Hexbug Junkbots
These collectable, constructible robots were created in 2019 as Hexbug’s first foray into the blind unboxing genre. Each package, designed to look like trash bins and industrial dumpesters, includes multiple levels of dumpster diving exploration.
Kids dig through the junk in their trash bins to discover enough parts to build their own robotic character, and can explore alternative builds and additional characters as each new set they get adds to their collection of robot parts.
Junkbots merges the blind-collectable play pattern with that of a construction line, and keeps true to the Hexbug brand by including surprise mechanisms or animations in each of the characters, as well as light up elements, and Hexbug’s iconic vibration.
The Unboxing Process
36 Collectable Characters in Season One
The scope of this project was significant in comparison to previous Hexbug product lines. The project called for new strategies, modeling softwares, tracking strategies, and a whole lot of exploration to allow our small team to make around 400 parts for the first season.
Character and Part Design
The parts that make up the characters are designed to be used in endless creative ways. In the case below, a jet engine is used as the body of both a crab and a bird, and each part down to the smallest connector is built to be universally compatible with the rest of the line.
Styling and Language
While working through the initial concepting for the line, we explored tons of different themes and overall design languages for the characters. We gravitated toward funky forms and illustrative, cartoon-like styling for both the parts and the characters themselves.
