Rubik’s Summer Scrambles

This is a 3 in a row strategy game, which allows the Rubik’s cube to be taken into a multi player competitive level rather than s solo activity. To play the game, you take turns placing the coloured blocks into the 3×3 cage structure, but each time you place a cube inside you can twist one layer of the cube to mix this up, or even flip the whole cage upside down, making it much harder than your typical 3 in a row. It’s a really clever twist on the Rubik’s concept and is great for family game nights.

We found this one easier than the traditional 3×3 Rubik’s cube, and definitely easier than the Rubik’s Block. Still, it is not as easy as it may look! With this Rubik’s Edge, you have just one row of 3×1 cubes to match up and it’s much more slimline so this is a great one for taking on the go, or sneaking into your travel bag for holiday to keep the kids busy while waiting at the airport and so on.

Rubik’s cube is now a sphere! This one was fairly challenging for us, I would place the difficulty level in between the Edge and the Block, and it is a lot of fun to try.

The Rubik’s block adds a whole extra level of difficulty to the classic Rubik’s cube. In addition to matching up your 3×3 colours on each side, you need to make sure you get the sizes in the right place as each side is made up of a small, medium and large sized block, and because of this, once you start rotating the cube, it suddenly starts morphing into different 3D shapes with bits sticking out here, and dipping in there. It was fiendishly hard for us, but also very addictive! If you’re already a whizz at the original 3x3s then definitely try this and see whether you can crack it.

To play this Rubik’s Card game, players need to race to put together the pattern shown on the challenge cards, using their own set of 12 Cubie cards. This can be played with up to four players, with a competitive element to see who completes it the quickest but it can also be played as a one player brain teaser game without the element of racing or pressure, which is great for slightly younger players or just for a more calming experience. You get three difficulty levels within the game, which also makes it great for all ages as level 1 is pretty simple and then as you move up through level 2 and 3 you need to think more strategically and layer up the cards to complete the challenges.

Shown above is level 1 difficulty starting on the left, then progressing through levels 2 and 3 as you move across, and below is the level 2 completed.

Of course the 3×3 Rubik’s is a classic, as the original. We love this one just as much as the new varieties, and is still challenging for us to complete. I have a cousin who has competed in Rubik’s cube championships who can do these in a couple of minutes! But we have not quite reached those heights in our house – maybe one day if the kids keep on practising! We’ve had the little one starting young after seeing her big brothers playing on all of the Rubik’s cubes over the summer.