Rubik's World

by American Game Factory

Product Features

• Collection of 6 highly addictive puzzle games
• Progressively increase in difficulty
• a cool minimalist 3D world
• Every action sets off a chain reaction
• Includes English Spanish and French languages

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0013LTP60
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 4, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,846 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: Nintendo DS

Based on the classic "Rubik's Cube" puzzle of the 80's, this other worldly game will look like and play like no other game out there. Rubik's World is a collection of extremely addictive, easy to pick up puzzle games that increase in difficulty as the player delves deeper in this brave new world. But, these games are not mere mini-games, but serious puzzlers and brain teasers, offering the player an immersive experience whether it be for a few minutes or a few hours.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rubiks interest: Must! Just a puzzle lover: Maybe., July 18, 2009

By 

David Smith "Wolfen" (Belleville, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rubik's World (Video Game)

I've always had an interest in learning how it is that peope solve a rubik's cube. Thanks this game and YouTube, I can at least solve a 2x2 and 3x3 cube.. well.. as long as I have my algorithm sheet. This N.DS title provides a little more than just a rubik's cube to play with; it also has a few other toys and puzzles to work out for the Cubies' contentment. By the way, a single Cubie is 1 of 26 on a 3x3 cube.. or 1 of 8 on a 2x2 cube.

Fit: "The goal in this game is to fit a group of safely through a series of walls before time runs out." I found this one difficult at first because I couldn't quickly identify the shape of the whole in the wall. The additional difficult piece of this puzzle section is that all of the Cubies have to stay connected while you shuffle them around to fit through the whole. [4/5]

Create: "Show Cubies how things look in the real world." As you work through the various puzzle modes of this N.DS title, the create section and Compose sections open up more. The Create section allows you do "draw" the following using Cubies: (1) Clouds. (2) Trees. (3) Something that makes you happy (the success icon). (4) Something that makes you sad (the failure icon). (5) Something that flies. (6) Something you admire. (7) Balloons. These different things become visible in different places of the game as you complete more of the game. Cute, but not all that terribly interesting. [minor 2/5]

Color: "Help the Cubies reach each of the exit points in a level by coloring them and sending them off in the right direction." I found this section of puzzles particularly enjoyable as it requires logical thinking so that you don't get your Cubies stuck together or in the level. The interface for this area is excellent and the in-game instructions actually made sense if you took the time to read them and match what you read to the different parts of the touchscreen. Stylus may be helpful, but not required for the interface. [5/5]

Roll: Like the Color section of puzzles, this is a "help the Cubies reach each of the exit points", but no colors are involved in this area, so the Cubies don't get stuck together as is possible in Color. Again, the interface is extremely similar to Color (except for the color part), so it has a very similar feeling to it while introducing some different puzzle aspects, such as enemy Cubies. [5/5]

Switch: "Make combinations of five or more Cubies to set them free." This is a combination of logic and speed. The goal is to keep the board from filling up with Cubies as long as you can. This is done by strategically lining Cubies up in connections of five or more to "cut" a section of Cubies "free". You *will* need your stylus for this because of the need to target specific Cubies. [4/5]

Compose: "Teach Cubies what music sounds like." As you work through the various puzzle modes of this N.DS title, the create section and Compose sections open up more. The Compose section allows you to customize some of the sounds that are used in the game using a simple loop mixer with built-in sounds: (1) Happy (success). (2) Sad (failure). (3 and 4) Song you like. As the open and you complete them, these songs are substituted for some of the default sounds of the game. As with Create, cute, but not really interesting. [minor 2/5]

Calculate: "Each turn, two math problems will be presented. The first represents the horizontal coordinate and the second the vertical." With each set of problems, a little more of a picture is drawn. If all problems are completed correctly and you select the right coordinates on the picture grid, your picture will look exactly like the Cubies' "answer key". Cute enough to play through a couple of times, but looses its flare. [3/5]

Rubik's Cube: This is the "grand-daddy" of the game, the cube is the Cubies' favorite game. In this section of the game: (1) You can go to learn how to solve a 3x3 cube. The game has a set of steps for you to follow, but I had problems following through them and they didn't feel quite complete enough for me. (2) You can solve three sizes of cubes: 2x2, 3x3, 4x4. (3) You can also start with a solved cube and make rotations to match the "top face" to a given design. -- Note on 2 and 3: The interface for dealing with the cube and viewing the cube is ok, but takes some time to get used to. [3/5]

