Are the Superspace Tiles worth the high price tag?
To help you decide, I bought the New Big Set of 22 panels and have tested it with my kids for the past 7 months.
In general, these life-sized tiles are perfect for fort-building and imaginative open-ended play, though the price tag and inventory shortages are drawbacks.
To learn where my conclusions came from and to see all of our hands-on testing, keep reading this full, unsponsored Superspace review.
What Are Superspace Tiles?
Superspace panels are jumbo magnetic tiles you snap together to build life-sized formations. If your kiddo is a fort-lover, they’d go crazy with these!
My kids are huge fans of small magnetic tiles (Connetix was our favorite after lots of testing), but Superspace’s life-sized option offers up a whole new world of possibilities. The auto-connect magnets are truly incredible.
For reference, we purchased the 22-panel big set.
Here are examples of all the structures I’ve seen kids build with Superspace tiles:
- Playhouse/Fort
- Reading nook
- Puppet show stage
- Rocketship for intergalactic missions
- Maze/Tunnel
- Lemonade stand
- Pirate ship
- Ice cream shop
- Chess table
- Secret den
- Car
- Bus
- Princess castle
- Different shapes, like 3D squares, rectangles, and triangles
They’re so versatile, and they do a great job of fostering kids’ imaginations.
Pros
Cons
Superspace Tiles Quality
For the money, the Superspace tiles better be insanely good quality. I’m happy to report that they’re extremely well-made and durable.
My three kids are ages 5 and under, so you can imagine the stress these poor panels have been under.
Despite my kids jumping on them, bending them, and spilling anything-and-everything on them, these tiles look just like they did the day I unboxed them.
Seriously – my kids barrel into the side of a fort they build, knocking the whole thing over, and there’s not a single scratch or issue with any of the panels.
It’s a bonus that the actual materials used here are eco-friendly. The panels are made of eco-felt, which breaks down to 130 recycled plastic bottles per set.
Not only are they better for the environment than other plastic tiles, but they’re strong and easy to wipe clean. The ease of cleaning is definitely a huge pro!
How Often My Kids Play With Superspace Tiles
The biggest hurdle for me with these tiles is the thought that I’d spend over $300 on them and my kids wouldn’t play with them.
However, I’m very happy to report that they play with these nearly daily. They’re stored right next to our living room couch – that’s how often they bring them out.
This isn’t one of those toys your kids play with for 5 minutes and then abandon forever.
The allure of these magnetic panels is they’re open-ended, meaning kids can use them in a million different ways.
I can see their brains working as they decide which pieces to snap together to build whatever it is their little minds conjure up. It’s a really great STEM toy.
Superspace Tiles Storage
The beauty of these panels is the easy storage. The panels magnetize together and can be stored upright, pretty compactly.
With other types of toy forts, it was a whole thing to take it down and rebuild it, but that’s not the case here. You can take down a fort, store it, and rebuild it again within a matter of 2 minutes.
It doesn’t matter how small your house is; you definitely have room for these.
They could slide under a bed, behind your couch, or behind a door.
Superspace Tiles Sturdiness
These magnetic panels are very sturdy, but the trick is ensuring the magnets are lined up properly.
If you’re building a house and one of the corners has magnets that overlap instead of meet in the middle, the structure is more likely to fall.
For that reason, my husband and I often check a structure the kids make when they’re done. If any pieces need to be slightly adjusted to make it stronger, we do that.
So that could definitely be a potential drawback – it’d be nice is there was no way for the tiles’ magnets to overlap at all.
Unexpected Benefit of Superspace Tiles
A benefit of Superspace tiles that I wasn’t expecting is how amazing it is for friends and family who come over. It has created such a bonding experience!
It’s a super easy, fun, and engaging toy for group activities. My kids are notorious for bugging our adult friends or Nana and Papa to play with them, and everyone can join in the fun with these tiles.
My parents have helped my kids build forts, our adult friends have put together little tunnels for them… it seems to bring everyone together. The kids have a total blast!
And don’t even get me started on when other kids come over to play. Aside from our pool, I’d say this is the activity that gets the most of everyone’s time.
Superspace Tiles Alternatives
When I first came across Superspace tiles, I was mesmerized and bought them without a second thought. I knew my kids would be obsessed.
But I have taken some time to look for Superspace alternatives. Here’s a quick look at a few of those.
Hearthsong Fantasty Fort Kits
Hearthsong sells many open-ended, building-style toys for kids, which is probably why it came up in my research on Superspace tile alternatives.
Their Cabin Fantasy Forts Kit is most similar to Superspace as it’s a set of tiles that you connect together to make all kinds of different structures.
