Honestly if I saw this thing in a store I wouldn't pay more than like $50 for it. It would get used a few times, I'd show it to friends, and then it would collect dust. So... actually I guess I'm saying I wouldn't waste my money on it.
i dont like it either but the whole "smart-cube" thing is big among actual cubers. its not really meant for the general population, and definitely not for the people who will compare this to something like a switch.
One of the things I appreciate about this channel is the positive honesty. Even when you can't recommend, it's done in a constructive way. This is a cool proof of concept but that's about it. Even when the bugs are worked out, hundred bucks tops. I don't see this thing succeeding
For perspective’s sake, all well made cubes (used for cubing & speed cubing) come with screw drivers generally. It can be used to not only dissemble & resemble but also to tighten and loosen the cube itself. Not everyone likes the same amounts of resistance. :)
I love when you find the weird stuff and make a video about it. I think I speak for many of us that there's no way we would've ever seen this thing in particular had you not made a video about it.
Just like with all those kitchen gadget reviews I don't want any of it (especially not for 300 dollars or more, lol), but it's cool to have someone demonstrating it
Huge potential, its just the price point which obviously cannot go lower due to the parts and complexity. If it was $100, I would strongly consider it.
Even if it was cheap as hell and worked flawlessly with zero bugs, it's still going to get boring after an hour. It's just not a very good idea for a product.
Customer base is too small and made even smaller by the price, which will remain high because you have 8 separate computers, 8 separate batteries, 24 separate screens... it's too expensive to produce for a consumer-friendly price, even if there were economies of scale, which there won't be because it's market appeal is too narrow.
I'm sure it took a ton of work to get this thing to function properly. I can only imagine the kind of bug you might run into with 20 screens lol. I gotta give them props there. Definitely way to expensive for the average consumer but feel like this is more so made for the people that collect Rubix Cubes and what not.
Can you imagine these things getting tumbled and jumbled around in the hands of consumers, and metal was being careful with it, and it still had errors and the Battery disconnected. I foresee a lot of complaints and returns if it gets released anywhere close to that state.
Even if they improve it, there's no way in hell something this complex is gonna avoid being incredibly fragile. These things are not going to last long.
Certainly looks like a unique product, but unfortunately this has 'supported for 12 months before being discontinued' written all over it. Hopefully enough people give it a chance and it succeeds, though - innovation is always good!
This isn't innovation, it's a smartphone with extra steps. These things need to bomb, because if they don't it's gonna tell other companies to make everything needlessly complicated.
If i was rich, this would be an interesting little novelty to put on my desk. But I'm not, so... maybe 20 years from now when the cost of electronics is different. Adjust for inflation. Until then there's just too much else i need $300+ dollars for, gotta prioritize.
@@Bwalston910 that really depends. It's hard to say what will become a collectors item... actually I've been thinking about this too lately. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so i had a lot of things i wish that i hung onto. I had star wars and ninja turtles everything, NES SNES, stacks of PSX to PS3 and original xbox games. I ended up moving a lot and gave certain things up because at the time it wasn't that expensive. Thought I'd just replace it later. A little time became a lot of time went by and now... look online and games i never thought are going for like $300. If i just kept it, i had a LOT.
If they find a way to drop the price, iron out the technical details, and add a few more compelling puzzles (or open it up to developers, if that isn't in the plan already), I can see puzzle-heads being into this, beyond just the initial "gimmick factor". There are definitely puzzle fans who spend hundreds of dollars on those "get the ring off the rope", loosely speaking, kinds of puzzles, only to solve each one after an hour, and then have them sit on the shelf afterwards. Or maybe parents who want to give their kids something to exercise the brain a bit more than staring at a regular iPad all day might pick in favor of this too, if it was cheaper.
It's already open to developers. I'm a senior software developer with a PhD in comp sci and I took a look at the API for programming this thing as well as some TH-cam videos here that give you an introduction, and the API looks horrible. It's a real mess. I doubt that any third-party is going to support this thing based on that and based on poor sales. I went to the website about two months ago and the "cut the rope" edition was listed at 40% remaining units left. I checked today and it's still at 40% remaining units left. When I try to leave the site now after three visits, it pops up a $50 coupon for one of these things. This was supposed to come out, IIRC, two years ago and was delayed until December of this year. There's no telling if there will be further delays, but if they're desperate enough to offer a coupon on top of everything, you know this device is just not selling well.. I'll be amazed if the company survives 2023. If you want to exercise your kid's brain, get them an actual Rubik's cube and give them access on TH-cam videos on how to solve it. Unlike this trash, a Rubik's cube is a very affordable puzzle in mathematical group theory that will definitely stretch anyone's brain. A 4 cube electronic device (with terrible frame rates) cannot compare to a 26 cube puzzle.