Multiplayer: Single-card with 3 games: (1) Switch, (2) Rubik's Cube, and (3) Fit. [4/5]

Missing option in all parts of the game: Not using the stylus/touchscreen. All control in this game is done by touchscreen, so you can not use the direction pad or buttons in any way except "Start" for getting out of some of the areas. [-0.25 from overall]

In total, I found "Rubik's World" to be an interesting set of different puzzle games. It spurred me enough to actually figure out how those "brilliant" people solve the hellish toy that frustrated me to no end as a kid. It was easily worth the [...] that I spent for it, but I probably wouldn't spend more than [...]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two of the Areas are a Great Thinking Challenge, November 1, 2009

By 

Zandaxar (USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rubik's World (Video Game)

Note: This is my review for the DS version. The Wii version has related but different content.

Areas:

Rubik - It will teach you an algorithm to solve the 3x3x3 cube. It also lets you play a 2x2x2 and a 4x4x4 cube, however it doesn't teach you the algorithm for them. The rotatable view of the cube and its control mechanism work well. In this section, you can also play a mini-game where you start with a solved cube and then match it to a pattern they give you.

Fit(40 Levels) - Under time pressure, you move cubes around along outside edges to make the prescribed shape.

Switch(continuous) - You rearrange blocks by switching any one on the board with one you are holding to make groups of 5 of the same color that then disappear.

Color(40 Levels) - You usually have several cubes that are rolled on a board with various color patches that they can get stuck on if the colors match. You have to select the right color for the sides of the each cube and then choose the right path to follow to the goal. Often the solution requires that you get some of your cubes stuck in key locations to create new pathways for your others cubes to take.

Roll(40 Levels) - You roll the cubes towards the exit(s) on a uniquely shaped board that has lots of barriers and sometimes telewarps and enemy cubes. Levels often challenge you to figure out a reasonably complex sequence of moves. A minor downside for Roll (and also the preceding game Color) is that the playing board is not rotatable so sometimes you have to test certain pathways to get a correct sense of how the board is constructed in 3D.

Calculate(continuous) - You answer basic arithmetic questions by tapping the appropriate grid squares to draw a simple picture.

There also are two additional sections where you can make simple songs and 2D objects that will be incorporated into the music and backgrounds in the game. An interesting idea on the developer's part, but unfortunately I don't think it works too well here.

Additional Comments: Games Roll and Color are excellent sequential spatial-reasoning puzzles that I really enjoyed solving and for me personally were worth getting the game just for them(though I would have liked more levels). As for the the rest of the content, overall I felt it could have used more development in its gameplay depth and less emphasis on non-gameplay presentation.

This game is the second from the developer Two Tribes. Their first game, called Toki Tori, is IMO one of the best thinking puzzle games ever made. So if you enjoyed the Roll and Color mini-games in Rubik's World, then you should definitely check Toki Tori out(if you have a Wii, you can download it from the Wii Shop Channel).

UPDATE: Apparently the developers have learned from their missteps with this game and have released a game called Rubik's Puzzle Galaxy Rush on Wiiware(downloadable from the Wii Shop Channel) that is an improved and expanded variation of the Roll game. In it, instead of controlling the cubes individually like in Roll, you control the placement of the arrows and others signs in order to guide the cubes to their goal points. I have played it through and can say that it is a fun challenge to figure out so I certainly do recommend it if you liked the Roll game in Rubik's World.

2 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A definite "NO", January 10, 2009

By 

L. Slack (Jonesboro, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rubik's World (Video Game)

What was I thinking when I purchased this?

This game was a TOTAL disappointment. I purchased one for my NDS and one for the Wii. And let me tell you, I could not sale either of them fast enough.

Rubik's World is a great concept as a video game. I don't think that it can be simulated effectively in order to achieve the game objectives.

Not very well thought out.

Too complex for children - even the ones that purchased the game as a 39th birthday present to themselves :)

Wii should have created a hand that allowed the user to, actually, turn / rotate the cube. NDS should NOT have done it.

A terrible buy! Frustrating to the max and a very big disappointment.

3 Thumbs down...

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