In a complete change of pace on THUMBSTiX we are taking a look at a different sort of game, the Rubik’s Cube.
Our older readers will be familiar with the brain busting cube but I bet there are still a few of you out there that have no idea about it. The Rubik’s cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. For the puzzle to be solved, each face must be returned to have only one colour, it looks simple, but it isn’t! Some people, like me are lucky to get two sides matching, while other people can solve them in less than seconds!
There are loads of variations of the game nowadays, but today we are reviewing the original cube, but this one has Bluetooth built into it. The MIJIA Giiker I3S Super Magic Cube, is a very cool concept that is a lot of fun.
The cube is well packaged and the first thing you’ll notice is that the cube looks like it’s wearing a headset, in fact it sits on top of a little body with arms and legs. The Headset is actually used to charge the cube, a mini USB lead is supplied to charge the unit up. The colours are vibrant and it looks great. It’s feels weighty and thanks to the strong magnets inside the cube it’s quick to transition between the various moves. It is however quite loud which could be off putting for some users.
Setting up the cube is really easy too, once you have downloaded the app to your device, it’ll quickly sync up with the app and you are free to go. Depending on your ability level you can either go through the tutorials or get straight on with cube solving. I was surprised at how quickly the app responded to the moves you made on the cube, it basically instantaneous.
For speedcubers, you’ll be wanting to use the timer to capture your times. The app will show you how to scramble the cube, and will tick off the moves as you progress, which is really neat, if you make a mistake it will tell you how to get back to the right position. When it has been scrambled properly the app will insect the cube and then you are able to start solving. When you have completed your attempt you can view all sorts of stats, including a breakdown of the moves you made, Turns per Second and you can even see a replay of your attempt. It’s very impressive.
The app also features a variety of games that test your ability to move the cube in certain ways to create different patterns, Cube Miner requires you to move the cube around to collect an item to open an exit to allow you escape. It’s a clever idea as you interact with the app and the cube at the same time. Cube Crash is a bit like Rock band in the sense that you need to turn the cube to match the falling colours on your screen.
I’ve spent a lot of time with the cube and I’m definitely beginning to learn how to complete a cube, I’m really impressed about how well built it is and how quick it is to respond to the app. The MIJIA Giiker I3S Super Magic Cube will be a great present for adults and children, who will bith get a lot of fun out of it.