@Christopher Huber Agreed. You may as well just get either a Switch for less that will let you play far more games instead of just half-baked puzzle things. Some parents might buy this for their kids and leave them disappointed.
Exactly. The problem is that whilst this is a pretty cool use of tech, as a puzzle system, it's far too simplistic being only 2x2. So I'm not sure people who are really into puzzles will be that interested.
The programming interface is actually already open, and literally anyone can program stuff for it- even if they don't personally own one already. So it's wide open for more to be added. I got one because I'm both a Rubik's cube fan and trying to learn programming, so I'm possibly going to be making stuff for this. I'm considering making a sort of RPG-like game if I can work with it well enough. Even then, I still like the concept and I'm eager to see what else this thing can do. Even if it becomes a desk ornament for some reason, the decorative aspect (where it can show widgets and similar things) will be nice. Not worth the money alone, but with other games and apps, it's enough for while I'm not using it as actively. I won't say it's for everyone, but it's certainly interesting. And if you want to program for it but not buy one yourself, then that's a valid option too.
That framerate though 😬. I saw an ad for this and was intrigued. For $300 you'd expect a bit more polish. I get things are expensive especially for niche devices, but c'mon
@@adamt1415 LOL I'll keep an eye on eBay next year for someone looking to recoup $50 of their poorly spent money. For that price, it might be almost worth it.
Very cool little product. I can understand why it is as expensive as it is (8 tiny computers, each with three screens, all of which talk to each other), but definitely a niche product. For the money I'd personally have a lot more fun with an Analogue Pocket, Nintendo Switch, etc.
Looks cool and that's it. THOUGH it does make me wish that one guy was still making his amazing 104 key OLED keyboard. He stopped production on that as soon as it started. That thing was extremely expensive but super useful. BASICALLY a stream deck with 104 keys.
The *Optimus Maximus* from Art Lebedev. Amazing keyboard, fully customizable for every game, but too expensive for it to sell well enough. $1600 is a bit too steep.
@@HelloSwiftful I knew it was pricey but not that bad I thought it was like 500-600 dollars. YIKES. BUT then again, at that time, no one was really doing something like that, and the tech wasn't really there either.
I like the idea. anything over $99 (and sell your apps and games fairly priced.) is crazy. I don't care about the cost of components. I'm looking at the cost of a game gadget and pricing it accordingly. for me to be interested. all imo.
This is definitely a very unique idea, and seems like it’s wild to actually play with. Seeing the interior of each computer in the cube is crazy too. Despite some bugs you came across, it shows a lot of promise. The price seems a bit steep, but I can see a market for this. Some of the games seem to cleverly utilize the hardware. Excellent video covering this man!
Price makes sense to me from company's point of view; R&D must have been a lot of work, and they're not a big enough company that they can just sell it at cost. But yeah, from a consumer's point of view, $150 max. Because of this, it just won't catch on. Too bad, 'cause it looks awesome!
I could see like, a school library having a set of these if the librarian was a bit tech savvy. Have a class on how to use them, have them as an option for students hanging out in the library, and every now and then take student recommendations on which game to get next.
You hit the nail on the head. It's a conversation starter and fun gadget for techies with money to blow. If Apple released this for $2,000, it would still sell lol. Also, I like your Opetharina of Time shirt
I've seen this before because I'm also subscribed to channels about Twisty Puzzles/Speedcubing, but it's really cool when channels about things I like crossover and share stuff.
the price comes from all the small screens in it, such high res small screens are expensive and not even close to be compare to cheap small screens for arduinus ( which rock super low res)
It looks more interesting than I originally expected. But it's not $300 worth of fun for me 🤷 Even at $50 I'd be on the fence, because I know it wouldn't get played with after a few days. That's probably the maximum I'd consider paying
I think my dad would really like this and I'd like to give it to him for his birthday or Christmas but it would have to be better and less expensive than what I see here. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it since he always has a Rubik's cube in his hand this is really neat.
Honestly, it’s an engineering marvel. The price tag makes sense since there’s a lot of ingenuity and intricacy to a very simple design. It’s mostly a collector gadget or gimmick imo.
$300 in this economy? One thing video game companies need to realize is when inflation is going crazy, luxury items need to be priced even more competitively since those will be the first items people stop spending money on. Take note, Sony.
