Review - Star Wars Force Lightning Energy Ball

I've always been fascinated by the plasma balls that I've seen in museums, and so when the opportunity arose to review the Star Wars Science - Force Lightning Energy Ball (affiliate link) from Uncle Milton Star Wars Science I couldn't resist! Priced at £24.99, the Energy Ball allows you to harness the power of Force Lightning and move light energy with your hands just like a Sith Lord.

The Energy Ball was really easy to set up. You just need to snap the bottom ring into place around the base and insert four AA batteries (not included). Although you can't really make it out in the photograph below, you can see the plasma beams in action when it's light. However it works much better in the dark.

The ball itself measures about 8cm in diameter, so it isn't huge, but it's still large enough to produce some fun lightning effects. The toy has Star Wars stickers on the base as well as the Star Wars logo. It has been designed to teach children about science through the use of play, and comes with a short information sheet that explains how plasma is made and how an electrical conductor in the centre of the ball reacts with gases to create plasma filaments of flowing, coloured light that look similar to Force lightning. Water and blood in the body are conductors that attract the plasma filaments when we touch the plasma ball. A second leaflet suggests how you can influence the plasma filaments by touching the ball in different ways.

Harry was completely fascinated by the ball and loved seeing what happened when he placed his fingers and hands on the surface.

It so happened that we received the ball just before Halloween, and it made a fantastic centerpiece to our Halloween window display. The plasma ball was left on in the window for several hours, and the batteries are still going. You don't need to be touching it for the plasma beams to dance around, and it's really beautiful to watch in the dark.

The Star Wars Force Lightning Energy Ball is part of a range of Star Wars themed science sets which are not only educational but also fun. With the new Star Wars film coming out shortly these science sets make a perfect gift for fans of the franchise, and include Star Wars Force Spinners, Star Wars Spacecraft Flight Lab and Death Star Electronics Lab, each with their own unique educational features.

I was sent this product to review. Amazon links are affiliate.