Not sure why it's called 'Ultimate'! (Bandai Ben 10 Ultimate Omnitrix)

Member Name: mumto3

Product:	Bandai Ben 10 Ultimate Omnitrix
Date:	19/08/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It can enhance role play

Disadvantages: big and heavy - difficult to keep on wrist - it doesn't do a lot - expensive

When we want our children to do something or to accomplish something we offer prizes as an incentive. When we were trying to get my daughter to stay dry at night we promised her tap dancing lessons and hey presto one dry bed. We were in the process of trying to keep my son dry during the day when he requested a Ben 10 watch.

I had a look around and found that there were two types of Ben 10 watch available both called an omnitrix and one of them had some sort of game on it which I felt that at only just 3 my son would struggle to play. Both the watches were priced at between £15 and £20 so I wasn't swayed by the price. I had only seen Ben 10 briefly as had my son but he was convinced that he needed the watch/omnitrix.

I eventually found both Ben 10 Omnitrix at a discounted price in Argos and decided to get the more expensive one as I assumed this would do more and it didn't have the game on it. I think I paid about £12 for the omnitrix but it promised great things and if it kept my son dry it would be worth every penny. I bought the Ben 10 Ultimate omnitrix that comes with a little alien that stands on top. Apparently you can get different aliens to fix to the top of the omnitrix but I have never seen them available anywhere in the shops.

Well, what a disappointment! I felt like I had been conned and I could tell that my son was a little disheartened with his much longed for and hard earned watch.

Firstly the strap doesn't have any way to secure it around the arm but just sort of wraps around. My son is only small and quite young for this toy and so we have to try and wrap the omnitrix as tightly as possible but it just sort of pings open. I'll admit that the omnitrix does make sounds and it does light up but this is the extent of what it does. Maybe I was expecting too much but it was pathetic. I couldn't believe that the recommended retail price of this piece of plastic junk was £19.99. Ok so this isn't the first time I have been left disappointed by character toys but I think this has been my worst yet.

The little alien thing does fit to the top of the watch and you can turn the top of the watch and it beeps and blips and flashes but I don't see how it is like the omnitrix on the TV show or what relevance the alien has to anything. Very disappointing.

The omnitrix sunk to the bottom of the toy box very soon after its arrival and it was only when I was having a spring clean that it resurfaced. My son who is now four attempted again to play with it and we managed to get it to stay on his wrist but it's big and heavy and quite cumbersome and he soon discarded it and just pretended that he had it on!

The Ben 10 Ultimate Omnitrix is currently available from www.amazon.co.uk for £16.99.

I wouldn't recommend the Ultimate Omnitrix as both me and my son found it disappointing but maybe an older child would enjoy it.

Summary: An overpriced piece of tat!