2d layout on a cube(or any shape) with a total of 24(or x amount) screens that interact with each other is a pretty sweet playground for the next step in technology software, so if they make it so coders can play with it then it would be nice. but as for gamers or people looking for entertainment, i dont see it going well
You can already go online, download a development environment for your computer, and develop for this thing. It has a terrible API. There are some TH-cam videos on programming it if you look around. Seems like a miserable experience and I suspect no third-party will care or do anything.
Normally a screw driver is included to adjust the cube tension. Some people like their cube real loose. Did they have anything about cube lube use? The action does seem a little stiff
This thing looks insane. 😳 The games look fun, and I'm not gonna lie, the lil error screens looked adorable. 😂 The price is just too much for just a casual fan who, like you said, might be into it for 15 min.
My first thought when seeing this is that it would definitely be a very interesting toy for developers. Designing things to run on an inherently parallel system(s) like that would definitely be novel. It reminds me a bit of the (fake) system you code on in the game TIS-100 by Zachtronics.
This would be a lot of fun to play with. The idea's been around for a long time -- people have been doing scam deals on a fake version of this for years. The reason the idea hasn't yet been approached by a major toy manufacturer is likely the logistics question posed at the end of this video: the question of demographic. I do have a strong interest in such an idea, but this feels like it's not there yet.
Sifteo cubes were the inspiration for our cube. However, the developers are completely different. WOWCube® Entertainment System is the product of Cubios, Inc.
@@MetalJesusRocks wow yes... how time flies.... I have definitely been having a resurgence wirh your channel...recently... devouring your considerable knowledge on hidden gems... Also become a real fan of Radical Reggie through your vids. You really do produce some of the best gaming vids in my opinion. You know it amazing... I have did a vid on you tube 12 years ago and started podcasting 8 years ago... with the latest podcast rgds reaching a mad 309 episodes... Ha ha its crazy.
I definitely want to get this...I love puzzle games and the fact that you have to tinker with it sometimes when something is wrong is more a feature then a bug for me because I love solving simple problems like a disconnected battery. This device is way more complex but when you got in there to see what could be wrong reminded me of getting into a Nintendo DS to see what's wrong with it.
I'm totally loving the WOW Cube! It's like a cool new version of the old Rubik's Cube, but way more awesome with its different dimensions. I went all in and upgraded to the black edition, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Seriously hoping it arrives before the end of the year - that would make for an awesome Christmas gift!
If the price was not prohibitive, I could see a whole new set of competitions growing out of the cubing community for this fantastic thing. Of course, there's the glitchy things that you wouldn't want to be there during a timed competition setting.
If you'e talking about the Rubik's cube, this thing has no similarity to it except that they're both cubes. Someone who actually knows how to solve a Rubik's cube would find this pathetically easy and useless.
@@vorpal22 You sound like a moron. Cubers is EXACTLY who this is for. And saying it has no similarities to the Rubik's cube is such an un-informed thing to say. Cubers will usually have a couple dozen cubes of all sorts of configurations and shapes and scales. A dedicated cuber would more than happily give the $300 for this thing. It IS a bit much for how little it provides, but it's still the perfect little device a cuber would cherish in their collection. The 2x2x2 is a cubing classic, and it is the best option for a device like this. This thing will sell well, in spite of it's price because of the very people you seem to think would find it "pathetically easy and useless" BTW, Rubik is literally one of the lowest quality brands for cubing that isn't just a knock-off.
@@frogfox4287 I may sound like a moron to you, but this is a glorified pocket cube with an incredibly slow frame rate and a very poorly thought out programming language. Yes, I am well aware that this could be used as a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube, of which any configuration can be solved in three moves. People who are serious about cubing are not going to pay $500 for a digital 2x2x2 pocket cube. I also know that people who are serious about cubing often have many three dimensional regular polygonal puzzles. There are also others: my PhD supervisor had a couple dozen variants, but they are usually more complex that the Rubik's Cube, and not less complex, and I emailed him about this trash and we had a good laugh over it. LOL you are the idiot if you think a dedicated cuber would pay $300 (and that is not the price that they are planning on selling it for) for this digital trash. You can buy a 2x2x2 cube for around $5. This thing is going to crash and burn because the sales have been abysmal so far by admission of their own website (and the release keeps getting delayed). No third party manufacturer will make software for this when they could focus instead on a massive market, like smart phones or the Switch. I'm referring to Rubik's Cube specifically because that is what people know. It's like saying Kleenex instead of facial tissue, Benadryl instead of diphenhydramine, Tylenol instead of acetaminophen / paracetamol, etc. When I go to the store, I don't buy the well-known name brand because it usually isn't the best quality and you pay a huge markup for the name but otherwise people don't recognize it. Specifically I was addressing the majority of ignorant comments that specifically compared this to a "Rubik's Cube," but that seems to have eluded you. Thanks for the laugh, dude. I have a PhD in math / computer science, so I understand the math behind cubing to a reasonable degree in theory. I don't enjoy cubing personally but I love abstract algebra. It's like how I long ago stopped playing Sudoku because the mathematical theory of Sudoku is far more interesting than writing numbers in a latin square of order 9 with added restrictions. I also know that this will be a programmer's nightmare based on the videos here on TH-cam and on the API pages for the programming libraries for this. I'd be willing to make a serious wager that - provided it is released in December 2022 this time - by December 2023, this will be landfill waste. Based on the reviews I've seen, it's the "digital puzzle playing" equivalent of having a pet gerbil: it's fun for an hour or two, and then you wonder why you made a horrible mistake and should have bought something else instead.
