down.
All in all, my kids and I say that this game ROCKS! I am very pleased with the game, and am glad that I bought it!
PROS:
focus training
hours of fun
group-friendly
current technology
...just to name a few
CONS:
only that my dog won't wear the headset either :-)
(in response to the reviewer who's cat wouldn't wear the headset)
Sheer Genius - Dec 29, 2009
This is sheer genius.....mostly because the people who created this toy are charging close to $200.00 and people are buying it. I wish I had invented this. The only positive I can say is that if your child is young enough, is mentally challenged, or suffers from Autism or even just ADHD, he/she may not realize that concentrating will have no impact on what happens. If that's the case, the child may sit still for some length of time and ignore the tv. Maybe s/he'll even learn to focus on a task and there is some value in that. However, once the child figures out that they can leave the headset in the garage and still manipulate the ball, you have a $2.00 garage sale item. So consider what you hope to get from this toy and how much you value that before buying it. If you feel that keeping a child quiet and focused for 5-10 min spurts is worth 180.00, go for it. I would think most people would move on to something that IS challenging and does make the child think. Try.....let's say a building set or a book.
not very good - Dec 28, 2009
the ball raises and fall with no head set even on, it doesn't seem to make any difference if anyone is even using the head set????
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