Background
After successfully funding their iOS app via Kickstarter, Monstermatic launched a unique iOS app that allows you – as the user - to select a pre-made animated monster or create one of your own.
You then have the option of swapping out parts, changing colors, and even drawing on the monster. The app gives you the ability to take your monster into the real world with Augmented Reality Technology. Take photos of it and share with friends via social media. You can interact with your new pal by feeding, shaking, and talking to it (it’ll repeat what you say in a chipmunk voice). There’s also a mini-game (Farting Simon) that will keep you entertained as long as a regular game of Simon probably could.
Finally, you can purchase a tangible version of your monster - sending your creation to a 3D printer at Shapeways. We ended up getting one of the pre-made animated monsters for this review. It pretty much resembles a monster ice cream cone (check out the app version below).
The Facts
Monstermatic
Manufacturer: Shapeways
Artist: You
Material: Sandstone (3D printing)
Dimensions: about 2” tall
Points of Articulation: Zero
Pricing: $25.95
Packaging
The figure comes securely packaged in a plastic bag with lots of packing peanuts...inside of a shipping box. In other words, there was no product specific packaging. But the guy wasn't going to be broken.
Our Opinion
The Monstermatic app is one of the few that will keep my four year old entertained for more than a few minutes. There’s a lot of potty humor (ahem...fart sounds) that stimulate the mind of a youngster. Plus, he likes being able to create his own monster, having that monster repeat what he says in a weird voice, and being able to send that monster into the “real world” using my iPhone’s camera.
But where other apps end your experience when you turn off your phone, Monstermatic allows your creations to live (technically speaking) in the physical world. By choosing the 3D print option, you can have that monster you just created – no matter how insane – printed by Shapeways in Sandstone (it’s done in full color) and shipped to your home.
And this isn't just a platform figure with artwork printed on it, the actual shape of the figure varies depending on what you've created. Like the ice cream cone monster has raised sprinkles and a straw shooting out of its head.
When you dig into the shop area, there are three poses that your monster can be printed in. There’s a slightly hunched over look. There’s one that I like to call praying to the sky (it’s looking upward with palms to the sky). And there’s a spooky monster hands over its head pose...as you can see below. Each one will run you the same $25.95 to purchase.
There is the option to play the games and use the app so that you collect points. Those points can then be accrued and used towards money off your purchase of printed figure. For example, I collected about 37 points by playing a game of Farting Simon (I went to a church to play it), and that got me about 3 cents off of the figure price.
When I received the printed figure, I was impressed with the final product. I’ve seen a number of 3D printed toys and collectibles, and usually it's a platform design with color added via post printing painting. When you get your Monstermatic figure, the colors are a part of the sandstone printing. It doesn’t have tight, defined lines of a production piece...but it’s definitely worth the $25.95 to see a character you produced turned into a 3D collectible.
You can pick one up at the following:
Monstermatic App: $25.95