I wonder how this idea would do as a VR app! Especially if it was an accessory that could get added to valve's virtual loft apartment. As a five to fifteen dollar digital item purchase, would be pretty rad. Man I think I just discovered what I should make for a living.
Hey, that's actually not bad thinking. Putting this into VR solves the price issue completely, it solves the problem of the computers glitching completely, no charging, etcetera. The biggest downside I see is that you lose the tactile feel of actually holding and turning the cube, which is a definitely a big con, but all the pros might out-weigh that. I'd never buy this $300 cube in a million years, but if it was a puzzle app in VR that only cost a couple bucks, I might try it out. (Plus in VR you're not limited to a 2x2 cube. You could have a regular 3x3 cube, or even crazy 100x100 cubes. Puzzle cube fans would go crazy for that feature alone.) I say go for it 👍🏼
This is a stunning piece of hardware and I really want one. I also kinda understand that all the tech inside it may get kinda expensive (like all those screens and mini computers). But 300 bucks for the basic edition is just too much, even if it will get additional games in the future. But then, that's what I paid for a switch. Guess I'll wait it out for a bit and look how good the cube gets supported in the future... Edit: btw, cubers are used to high prices, some GAN cubes go for 70-100 bucks and are just a lump of plastic and don't have any hardware in it ;)
I wonder how big of a production run they would need to get the price point down to at least $150. It helps that they're really only making 2 pieces, the center plastic joint in the middle that it all pivots on and seems to be purely mechanical and the individual cubes, which there are 8 to a unit.
@@degenerate8228 I completely agree in its current situation. I'm just wondering what the numbers would be. If they could get the unit price down to $150, then they'd probably sell at least 50 million units. That may be tempting enough for Mattel, Sony, or Microsoft to pick the company's corpse at the end and put real money behind a mostly already completed product.
This could definitely appeal to people of an older generation, but still be intriguing enough to younger generations. So, the potential seems pretty great, aside from the steep price tag.
There’s definitely niche items and then there’s the niche of the niche and this is one of those items, if that makes any sense. Lol It’s definitely interesting tech. But I really have no idea how long I’d generally be interested in these games. The one thing that was really cool during your breakdown was the screensaver when you turned out the light. It reminded me of lava lamps and the hue they would give off. Prob not as practical as a lava lamp since you the mentioned the battery life of these was only about 5 hours. I’m indifferent on the price. It’s definitely expensive but when you pulled it apart, and showed how each cube is it’s own computer with complex circuitry, I understand the cost. Like I said before a niche of the niche item. 😅
this reminds me: there was a guy at MAGFest like 8 years ago who was devving games for Sifteo Cubes - had a platformer with each room rendered on the screens. It was something like VVVVVV in style, metroidvania-style, and depending on where the second cube was, it let you move the character to the next room, or back again, as if you were adding/removing the next rooms and physically manipulating access to the dungeon itself. Was pretty cool tbh.
It’s a neat little novelty. I can think of a dozen other things I’d personally rather have for $300-$500, but hey, if you have plenty of disposable cash, why not? It’d be a nice little conversation starter to have laying around.
I think this is a case of its way ahead of its time and both the hardware and software are just not there yet to justify a $300+ price tag. Maybe in 20 or 30 years we might see something like this in the mainstream. I know in the past there has been devices that were too far ahead of their time and now something similar is mainstream.
It definitely looks cool, I had the chance to use one at their booth at ces earlier this year. It is fun to use once you know how to, however the cost and the fact that all eight of the batteries will degrade faster since smaller batteries do that quicker than larger ones mean that it will just become more e waste.