However, that’s where the similarities end.
Hearthsong | Superspace | |
|---|---|---|
Material | Cardboard | Eco-Felt material |
Fastener | Clips and double-sided hook & loop tape | Magnets |
Price per panel | $3.75 | $15 |
Ease of use | Probably need an adult’s help every step of the way | Do not need an adult |
Recommended age | 4+ | 3+ |
I probably wouldn’t ever buy Hearthsong, despite its much lower price, for the sheer fact that it’s made of cardboard. My kids would destroy that in one play session.
You’re probably better off recycling big cardboard boxes, though the clips and hook & loop tape is nice to have.
Nugget or Nugget Dupe
I’ve seen a lot of people suggest buying the Nugget couch instead of investing in Superspace tiles.
The Nugget is honestly nothing like the Superspace tiles, but it can be used to make different forts and structures. It’s also at a higher price point.
We have the Sams Club Nugget couch dupe and the Superspace tiles, and I like having both.
The couch is used more for lounging around our house while the kids do more engineering play with the Superspace tiles.
I respect the comparison between the Nugget and Superspace tiles, but I honestly have a hard time recommending one in place of the other.
Fort-Building Set
A toy that reminds me of Superspace tiles is our Lovevery Easy Connect Fort Set, which features wooden dowels, connectors, and clips.
You can put all of these together to build different structures, much like Superspace tiles.
You can check out my top Lovevery dupe for that specific product here: Lovevery Amazon Alternatives: The Storyteller Play Kit for Months 40, 41, and 42
That said, my kids (and I) prefer the Superspace tiles for fort-building. It’s easier for them to build things as it’s a lot more open-ended.
To make a house with the Lovevery fort set, you do need to follow some basic instructions. And that’s a good thing as it’s a skill kids should practice.
But for independent play, the Superspace tiles definitely have a strong edge.
The other problem is the wooden dowels are more prone to damage. Our dog chewed the end of one and every single dowel is needed to build a complete house.
The Superspace tiles have stayed in great shape and even if you’re missing a tile, you can still build almost anything under the sun.
Superspace Tiles Shipping
The biggest con of Superspace tiles is the low inventory and slow shipping. When I was ready to buy a set, I had to be put on a waitlist, and waiting for restocks seems to be a regular occurrence.
I personally ordered on August 23rd and received the tiles on October 19th. It wasn’t a shock, though – when I placed the order, it said shipments would be going out in October.
If you’re planning for a birthday or Christmas gift, you definitely have to plan well in advance.
Superspace Tiles FAQs
Where do you buy Superspace tiles?
I purchased our Superspace tiles set from the Superspace website. You can use code REBEKAHPARR for a discount.
What age is Superspace for?
Superspace tiles are for ages 3+, though our 2-year-old absolutely loves playing with them. The magnets are built into the panels, so I have zero concerns about exposed magnets or health risks.
What’s the best Superspace alternative?
There are no Superspace dupes out there, but there are toys with a similar function. Hearthsong sells fort-building panels, though they aren’t magnetic and are made of cardboard. Many people also recommend the Nugget couch, as it can be used to build forts and other fun play structures.
Is Superspace worth the investment?
Yes, I believe Superspace tiles are worth the investment. I truly think this could be the only present you give your kids for Christmas, and they would be over the moon. It’s high-quality, durable, and offers up so many ways to play.
Does Superspace have Black Friday promos?
I have never seen Superspace run a Black Friday sale. In fact, last year, Superspace was sold out for Christmas before Black Friday even arrived. It seems they don’t need to run sales yet as demand is so high. You can use code REBEKAHPARR for a discount at any time of the year.
Which Superspace set should I buy?
We purchased the Big Set, which is 22 panels. It’s the perfect number of modular panels to start with, though I really would like to add on some of the expansion sets. I wouldn’t purchase the smaller set, as I already wish we had a few more tiles.
Conclusion
Superspace satisfies everything you want in a toy: open-ended play, life-sized panels that gets kids so excited, development of their motor skills, and endless opportunities for creative play.
I highly recommend these life-sized magnetic tiles after many months of testing. It’s a great addition to your playroom.
Related: Picasso Tiles vs Magna-Tiles: The Great Debate, Settled
I tried your code and it isn’t working for the 22 piece set 🙁
It expired but I reached out and it is working again! Code is REBEKAHPARR, link is https://www.getsuperspace.com/REBEKAHPARR
Would these be suitable for 9 year old twins? They LOVE building forts but I’m worried they’re already too big for these 🙁
Definitely!! Our oldest is almost 7 so not quite as old as yours but she is still prime age for it. She and our littler ones love making forts. I think it’s great for all ages.