Awesome alternatives to the Rubik’s Cube
Let’s get one thing clear, we love the Rubik’s Cube. We think it’s a fantastic brain teaser that’s challenging enough to stretch the brain, but possible enough to solve (eventually) without too much undue frustration. But, maybe you’ve had a Rubik’s Cube sitting on your desk for too long, and you’re no longer feeling challenged… maybe you just want to move on to a new puzzle… if any of this describes you, then check out these alternatives to the original Rubik’s Cube.
The 10 best alternatives to the Rubik’s Cube are:
| Image | Product | How hard is it, exactly? | Why it's great | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | X-Cube | Well, the X-Cube has 594,469,003,618,866,131,911,871,299,584,000,000,000 (5.94*10^38, or 594 novemdecillion) different permutations. So, pretty hard. | Believe it or not, the first prototype of this awesome, more difficult Rubik’s cube alternative was made by a 3D printer in 2012 – and the inventor was only 19 years old, and still a student at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL. In June of 2013, the Kickstarter goal was reached, allowing inventor Dane Christianson to begin manufacturing; and by December, 2013 it had already hit retail shelves (starting at Marbles: The Brain Store in Chicago). | Check price |
 | V-Cube | Many different options are available for fun, skill-building, creativity, and inspiration – from the easier 2×2 to the somewhat harder 4×4 version to the immensely challenging 8×8 | V-Cube was invented by Panagiotis Verdes and is currently manufactured by the Greek company Verdes Innovations SA, located in the Korinthos prefecture of southern Greece. | Check price |
 | Star Cube | The Star Cube looks like a Rubik’s Cube, but it’s not too challenging. Mostly, it is intended to be a beautiful and intriguing fidget toy, and is fantastic for origami lovers. | California Creations presents this seemingly magical cube that perpetually transforms into a different cube, Stellated Rhombic Dodecahedron (12 pointed star), then two individual stars, and back to a single cube. | Check price |
 | World’s Smallest Rubik’s Cube | Just as hard as the original! This is the officially licensed miniature Rubik’s Cube – yes, this functional toy is just like the original Rubik’s Cube; but way, way smaller (3/4″x 3/4″ x 3/4″, the same size of traditional dice!) But YES, it really works! | Super Impulse makes tons of miniaturized versions of classic toys, including Yo-Yo, Stretch Armstrong, Etch-A-Sketch, and more. If you (or someone you know) is the type of person who needs a brain teaser like the Rubik’s Cube around all of the time, then this mini Rubik’s is the perfect toy to throw in your pocket, purse, or backpack. | Check price |
 | Pyraminx | A fairly difficult Rubik’s Cube alternative: while some of the pieces can be moved independently, others can only rotate around the axis to which they are attached. | Technically speaking, this pyramidal Rubik’s alternative is actually a tetrahedron divided into 4 axial pieces, 6 edge pieces, and 4 trivial tips. It was developed by Uwe Mèffert and launched by Tomy Toys of Japan in 1981. | Check price |
 | Gear Cube | Unlike the standard Rubik’s Cube, the gear cube contains a full gear mechanism that requires twelve 90° turns to complete a single rotation. Despite this twist, it’s actually a tiny bit easier (but only a tiny bit!) than the original Rubik’s Cube – try it for yourself and see. | A Rubik’s Cube alternative that was invented by M. Oskar van Deventer and inspired by a gearing idea from Bram Cohen. | Check price |
 | Pentaminx | Harder than Rubik’s Cube? Oh, yes. Thought the original Rubik’s Cube was a bit too easy, and you’re looking for a harder alternative? Pentaminx has been billed as the world’s most challenging Rubik’s Cube alternative. | Toy designer Jason Smith combined 975 individual moving parts and an additional 1,212 hand-placed stickers in a process that took over 75 hours of work (probably about as long as it will take you to solve). Officially, it’s a dodecahedral puzzle with 4 slices per face | Check price |
 | Sudokube | About as hard as a Rubik’s Cube, multiplied by a Sudoku puzzle on the most challenging difficulty. Sudokube is a Rubik’s Cube / Sudoku hybrid that is likely to leave you scratching your head. Unlike normal Sudoku (but very much like a normal Rubik’s Cube), any turn of the cube can completely decimate all of the progress that you had made up to that point, so tread lightly. | This combination of a Rubik’s Cube’s spatial relations and Sudoku’s mathematical algorithms was invented by veteran toy maker Jay Horowitz. | Check price |