I think this thing looks fantastic. Price obvs sucks but I feel like MJR kinda missed the intent behind it? It clearly isn’t for hours long gaming sessions. This is the kind of thing you put on your desk for those 5-10 min stand up and walk around breaks. I didn’t see many really compelling games on it but I hope some developers make some really unique and cool things on it. I get the impression everybody has been trying to fit traditional style games onto it, going about it backwards and leaving loads of unrealized potential
Definitely looks like one of those "fun for 10 minutes" gizmos even when it works. More like a working concept than a well thought out idea. Gonna be a hard pass for me dawg, yikes.
I got this feeling too, it's something you might play with for a little bit, put it back in the box and forget about it. Just way too expensive for how little it actually does. It's like a thing you'd buy if you have too much money or just have to buy everything new to fill that empty void in your soul. I have to give it to the developer that it was a pretty neat idea but probably too complex(hence the price) for its own good.
As someone who likes puzzle cubes I like the concept and would enjoy it. At that price point I'm not a buyer. They have to figure out how to get the price down before it would ever be a successful product. If it was under $200 I think I might consider it but it really needs to be under $150 if they expect to move units.
Yeah, 100 tops. Its a gimmick. Its not really a full gaming experience. You can get a switch, or a mini pc with emulators, or or or. Tons of better stuff. This is a gimmick.
a first person racing game where you twist the cube to steer like a negcon Pretty cool device. But needs a killer app. How about arkanoid with twist controls Not sure how precise this device even is. Maybe it's more like a wiimote
I have the impression that this machine is for people who are already into cubing. I saw it for the first time today and I'm thinking about buying it. My hands are always busy, so I have several cubes of different sizes and types on my desk. I solve them even during meetings, and thanks to the haptic markers on some of them, I don't even have to look at them. It is as if this device has been designed with me in mind.
Ragnarok Odyssey in the intro, I loved that game on Vita and played the heck out of it with my gf. Thought it was a big niche title, really awesome to see it here \o/
I think this thing could have a shot if more interesting games were produced. Imagine having games beyond what look like cheap flash puzzle games here. For instance, someone could design platform games, Zelda-like adventures, all sorts of things. And they could all have customizable levels from twisting sections of the cube. If the screens were touch screens, the ones on the sides and the bottom of the cube (the ones, not currently face up) would provide the player with plenty of controls. This is currently lacking imagination, but I think it could have potential if the right people were to get involved.
I really hope, someone sees this and makes a "VR" version of it. The concept of solving puzzles with rotating the cube is pretty fascinating and could work in a VR enviroment. The hardware version is sadly way to expensive... and I can't imagine, that they could cut the producing costs very much.
Great concept! I believe they should include a scroller remote or a app to choose the games and drop the touch ability so it could be cheaper and won’t have to worry about the touch panels not responding normally. But great idea!
I watched this device develop and was so excited to buy one. But not at those price points. I was expecting a base price of $200 with an early bird price around $100. $300 was too high to justify and now the base price is $400. It's unique, but would ultimately sit on a bookshelf as a display piece like my Light L16 or Lytro cameras.
Looks like a cool concept! Still a ways away from reaching it's full gaming potential but I respect this company's bravery for doing something different. Hopefully they can figure out how to get the prices lower tho.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[#2024MAMA] BIGBANG (빅뱅) - 뱅뱅뱅 (BANG BANG BANG) + FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQsYfiPR9uM/mqdefault.jpg)
Honestly if I saw this thing in a store I wouldn't pay more than like $50 for it. It would get used a few times, I'd show it to friends, and then it would collect dust. So... actually I guess I'm saying I wouldn't waste my money on it.
Basically $50 is even a waste
Considering the battery connections might not last two hours, probably a wise decision.
i dont like it either but the whole "smart-cube" thing is big among actual cubers. its not really meant for the general population, and definitely not for the people who will compare this to something like a switch.
@@fezzes428 "Not meant for the general population." Understatement of the year.
35,- bucks no more.
One of the things I appreciate about this channel is the positive honesty. Even when you can't recommend, it's done in a constructive way. This is a cool proof of concept but that's about it. Even when the bugs are worked out, hundred bucks tops. I don't see this thing succeeding
For perspective’s sake, all well made cubes (used for cubing & speed cubing) come with screw drivers generally.
It can be used to not only dissemble & resemble but also to tighten and loosen the cube itself. Not everyone likes the same amounts of resistance. :)
That makes sense. 👍
disassemble* reassemble*
Interesting, never knew that
I love when you find the weird stuff and make a video about it. I think I speak for many of us that there's no way we would've ever seen this thing in particular had you not made a video about it.
