You get 216, sturdy, well-constructed, tightly fitted puzzle pieces – just like you’d expect from a puzzle by Ravensberger. The pieces are made of plastic, and the art is very firmly bonded to the plastic. Pieces lock together with a pleasant feel of finality. They’re there for keeps (though easily disassembled).
Gamestaster Owen points out that there are a lot of small pieces. He strongly recommends that you open the bags carefully, put the pieces on a good, clean, unobstructed surface, separate the pieces into those you need immediately and those that you will need later, and be patient. Despite the relative ease and durability of the assembly, you still have to be careful not to knock the tower down as it is being put together.
Each piece in individually numbered on the back. The numbering system is ingenious, simplifying the puzzle-building process greatly without taking anything away from the challenge (you don’t have to look at the numbers if you feel that way about it).
This is the first plastic 3D puzzle I’ve put together. It took me two hours and 45 minutes from the start of opening the box to completion. It was as fun to work on as it was satisfying to solve. The other 3D puzzles I’ve worked with were foam and didn’t have numbers on them and took me at least 8 hours to finish them.
This Ravensburger 3D puzzle will appeal to teens and older puzzle-solvers. Even someone who has never tackled such a puzzle will find it inviting and fun. These puzzles offer a gentle, but respectable challenge. And they’re easily as fun to solve when you build them with someone else – even family members. Gamestaster Owen found the puzzle fun enough to want to do again and again.
Instructions are well illustrated and sparingly, but well-written. On the reverse side of the instructions, in six different languages, there’s a clearly written description of the actual tower (a 101 storey building in Tapei), with just enough information to connect you, intellectually and emotionally, to the elegance and ingenuity of its engineering. Take the time to read this. It contributes significantly to the fun and wonder of the puzzle.