Every year at San Diego Comic-Con I can count on finding something really interesting away from the noise and excitement of the convention center floor and this year was no exception. Cubios rented a theater in downtown San Diego to present their innovative electronic toy/smart device/gaming platform to the press, the WOWCube. The “Cube” half of the WOWCube’s name is more than a reference to its shape, it’s an homage to its inspiration, the iconic Rubik’s Cube. I’m sure that the Rubik’s Cube doesn’t need an introduction here given that it’s the second best-selling toy of all-time (FYI, the number one spot is held by Barbie), but in case you need a memory-jogger it’s the cube made up of nine smaller cubes on each face, each of which is covered by stickers of a particular color. Twist and turn the faces to mix up the colors and then try to align the smaller cubes to restore the faces to a single color. You may have one at home as you read this. In fact, I have two in my office where I am writing this article, one of which is a more challenging version with sixteen cubes per face.
OK, OK, you have a Rubik’s Cube or two already like me, why would you want a WOWCube? Well, what if I told you that someone made a Rubik’s Cube, but replaced each of the stickers with a sharp LED screen that popped with brilliant color? Now to be completely accurate, the WOWCube is really a 2x2 Rubik’s Mini Cube, but that doesn’t really diminish how cool this thing looks and plays (besides, the devs hinted that a 3x3 version may appear in the future).
There’s a lot of tech magic at work in the WOWCube. Each of the eight modules in the cube has its own microprocessor, speaker, and battery, as well as a motion sensor to determine its orientation and when it is being moved. This is all amazing in and of itself, but what’s really cool is that what both allows the cube to be twisted in each direction and the modules to communicate with each other are magnetic connectors that resemble ball bearings. The magnets are strong enough that you won’t tear the cube apart while twisting and turning it, but not so much so that you can can’t pop the cubes off if you want – the cubes’ screens are impact resistant, but if you really smash the thing and need to replace a module, you’ll be able to do so without having to buy a whole new WOWCube.
So, what are some of the things that you can do with the WOWCube? Well, for starters it can be used as a traditional Rubik’s Cube. Turn the sides until each side is all one color, except in this case the sides aren’t colored stickers but rather illuminated screens. Since you’re no longer constrained by color stickers, there are also some variations on this theme such as solving the cube to make each face a portrait of a Marvel superhero or turning the cube into an interactive comic or manga in which you align the panels and advance the story.
There will also be plenty of other games available that take advantage of the WOWCube’s unique features. Puzzle games are a natural, of course, but in addition to the kind of puzzles that may first come to mind that are based on patterns or numbers, there are some new takes on familiar favorites like Cut the Rope. Ropes can be sliced by twisting the cube, and the direction of gravity can be changed by changing the orientation of the entire cube. And instead of working on a flat screen, you’ll need to use all faces of the cube to deliver Om Nom its treat. There were several more games to try out at the event, but there are a whole lot more available on the dedicated app store for the WOWCube. The developers are also making it easy for more games to be developed for the WOWCube by providing a full developers kit for it as a free download. You can even download it now and give it a try yourself.
The WOWCube will also support integration with other games. Put it next to your PC while playing and set its faces to track level and season progression, ammo, and other information that you can check at a glance.
When you’re not playing games, you can keep the WOWCube on your desk and use each screen as a display widget. Track time, stock prices, the weather, and other useful information. It can also be used as ambient décor, displaying your favorite photos or turning the cube into a miniature 3D aquarium.
The WOWCube felt solid in my hands, it had some heft to it making it feel sturdily built and something that would stand up to a vigorous play session. The sides were easy to turn, and I never felt it stick or get in the way while playing one of the games. The screens really are gorgeous and provide for vivid, colorful graphics. And the best thing about it was that after my time with it was over, I was left feeling like I wanted to keep playing and get my hands on it again soon. So when can you get your hands on one? You won’t have to wait long, as the WOWCube will be available in time for the holidays. You may want to add it to your wish list now (and it would probably be a good idea to add your name to the waitlist).