Just like with all those kitchen gadget reviews I don't want any of it (especially not for 300 dollars or more, lol), but it's cool to have someone demonstrating it
It is an absolute travesty the (low) number of MJR subscribers there are. Very smart, polite, and informative TH-camr.
I think the weird stuf finds MJR, and not the other way around.
@@fames4514 - True! Maybe. I don't know how much skulking he does in the periphery of the gaming world. Lol
Dude gets sent this stuff, he doesn’t spend hours online scouring the deep web.
Huge potential, its just the price point which obviously cannot go lower due to the parts and complexity. If it was $100, I would strongly consider it.
It likely would eventually, but I don't see there being a big enough market to get economies of scale going or for the hardware itself to get cheaper.
it's a novelty. i dont see how it could ever be more than that.
Even if it was cheap as hell and worked flawlessly with zero bugs, it's still going to get boring after an hour. It's just not a very good idea for a product.
Customer base is too small and made even smaller by the price, which will remain high because you have 8 separate computers, 8 separate batteries, 24 separate screens... it's too expensive to produce for a consumer-friendly price, even if there were economies of scale, which there won't be because it's market appeal is too narrow.
I don't see how this has any potential outside of being a novelty.
I'm sure it took a ton of work to get this thing to function properly. I can only imagine the kind of bug you might run into with 20 screens lol. I gotta give them props there. Definitely way to expensive for the average consumer but feel like this is more so made for the people that collect Rubix Cubes and what not.
24 screens
Yeah, seems like it should've been a one-off cool project/build rather than a commercial product
You know why both PS3 and GameCube failed? Too expensive. This cube is walking the same way
@@solouno2280lol hey the PS3 managed to be the most successful failure ever somehow.
@@solouno2280 Multiple million dollars in sales is a failure?
I had the same opinion on price of the playdate. I'd pay around 60$ for such a limited device but at nearly $200 it's a no go for me.
Can you imagine these things getting tumbled and jumbled around in the hands of consumers, and metal was being careful with it, and it still had errors and the Battery disconnected. I foresee a lot of complaints and returns if it gets released anywhere close to that state.
Even if they improve it, there's no way in hell something this complex is gonna avoid being incredibly fragile. These things are not going to last long.
Yep
Or the engineers behind might be more clever than you and thought of a way to make it well, that's also a possibility 🙂
@@AleksandarIvanov69 This guy was being careful with it and it still broke after only a couple hours! No way you weren't paid to say that nonsense.
@@mattpace1026 wowcube actually posted a drop test video, modules can be placed back on easily if they fall off when dropped
Certainly looks like a unique product, but unfortunately this has 'supported for 12 months before being discontinued' written all over it. Hopefully enough people give it a chance and it succeeds, though - innovation is always good!
This isn't innovation, it's a smartphone with extra steps. These things need to bomb, because if they don't it's gonna tell other companies to make everything needlessly complicated.
If i was rich, this would be an interesting little novelty to put on my desk. But I'm not, so... maybe 20 years from now when the cost of electronics is different. Adjust for inflation. Until then there's just too much else i need $300+ dollars for, gotta prioritize.
@@derealized797 It would only get more expensive, becoming a collectors item.
@@Bwalston910 that really depends. It's hard to say what will become a collectors item... actually I've been thinking about this too lately. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so i had a lot of things i wish that i hung onto. I had star wars and ninja turtles everything, NES SNES, stacks of PSX to PS3 and original xbox games.
I ended up moving a lot and gave certain things up because at the time it wasn't that expensive. Thought I'd just replace it later. A little time became a lot of time went by and now... look online and games i never thought are going for like $300. If i just kept it, i had a LOT.
If they find a way to drop the price, iron out the technical details, and add a few more compelling puzzles (or open it up to developers, if that isn't in the plan already), I can see puzzle-heads being into this, beyond just the initial "gimmick factor". There are definitely puzzle fans who spend hundreds of dollars on those "get the ring off the rope", loosely speaking, kinds of puzzles, only to solve each one after an hour, and then have them sit on the shelf afterwards. Or maybe parents who want to give their kids something to exercise the brain a bit more than staring at a regular iPad all day might pick in favor of this too, if it was cheaper.
It's already open to developers. I'm a senior software developer with a PhD in comp sci and I took a look at the API for programming this thing as well as some TH-cam videos here that give you an introduction, and the API looks horrible. It's a real mess.
