Rubik's World

© 2008 The American Game Factory, Inc.
$40, Wii, Nintendo DS
Teaches: logic, programming, problem solving, spatial relations
CTR Rating: 84%
Editor's Choice

CTR Review

If you're ready to give your cerebellum a stretch -- and we mean a real stretch -- Rubik's World, with versions both for the Wii and the Nintendo DS, is a good choice. Just be ready to read the instructions before you try to play one of the eight games, which can be confusing in a bad type of way. Each activity is based generally on the idea that the cubes, called "cubies" can be thrown, stacked, placed into mazes, or used to create patterns in order to solve one of the multitiered puzzles. Most start easy and progressively get harder, and some offer incredible problem-solving opportunities. Both the Wii and the Nintendo DS versions contain traditional-looking Rubik's Cubes -- the famous 3D twisting cube consisting of 36 colored squares that can easily drive you insane unless you figure out the patterns. In the Wii version, one task is to use the colors to program a path through a maze. Another has you building a matching Rubik's Cube using three different plans, each showing a different angle. As a result, you have to do the flips and turns in your mind, which is not an easy task. Our testers found some of the games, such as "Compose", to be simply too complex and gave up; but others, like "View", are hard to stop playing. "Deconstruct" is a lot like EA's Boom Blox, where you toss carefully aimed cubes at a structure to earn points. Nearly all the puzzles are timed, and they take a good deal of concentration. Both versions also offer multiplayer, although there's far less content that can be shared than when in one-player mode. This is a game to borrow for sure, and to buy if you're really interested in puzzles. It could also be used in the classroom to provide a challenge to any child who really needs a challenge. Up to nine different game profiles can be saved. The price is $40 for the Wii version and $30 for the DS version. Developed by Two Tribes (based in Europe) for The Game Factory.