 | Mirror Cube | It’s a Rubik’s Cube with no colors, so… Hard. Not only are there no colors on any of the sides, but the pieces are varying sizes, too! To top it off, the sides around each individual block are topped with reflective mirrors.' | A Rubik’s Cube alternative that has a few minor quirks to make it more interesting and challenging… but try it if you dare. | Check price |
 | Boob Cube | OK, we’re not sure if this even counts as a Rubik’s Cube alternative, but we had to include it anyways. If it is… it’s the world’s easiest Rubik’s Cube. One of our favorite gag gifts, nonetheless. | Believe it or not, this comes from the same manufacturer as #10, the X-Cube. Think you can solve it? | Check price |
 | X-Cube | It's about as hard as the original Rubik's cube, with a twist! | The layers appear distorted and misshappen, but it still works! It's a high quality ABS material with a sticker-less design, meaning no fading or peeling to worry about. | Check price |
 | V-Cube | It's about as hard as the original Rubik's cube, with a twist! | This uniquely designed toy will be great for people who love the original Rubik's cube, but need a little extra something. The inner pieces rotate on a different plane than the corner pieces, it's amazing to see | Check price |
 | Star Cube | Slightly easier than the original Rubik's cube | It's the same general concept as the original Rubik's puzzle, but slightly simplified. If you were frutrated trying to solve the 3x3, start with this and then move up once you've mastered it. | Check price |
 | World’s Smallest Rubik’s Cube | It's about as hard as the original Rubik's cube, with a twist! | This is an adaptation of the original 3x3 Rubik's cube design. The unique shape is not only eye-catching, but great for smooth and effortless turns. | Check price |
There are a few reasons someone might opt for an off-brand Rubik’s Cube over the original:
Cost: Off-brand cubes often come at a lower price point than the original Rubik’s Cube. For someone looking to try out cube-solving or who wants multiple cubes for practice, the lower cost can be appealing.
Variety: Off-brand cubes come in various designs, sizes, and mechanisms. Some might have different textures or modifications that cater to specific preferences in speed, smoothness, or ease of handling. This variety allows users to experiment and find a cube that suits their style better than the original.
Customization: Many off-brand cubes are designed to be easily disassembled and reassembled. This feature enables users to modify the cube by adjusting tension, replacing parts, or even lubricating it to achieve a customized solving experience, which might not be as easily done with the original Rubik’s Cube.
Performance: Some off-brand cubes are engineered with advanced mechanisms that prioritize speed and agility in solving. Cubers who focus on speed-solving or specific techniques might prefer these cubes for their performance advantages over the original.
Accessibility: Depending on the region, the original Rubik’s Cube might not be as readily available as off-brand alternatives. Accessibility plays a role in the choice of purchasing an off-brand cube, especially if it’s more accessible or easier to find.
While the original Rubik’s Cube holds a certain nostalgic value and quality, off-brand cubes offer a range of options that cater to different preferences in terms of price, performance, customization, and variety. Ultimately, the choice between an off-brand cube and the original often boils down to personal preferences and specific needs for cube-solving enthusiasts.
10 Brain Teasers that are similar to Rubik’s cube
Thanks for reading about Rubik’s Cube Variations… Browse more great Rubik’s Cube alternatives here
Why is the Rubik’s Cube so popular?
The Rubik’s Cube was devised in 1974 by the Hungarian inventor Ernő Rubik. In the second half of the year 1977, the Rubik’s Cube was officially released in Hungary (although it was then known as the Magic Cube) and went on to amaze people of all cultures – even reaching fame as one of the most popular games in the USA by themid-1980ss. By the beginning of 2009, over 350 million cubes were sold worldwide (launching it to the esteemed status of the world’s top-selling puzzle game. It was included in the Oxford English Dictionary by 1982, and the New York Museum of Modern Art even gave the Rubik’s Cube a permanent exhibit. A quick search on YouTube reveals the strong following of the Rubik’s Cube even to this day: over 40,000 entries depict tutorials, video clips, quick solutions, and more.
Even still, we think you’ll like some of these Rubik’s Cube alternatives just as much… maybe a little more. We hope that you’ve enjoyed exploring another set of unique brain teasers to help make you just a little bit smarter!
Fun fact: The University of Michigan’s North Campus contains a giant statue of a Rubik’s Cube. It took over 600 lbs of steel to create.
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