Review of Kung Zhu from Zhu Zhu Pets

I won't lie.  We purposely did NOT jump on the Zhu Zhu Pets bandwagon awhile back.  The commercials irritated me, and my 3 boys thought the hamsters were "girly."  I avoided anything Zhu Zhu and went about my business.

Then, I started hearing about Kung Zhu -- a more masculine version of the robotic hamster.  I wasn't sure it was all it was cracked up to be, but I volunteered through MomSelect to let my boys be the ultimate deciders of how "cool" these little Ninja and Military-inspired pets would be.

We received a few hamsters, sets of armor, training sets, and the ultimate in Kung Zhu products: The Battle Arena.  The boys went nuts opening all the boxes, setting up the training sets (which was so easy my 3-year-old figured it out in minutes), and putting armor on their hamsters.  Batteries were already included, so play time began immediately.  After a couple of minutes of "learning the ropes" the boys had put their hamsters through the training courses and were ready to battle it out in the giant Battle Arena.  (This thing is big, so if floor space is a premium, beware!)

Since we have carpet in EVERY room except the dining room/kitchen, the boys crowded around our table and set up their Kung Zhu empire.  They played for hours.. no joke, and Zhu Zhu was the first thing on their mind when they woke up for the next 5 days.

Needless to say, they loved these toys.  The batteries eventually ran out on 2 of the 3 hamsters, giving me a chance to box them up and add them to our "toy rotation."  The youngest son asked for his "Zhu Zhu's" once or twice before the pool went up at grandma's, and now they are distracted with outdoor activities for the next few weeks.

I'm confident that once we get back to indoor play, the hamsters will be met with eagerness from the boys.  They were completely OBSESSED with these toys while I let them play with them.  I honestly just needed a break.

If you want to get your money's worth out of a toy, I think these may be it!  Of the 3 boys, the 3 and 5 year old loved them the most.  My 6 year old isn't really a "toy" kind of kid (he likes to draw and paint), but he played along for most of the activity.

Here's a video of our 3- year-old yelling "Go Zhu Zhu Go!" and enjoying his Kung Zhu:



These hamsters are cute, but feature some fun interactive "battle" play that isn't too violent (they're hamsters!) and lets kids get creative by building and mixing different training sets, armor, and accessories.  I'm not too keen on any toy that encourages kids to "collect them all", but I love that they stayed entertained for days while I was trying to get things done after the birth of our new baby.  Just be careful -- Zhu Zhu accessories hurt when you step on them.. believe me!!

Learn more about these tiny warriors and rangers at the Kung Zhu website.

Wanna Win?  We have an AWESOME prize pack to give one lucky reader. 

You'll get a hamster, armor, a training set, a weapon, and the battle arena!  It's valued at over $75!  To be entered to win, just visit the Kung Zhu site and let us know which pet your child would love to have!  You have until July 18th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in.  Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

* Sample and prize pack was received for this review.  Opinions are my own.