Space 360 - Beware of cheap imitations

Following on from our beware of fakes post, you have to take some pride in the fact the lengths people will go to imitate a top class product. Imitation of the Rubik’s 360 is I suppose the greatest form of flattery. However, having said this, if someone is conned by this then it takes away this pride.

We have looked at some of the Ebay auctions and have come up with the Space 360?????

Anyone think that it looks familair?

This is not the Rubik’s 360 despite the similarity. All Rubik’s 360’s will come in the correct packaging with official Rubik’s branding.

Do not be conned, fooled or even tempted as you will only end up being dissappointed. These cheap imation rubik’s 360’s such as the space 360 are inferior and tacky in comparison.

There is only one Rubik’s 360.

Rubik’s 360 How does it work?

So the Rubik’s 360 is nearly here, so what’s all the hype about. Well firstly its come from the people that brought us the Rubik’s Cube. The cube that had captured the imagination of the world selling over 300 million copies. Secondly, its round!

Yes, you read that right, the new puzzle from the people at Rubik’s is round, hence the name Rubik’s 360. So how does the Rubik’s 360 work?

Well with Hamleys being the introduces of the Rubik’s 360 to the UK at their own Launch Party, who better to explain and answer the question, how does it work?

On their website they state, “The Rubik’s 360 is a clear plastic sphere with six coloured domes positioned around the circumference. Inside the outer sphere is another transparent sphere, inside this, a third sphere, containing 6 small coloured balls, with a hole in it, through which the small balls have to pass. The object is to manipulate the Rubik’s 360, so that the coloured balls pass through both inner spheres to the matching coloured dome on the outer sphere - then each one is locked into place. Like the Cube, there is a knack to solving the Rubik’s 360 - but it can take any number of tries. and a lot of perseverance to get there!“

So there have it. If that is not clear enough or you simply are just baffled by the fact that Rubiks’ new Puzzle is in fact a sphere, then the only way forward is to pre order your own copy now and have it delivered direct to your door on the 15th July, the day of Hamleys Official Rubik’s 360 Launch Party.

Pre Order from Hamleys for Delivery 15th July 2009 >>>>>> Click Here

Rubik’s 360 images

Way back in early February when we started our site dedicated to the Rubik’s 360 we contacted Drummond Park regarding some images for the Rubik’s 360 and they kindly sent us a ‘work in progress’ packaging image.  In our excitement at the revealing of the latest puzzle from the Rubik’s team we forgot to post it up on our site, so here it is.

Since then new images for the 360 have been few and far between. So when we heard that the Rubik’s 360 was now featured on the Hamleys website and available to pre-order we got hold of Drummond Park again who kindly sent us the latest version of the packaging. They also confirmed that the first shipment of the puzzle are being shipped in for the launch at Hamleys on the 15th July, with a further shipment following by sea a few weeks later at the beginning of August.

As you can see, the latest image is a lot brighter and more fun than the early edition and also includes a new style Rubik’s logo. Will this attractive looking package help increase sales? Well not really as we feel that the hype is more than enough to make this one of the best selling toys for 2009.

As already mentioned there are already two planned deliveries oc Rubik’s 360 stock on its way to the UK in July/August, but will this be enough?  Don’t miss out and Pre-order a Rubik’s 360 NOW.

So what about availability at Christmas? Christmas will without doubt be a very busy time for the Rubik’s 360, but no need to talk too much about this now, as we want to get through the initial launch first.

Getting back to the Rubiks 360 images, we hope to have some exclusive images for you very soon, so watch this space.

Original Rubik’s Cube

Whilst we await further news on the Rubik’s 360, we thought we would take a look at the Original Cube that started the Rubiks craze back in the early 80’s. From the early days of the Rubiks Cube, minds of many have been fuddled whilst trying to solve the best selling puzzle of all time. So much in fact for one guy, Graham Parker, it took over 26 years for him to solve the cube. Bring on the Rubiks 360 were not his choice of words on completion!

Anyway, whilst we looked into the original Rubiks puzzle further, we noticed that the Original Rubik’s Cube from Drummond Park is in fact the bestselling product in the Toys & Games category at Amazon.co.uk and retails for just £7.99 with free UK delivery.

The original 3 x 3 cube comes with a New 7 Step solution Guide, bit late for some hey Graham ;-). As one of the most famous toys in history, Rubik’s Cube is incredibly addictive as can be said for the Rubik’s 360 by those that have got their hands on one. Both the cube and the 360 when it arrives in the Summer are a must for puzzle lovers. So, whether you’re into simple sliding, twisting, turning or rotating Rubiks in the guise of the cube or 360 will provide hours of challenging fun.

So here is our overview on the original Rubik’s Cube which as mentioned is available for just £7.99 over at Amazon.

The world’s best-known puzzle is the Original 3×3 version which now comes with a 7 step solution guide included. Also included in this booklet are some additional games to play. So after over 30 years, the cube is still going strong.

From the initial buzz surrounding the Rubik’s 360, I expect to be writing the same glowing overview some time in 2039, lets hope its not another 30 years for a Rubik’s phenomena to be prompting me to do so.

Rubiks in Numbers

A standard ‘3×3x3’ Rubik’s Cube has 6 coloured sides, 21 pieces and 54 outer surfaces.

This means that there are more than 43 quintillion possible configurations, or 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 to be exact.

But there is only one solution.!

The Rubiks 360 has six different coloured balls, contained inside 3 clear plastic spheres. The player must manoeuvre the six balls from the inner sphere to the matching coloured pods on the outermost sphere. Like it’s predecessor an unimaginable amount of configurations, The solver will need to use skill, dexterity and logic to find the one and only solution!

Erno Rubik and his Rubiks Cube

Erno Rubik is the man behind all thing Rubiks. He was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1944 and grew up to become an architect, designer and university professor. At 3o years of age, Rubik created the first working prototype of the cube. This year, 1974, is the official birth date of the world’s favourite toy. One year later Rubik patents the ‘Magic Cube’ and the Hungarian toy-manufacturer Politechnika began the overwhelming task of mass-production. The first Magic Cube to be sold in the shops in Hungary didn’t happen until 1977, but it was 3 years later when it really took hold.

In 1980. the Ideal Toy Corporation began exporting the cube from Hungary. One of the biggest moves however was not the fact that the cubes were finding there ways into countries around the world but more the fact that The ‘Magic Cube’ was renamed, the ‘Rubik’s Cube’ was in the building. Sales of the Rubiks Cube didn’t disappoint. With so many cubes in circulation a young boy used his entrepreneurial skills to write a publication entitled ‘You Can Do the Cube’. Patrick Bossert, a 12-year-old schoolboy from England could never have dreamed what was to follow with his book going on to sell 1.5 million copies.

It’s now 1982 and over 100 million cubes have been sold worldwide, the first annual International Rubik’s Championships are held in Budapest and Rubik’s enters the Oxford English Dictionary. Cube sales continue to escalate and in 2005 the Rubik’s Cube celebrates it’s 25th birthday on the 26th July with a special, limited edition Rubik’s Cube being produced to mark this occasion.

With over 350,000,000 cubes having been sold since it introduction in 1980, Rubiks have raised the bar and brought the Rubiks Puzzles into the 21st century.

With Erno Rubik now enjoying his retirement, the Rubik’s Studio continues to design games and work with young designers in Hungary and beyond, hence the birth of the Rubiks 360.