I doubt that any third-party is going to support this thing based on that and based on poor sales. I went to the website about two months ago and the "cut the rope" edition was listed at 40% remaining units left. I checked today and it's still at 40% remaining units left. When I try to leave the site now after three visits, it pops up a $50 coupon for one of these things.
This was supposed to come out, IIRC, two years ago and was delayed until December of this year. There's no telling if there will be further delays, but if they're desperate enough to offer a coupon on top of everything, you know this device is just not selling well..
I'll be amazed if the company survives 2023.
If you want to exercise your kid's brain, get them an actual Rubik's cube and give them access on TH-cam videos on how to solve it. Unlike this trash, a Rubik's cube is a very affordable puzzle in mathematical group theory that will definitely stretch anyone's brain. A 4 cube electronic device (with terrible frame rates) cannot compare to a 26 cube puzzle.
@Christopher Huber Agreed. You may as well just get either a Switch for less that will let you play far more games instead of just half-baked puzzle things. Some parents might buy this for their kids and leave them disappointed.
Exactly. The problem is that whilst this is a pretty cool use of tech, as a puzzle system, it's far too simplistic being only 2x2. So I'm not sure people who are really into puzzles will be that interested.
theres actually an sdk which makes it easy for developers to make games for the device
The programming interface is actually already open, and literally anyone can program stuff for it- even if they don't personally own one already. So it's wide open for more to be added.
I got one because I'm both a Rubik's cube fan and trying to learn programming, so I'm possibly going to be making stuff for this. I'm considering making a sort of RPG-like game if I can work with it well enough.
Even then, I still like the concept and I'm eager to see what else this thing can do. Even if it becomes a desk ornament for some reason, the decorative aspect (where it can show widgets and similar things) will be nice. Not worth the money alone, but with other games and apps, it's enough for while I'm not using it as actively.
I won't say it's for everyone, but it's certainly interesting. And if you want to program for it but not buy one yourself, then that's a valid option too.
That framerate though 😬. I saw an ad for this and was intrigued. For $300 you'd expect a bit more polish. I get things are expensive especially for niche devices, but c'mon
I look forward to picking one of these up on clearance for about $50 so it can sit on my shelf next to my Ouya
@@adamt1415 LOL I'll keep an eye on eBay next year for someone looking to recoup $50 of their poorly spent money. For that price, it might be almost worth it.
Very cool little product. I can understand why it is as expensive as it is (8 tiny computers, each with three screens, all of which talk to each other), but definitely a niche product. For the money I'd personally have a lot more fun with an Analogue Pocket, Nintendo Switch, etc.
Very true!
At this price, why the heck would someone buy this over a Steam Deck?
@@Radwar99 Novelty, only if you have cash to spare.
@@Radwar99 or a case of beer... or 100
Looks cool and that's it. THOUGH it does make me wish that one guy was still making his amazing 104 key OLED keyboard. He stopped production on that as soon as it started. That thing was extremely expensive but super useful. BASICALLY a stream deck with 104 keys.
The *Optimus Maximus* from Art Lebedev. Amazing keyboard, fully customizable for every game, but too expensive for it to sell well enough. $1600 is a bit too steep.
@@HelloSwiftful I knew it was pricey but not that bad I thought it was like 500-600 dollars. YIKES. BUT then again, at that time, no one was really doing something like that, and the tech wasn't really there either.
Talked with these guys coming on my channel for an interview I’m excited about this product
Love how honest your reviews are.
I like the idea. anything over $99 (and sell your apps and games fairly priced.)
is crazy. I don't care about the cost of components. I'm looking at the cost
of a game gadget and pricing it accordingly. for me to be interested. all imo.
Very interesting but way too expensive to be other than a tech demo
Very curious device.
Also the little green guy in Cut the Rope is named "Om Nom".
That's a lot of technology packed in there.
This is definitely a very unique idea, and seems like it’s wild to actually play with. Seeing the interior of each computer in the cube is crazy too. Despite some bugs you came across, it shows a lot of promise. The price seems a bit steep, but I can see a market for this. Some of the games seem to cleverly utilize the hardware. Excellent video covering this man!
name checks out
Price makes sense to me from company's point of view; R&D must have been a lot of work, and they're not a big enough company that they can just sell it at cost. But yeah, from a consumer's point of view, $150 max. Because of this, it just won't catch on. Too bad, 'cause it looks awesome!
I could see like, a school library having a set of these if the librarian was a bit tech savvy. Have a class on how to use them, have them as an option for students hanging out in the library, and every now and then take student recommendations on which game to get next.
