The Rubik’s Cube is, perhaps, the world’s most popular 3D combination puzzle. In case you didn’t know, it was created by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik in 1974.
The purpose of the cube was to teach students about 3D geometry. Rubik initially called it the Magic Cube. Rubik got a Hungarian patent for it in 1975.
By 1977, the first batches of the puzzle cube became available in Budapest stores. Rubik subsequently the Magic Cube to be part of Ideal Toy Corp. lineup in 1980. Ideal Toy called the puzzle Rubik’s Cube.
The popularity of the Rubik’s Cube peaked in the 1980s. It still remains popular to this day. By the time it marked its 40th anniversary in 2017, around 350 million people had bought a Rubik’s Cube.
The Rubik’s Cube continues to be popular even in the digital age. There are “speedcubing” communities all over the world. In any case, it was only a matter of time before someone gave the Rubik’s Cube the digital treatment.
In 2008, eGames Inc. developed the Rubik’s Cube Challenge game. It was a PC game based on the cube.
Then, just when you think that a PC game would be as good as it gets for the cube, here comes a Kickstarter project that takes it to the next level, so to speak.
The project is called GoCube. It is described as a “a smart app-connected Rubik’s Cube which allows users to learn how to solve it, improve their cubing skills, learn new algorithms, and compete against other cubers online.” GoCube, as indicated in its Kickstarter page, “can also be used to play our various mini-games using the cube as a controller, improving the user?s cubing skills in a fun way.”
GoCube is produced by Particula, a company known for developing smart toys and products. GoCube has sensors that track the its rotations and spacial orientation. It then sends the information to the GoCube app, which then “measures, monitors, and displays the position and orientation of the cube, and continuously tracks your solving process.” Check out the GoCube video below.
Each GoCube package (gadget and app) is set to be sold for $119. It’s estimated to be available by March 2019.
As of July 15, 2018, the project has already gotten $616,472 in pledges. It is already significantly larger than its goal amount of just $25,000. The Kickstarter pledges will be accepted until August 9, 2018.
