Rubik's WOWCube

Rubik's WOWCube
DeveloperCubios Inc.
ManufacturerShenzhen Mineiwing Electronics Co.
TypeDedicated gaming system
Released2025 (2025)
Introductory priceUS$299 (launch price)[1]
CPUMultiple embedded processors[1]
StorageInternal flash
Display24 IPS LCD panels[2]
Controller inputDevice itself (twist, tilt, shake, tap)[3]

Rubik's WOWCube is an electronic gaming system in the form of a cube, developed by Cubios Inc. in collaboration with Canadian company Spin Master, which owns the Rubik's brand.[4]

The device combines a 2×2 modular structure with 24 integrated LCD screens and motion sensors, allowing players to interact with games by twisting, tilting and shaking the cube rather than using traditional buttons.[3] It runs its own games and apps, including licensed versions of Cut the Rope and Space Invaders.[5][6]

The previous WOWCube Entertainment System by Cubios was named one of Time magazine's "100 Best Inventions of 2021".[7]

History

Cubios Inc. was founded in 2016.[8]

In 2021 Time magazine listed the WOWCube Entertainment System among "The 100 Best Inventions of 2021", describing it as a creative take on the Rubik's Cube concept and highlighting its combination of multiple screens and motion-based controls.[7] Around the same period the system received an Edison Award for new products and was a CES Innovation Award honouree.[9]

In 2024 Cubios announced a partnership with Spin Master, which had acquired the Rubik's brand in 2021, to relaunch the platform under the name Rubik's WOWCube.[10] Spin Master presented the device as an officially branded Rubik's product, integrating it into the company's broader portfolio of toys and games.[11]

Pre-orders for Rubik's WOWCube opened in 2025 at a launch price of US$299, targeting the 2025 holiday season.[2][1] Media coverage at launch emphasised both the continuity with the earlier WOWCube system and the significance of the Rubik's licensing deal.[12][4]

Design and features

Rubik's WOWCube consists of eight interconnected plastic modules arranged in a 2×2×2 configuration. Each outer face contains a 2×2 grid of small IPS LCD panels, for a total of 24 screens across the device.[2] The modules are linked in a way that allows the cube to be twisted while retaining electrical connections between modules.[10]

Inside, each module includes its own embedded processor, motion sensors, and part of the device's overall battery and audio system. The launch model uses eight processors in total, includes microphones and speakers, and is powered by a battery rated around 3600 mAh.[1]

The primary control scheme is based on physical movement: players twist layers of the cube, tilt and shake it, and in some applications tap on the screens to trigger interactions.[2][3] When not used for games, the device can display apps such as a clock, calendar reminders, weather widgets or photo animations on its faces.[3]

Software is distributed through a dedicated companion application on smartphones. The cube connects via Bluetooth, and users can download and install games and widgets from an app store.[2]

Licensed content

Several games are based on licensed intellectual property:

  • Cut the Rope – Cubios worked with ZeptoLab to adapt the mobile physics puzzle Cut the Rope for the WOWCube platform. The game uses twisting and tilting to cut virtual ropes and move candy towards the character Om Nom.[13][14]
  • Space Invaders Cubed – In 2024 Cubios and Japanese publisher Taito announced Space Invaders Cubed, an officially licensed adaptation of the classic arcade shooter. Players control a spaceship by tilting and rotating the cube, with shooting triggered when the ship is aligned with enemy rows.[6][15]

Reception

Early coverage of the WOWCube Entertainment System was generally positive, focusing on the novelty of its form factor and the potential of combining multiple screens with physical manipulation. Time described the original system as a reinvention of the Rubik's Cube concept when it included the device in its 2021 list of notable inventions.[7]

Forbes called the device "part console, part puzzle, and all chaos", emphasising how games and widgets share the cube's limited surface.[4] The Toy Insider has presented the device as a STEM-oriented platform that brings the Rubik's Cube "into the future" with motion controls and an open software ecosystem.[16]

In a 2025 feature, PC Gamer noted that although the cube incorporates multiple screens and sensors, it is sold at a "whopping $299". The article also pointed out that the device offers fewer grid cells than a standard 3×3 Rubik's Cube, making it less challenging as a pure puzzle. It suggested that the product may appeal more to buyers seeking a novelty tech gift than to serious puzzle enthusiasts, and questioned whether the optional subscription for additional games and services would be attractive to mainstream consumers.[1]

In a piece for Hackaday, writer Maya Posch described Rubik's WOWCube as a device "raising many questions about what market it's really targeting".[17]

In a 2026 hands-on feature, Newsweek described the WOWCube as a blend of physical puzzle mechanics and digital gaming, emphasizing its spatial computing concept and educational potential. The publication highlighted its tactile interaction model while noting its premium price point and niche appeal.[18]

Some reviewers have pointed to the limited number of high-quality games available at launch and the uneven quality of the software catalogue compared with established mobile and console ecosystems. Some hands-on reports mention issues with accessories, such as dock stations.[3][2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Moore, Andy (8 November 2025). "The humble Rubik's Cube is now achingly 2025 thanks to the addition of 24 LCD screens and a whopping $299 price tag". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Hawkins, Andrew (10 October 2025). "This $299 Rubik's Cube swaps colored squares for LCD screens". The Verge. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Hardware Preview – Rubik's WowCube". WorthPlaying. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Gardner, Matt (16 July 2025). "Meet the Rubik's Cube That's Part Console, Part Puzzle, and All Chaos". Forbes. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Cubios Inc teams with Spin Master for Rubik's WOWCube gaming platform". Mojo Nation. 26 July 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b "TAITO and WOWCube(R) Announce New Gaming Collaboration". Yahoo! Finance (Press release). Taito Corporation; Cubios Inc. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Cubios WOWCube – The 100 Best Inventions of 2021". Time. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  8. ^ "The Modern-Day Rubik's Cube – WOWCube". The Scroll. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  9. ^ "WOWCube Entertainment System by CubiOs – StartEngine offering". StartEngine. 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  10. ^ a b Machkovech, Sam (9 October 2025). "Rubik's Cube reimagined as a multi-game, multi-screened gadget for $299". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Re-Introducing the Rubik's® WOWCube®, a New Spin on a Beloved Classic". Yahoo! Finance (Press release). Spin Master; Cubios Inc. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  12. ^ "The Rubik's WOWCube Reimagines Portable Gaming This Holiday Season". GameRant. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Cut the Rope™ – WOWCube Store". WOWCube.com. Cubios Inc. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  14. ^ "All games – WOWCube Store". WOWCube.com. Cubios Inc. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  15. ^ "SPACE INVADERS™ Cubed – WOWCube Store". WOWCube.com. Cubios Inc. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  16. ^ "Rubik's WOWCube". The Toy Insider. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  17. ^ Posch, Maya (15 October 2025). "Rubik's WOWCube: What Really Makes a Toy?". Hackaday. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  18. ^ Roosevelt, Nazmul (23 February 2026). "The Spatial Computing Puzzle: The WOWCube Is the Future of Rubik's Cubes". Newsweek.
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