Oh Rubik, for 2 decades you have teased us with your Cube! We sat until our asses were numb, twisting, turning your cube until calluses formed on our fingers. Now you go and do this. You release yet another puzzler, supposedly even more difficult than the original. Oh the humanity!
The Objective
At first glance one might ask “what am I supposed to do with this?” The objective isn’t clear right away. 6 multi-colored balls sit inside a series of plastic spheres each set within each other. Each sphere spins and tumbles and the tiny colored plastic balls roll around inside their plastic domain. The objective here is to get those colored balls outside of the inner sphere, to the outside sphere, and then lock each one into their own colored compartment. Okay, sounds easy enough…
The Sphere
Unlike the “Cube” the key to solving Rubik’s 360 isn’t by manipulating parts with your fingers. You simply twist and turn the sphere to move the spheres and balls inside. Each of the two inner spheres has a hole which will allow the balls to escape into the next bigger sphere, but there’s a catch. The inner spheres are weighted. No matter how many time you twist and turn the opening always seems to stay on top. That’s the challenge, how to get the balls out of the sphere when the “exit” appears to be reachable.
The Solution (don’t worry, no spoilers)
In my time spent with Rubik’s 360 I can’t say we really noticed any algorithm or pattern involved. I twisted and turned for what seemed like forever, and although I was able to get the balls out of the spheres and into their compartments, I still couldn’t figure out how I did it. It’s the strangest thing. Once you know how to solve the Rubik’s Cube you’re golden, you can do it again and again. This puzzle almost feels like there is a huge element of chance involved. I was able to solve the 360 in about 2 hours, but don’t ask us how I did it!
The Bottom Line
The Rubik’s 360 will definitely have you scratching your head. It took me a solid 10 minutes before we figured out how to get even one of the balls out of its comfy home. It is a lot of fun with a bit of frustration mixed in for good measure.
My main concern with the Rubik’s 360 will be wear and tear. The plastic spheres seem fairly durable, but they do scratch pretty easily. I can see over time how they may “cloud” up and hinder your ability to see what you’re doing inside. That being said the puzzle is cheap. At only $16.99 surely you can buy another if you wear this bad boy out.
If you’re a fan of handheld puzzle run out and get this one. While it’s no cube, it is a neat experience that will get you and your friends talking.