LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Review – Projects, Building Instructions and Parts Lists

Toys / By

I thought about checking out Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 review when I got a call from my 12-year old sibling who has been collecting Lego sets for years. In fact, he always asks for the latest Lego model for his birthday.

I have been reading lots of reviews about Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit because our kid has been asking me and my wife to buy it for him.

I think that this particular model is quite different from the other Lego sets that he already has because it features intuitive programming software which you can use to make robots that have the ability to move, see, speak and even feel. Here are more of its features that are quite impressive.

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Review

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 is challenging to build but because it comes with an illustrated step-by-step manual and software, kids will be able to easily follow the instructions.

A couple of adults were tested and it took them half an hour to build a basic robot and another half an hour to program it. After doing so, they spent most of their time playing with the robot and testing its abilities. It is understandable that kids might take a bit longer than that but because of the manual, they will definitely be able to build it on their own.

You can move on to more advanced creations once you have mastered the basics of Mindstorms NXT 2.0. Mindstorms has a website where you can get instructions on how to build other types of robots. However, you have the options of creating your own. The process is the same – you build the robot using Lego elements, program it on your computer or laptop with the use of the software and see your robot do various movements.

Features

The Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 is one of the most advanced sets that Lego has released. It features an advanced programmable microcontroller, Interactive Servo Motors, smart sensors, icon-based drag and drop programming software, interactive challenges and wireless Bluetooth and USB connections. It has the technologies that you would need to have in order to create a robot.

It is worth mentioning that a Mindstorms robot is able to operate because of NXT – an intelligent, computer-controlled LEGO brick that has impressive features such as a large matrix display, a 32-bit microprocessor, input and output ports and a speaker.

NXT also has a Color Sensor which allows it to distinguish different colors and light settings. What’s more, it can also be used as a color lamp.

The Mindstorms NXT 2.0 has been highly rated for its great design elements. The Lego set encourages creative play as it features hardware which allows the user to create any type of robot. It is ideal for kids as it provides them with a balance of learning and fun and it makes them more interested in subjects such as science, computers, and engineering.

  • Includes 612 Lego elements which you can use to create a variety of robots
  • Easy-to-use software that features icon-based drag-and-drop programming and 16 fun building and programming challenges; compatible with both PC and Mac
  • Ultrasonic Sensor. 2 Touch Sensors and Color Sensor for interactive play
  • Sound and icon editors allow you to personalize your robots
  • Share your project files with your friends using the Pack-N-Go project packager

Reviews From Customers

Most of the Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Reviews online are good and you would even find it difficult to find complaints about it. There are a lot of consumers who have rated it highly because of how fun and educational it is.

There are a few people who did find it difficult to build the robot but this is probably because the people have different levels of speed in building Lego sets. Overall, consumers are satisfied with the NXT 2.0 set.

I have discovered that you will get the best Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 deal on aaaa.com.

When you will buy the Mindstorms set, you might want to check out these books:

  • The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book: A Beginner’s Guide to Building and Programming Robots by Laurens Valk
  • LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0: The King’s Treasure (Technology in Action) by James Floyd Kelly.

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Projects Ideas

The only thing that limits a number and design of Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 projects you can build is your imagination. And available Mindstorms parts of course.

I wrote the chapter about the Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 parts list about my findings. In short – there are fewer parts in NXT 2.0 kit and these parts will allow building you somehow simpler robots. If you want to build complicated robots with lots of moving parts and gears you will have to consider buying NXT 1.0 kit to get these extra parts. Both NXT parts are compatible so you can combine them without any limitations.

When you purchase the NXT 2.0 set you to get building instructions for 4 Lego robot projects.

  • A moving robot called Shooterbox that guards your room. It patrols the room and shoots balls at intruders.
  • A sorting machine called Color Sorter that can sorts objects depending on their colors. Add some tweaks to Sorter to add a shooting function!
  • Robot featured on the packaging box is called Alpha Rex. It is a walking humanoid that can also dance and do many other amazing things.
  • If you love animals Robogator is just for you. It is an alligator-like robot. It can be programmed to protect your territory. Watch out because it jumps at anybody who comes near it!

I was browsing the Laurens Valk site the other day and came across these cool looking NXT projects.

  • The Snatcher is a cool tractor robot that uses its 3 motors to grab, lift, and move objects. And yes, it can find these objects himself.
  • The Strider is a robotic spider. It can walk in any direction using his 6 legs and it hides from light.
  • The Anyway is a robotic analog of Segway. You need additional gyroscopic sensors to build this amazing project that is well worth the efforts. Laurens provides you will full instructions you need to build and program this device.

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Parts List

Recently I was looking for a Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 parts list because I am planning to buy either NXT 2.0 or the original NXT and I wanted to understand the differences.

It looks like it is very hard to find the exact list of Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 parts. I simply could not find this information online during my quick research.

Here is a picture of all NXT 2.0 parts in one place. According to Lego, there are 612 pieces and parts in this robotics set.

As far as I can see from the picture there are several important parts included in the kit. First, there are three interactive servo motors included. It is a good place to start but you can be pretty sure that you will need to buy few more servomotors when you will build more advanced robots.

Then there are 4 sensors bundled with the starter kit. There is one Ultrasonic Sensor, one Color Sensor, and 2 two Touch Sensors. The Color Sensor can function like Light Sensor as well so it somehow replaces the Light Sensor that was in the original NXT set. The Sound Sensor is not included so you will have to buy it separately.

It looks like Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit includes fewer gears than NXT 1.0. There are only a few double bevel gears and a single 12t bevel gear in the set. If you want to build a cool-looking robot with lots of gears you will have to buy also the original NXT 1.0 kit and use gears from there.

Lego Mindstorms Nxt 2.0 Building Instructions

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 may look like a very advanced toy that is difficult to build. That is only half true.
Mindstorms robot requires some preparations before building it. It is not a typical simple Lego bricks set where you can empty the box contents on the table and start building it without even opening the instruction manual.

You have to start with reading the manual. Yes, it is time to RTFM! LOL

Manuals

The Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 manuals are available for download at no charge on Lego site. Click here to check them out before you buy this awesome robotic building kit.

After you have read supplied building instructions you can start building the simple entry-level Lego robots. At this point, you may have your own projects and ideas in mind but I will suggest you stick with the custom designs from Lego at this stage. You need to learn how the basic elements of Mindstorms NXT are connected and work together and you will also learn few do’s and don’ts.

After you have a basic understanding of Lego Mindstorms components and their compatibility you can start adding your own ideas to the basic designs.

Some people still need some guidance after studying the Lego instructions. There are several options here:

Related Articles