There are marble-run toys, and then there is Cuboro. We’re sure you are reading this then glancing at the price and saying, “Are you nuts?” Well, you weren’t alone. Our tester’s initial reaction was right in line with that. And then they opened the box… For over $300, you wouldn’t expect a run-of-the-mill marble toy, and from the instant you lift the lid, you will know that you have entered a whole new realm when it comes to the genre. The quality, care and craftsmanship leap out at you, and that’s before you even empty the box, which is package perfection. This set is all about quality and design. To that end, there really is nothing else to compare it to. As one parent put it, the set of 50 carved Swiss wooden blocks was crafted to last longer than a lifetime. OK, it’s beautiful and impressive but what kind of toy is it? What is the play pattern? First and foremost, this is a building and construction set but what you are building are marble runs. The kind of runs your child builds is entirely up to them. There are pieces with expertly carved curves, drops, straights, intersections, and some with nothing at all. Even the marbles are impressive, slightly larger than other marbles and with some additional weight. The experience of building marble runs with Cuboro requires focus and attention to detail. It promotes problem-solving skills and creativity while helping develop fine motor skills. Parents told us how playing with the toy sparked many discussions of physics, gravity and momentum as children discovered cause and effect, especially when the marble would get stuck or could not make it through the course. The open-ended play, the ability to build together with a parent or friend and the deep engagement it both requires and inspires is nothing short of amazing. The price is exorbitant, making this a product that is not for everyone. Still, if you are looking for a remarkable, nothing else like it gift that will last lifetimes, here’s a good starting point.