You hit the nail on the head. It's a conversation starter and fun gadget for techies with money to blow. If Apple released this for $2,000, it would still sell lol. Also, I like your Opetharina of Time shirt
If Apple releases something like this, everyone will say it's the biggest innovation ever.
@@sali-ali They would line up around the block to buy the new Apple iCube. Apple is a cult.
I've seen this before because I'm also subscribed to channels about Twisty Puzzles/Speedcubing, but it's really cool when channels about things I like crossover and share stuff.
I think this would be useful actually. The videogames make it less boring than regular fidget toys and the physicality makes it calming.
...until the battery unplugs in one of your cubes. 😂
If it ever goes on sale, I'm grabbing one!
This will definitely be on sale a few months after launch like other's have said this thing ain't worth more than 100Quid
the price comes from all the small screens in it, such high res small screens are expensive and not even close to be compare to cheap small screens for arduinus ( which rock super low res)
Sale my ass, if they can't recuperate the costs, they're going bankrupt
@@cloudboysmusic5223 Which they probably just barely will, because the spoiled hipsters this is made for will eat this right up.
@@mattpace1026 the gameboy with a crane proves stupid shit like this will recoup it's loses.
@@metroided34 I'm somehow both surprised and not surprised there were people who wasted their money on that junk.
It looks more interesting than I originally expected. But it's not $300 worth of fun for me 🤷
Even at $50 I'd be on the fence, because I know it wouldn't get played with after a few days. That's probably the maximum I'd consider paying
I think my dad would really like this and I'd like to give it to him for his birthday or Christmas but it would have to be better and less expensive than what I see here. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it since he always has a Rubik's cube in his hand this is really neat.
$1k smartphones and this is multiple computers with these screens working as they do hard to imagine it being cheap
I don't want to spend $300 but I can definitely understand why it is that price! For what it does and how it works it is impressive!
Why you don’t want to spend $300?
Super neat product. I'd love to review it one day when it's 20 years old
Honestly, it’s an engineering marvel. The price tag makes sense since there’s a lot of ingenuity and intricacy to a very simple design.
It’s mostly a collector gadget or gimmick imo.
dont ever change your content...you are one of the last chill classic style gaming youtubers out there...
$300 in this economy? One thing video game companies need to realize is when inflation is going crazy, luxury items need to be priced even more competitively since those will be the first items people stop spending money on. Take note, Sony.
Somehow, I doubt this is made for normal people who actually have budget concerns.
@@mattpace1026 who is this even made for?
@@metroided34 Spoiled hipsters is my guess.
Looks dope. Might get one for my grandpa to exercise him mind 🤘🤘
2d layout on a cube(or any shape) with a total of 24(or x amount) screens that interact with each other is a pretty sweet playground for the next step in technology software, so if they make it so coders can play with it then it would be nice.
but as for gamers or people looking for entertainment, i dont see it going well
You can already go online, download a development environment for your computer, and develop for this thing. It has a terrible API.
There are some TH-cam videos on programming it if you look around.
Seems like a miserable experience and I suspect no third-party will care or do anything.
Normally a screw driver is included to adjust the cube tension. Some people like their cube real loose. Did they have anything about cube lube use? The action does seem a little stiff
This thing looks insane. 😳 The games look fun, and I'm not gonna lie, the lil error screens looked adorable. 😂 The price is just too much for just a casual fan who, like you said, might be into it for 15 min.
Great review. Makes my day when y’all upload lol
My first thought when seeing this is that it would definitely be a very interesting toy for developers. Designing things to run on an inherently parallel system(s) like that would definitely be novel. It reminds me a bit of the (fake) system you code on in the game TIS-100 by Zachtronics.
This would be a lot of fun to play with. The idea's been around for a long time -- people have been doing scam deals on a fake version of this for years. The reason the idea hasn't yet been approached by a major toy manufacturer is likely the logistics question posed at the end of this video: the question of demographic. I do have a strong interest in such an idea, but this feels like it's not there yet.
I had sifteo cubes about 10 years ago. They were a cool idea but needed more games. I wonder if this is the same developers.
Sifteo cubes were the inspiration for our cube. However, the developers are completely different. WOWCube® Entertainment System is the product of Cubios, Inc.
@@WOWCube Oh that's cool. I really like the WOWcubes but am going to wait for them to hit the $200 range before I pick them up.
I really love your honesty about the product. Pretty cool thing but the price is out of this world
great honest review. cool gadget but wouldnt be for me. still nice to see its uniqueness.
I just noticed you've been subscribed to me for 11 YEARS!!! Dang... Thank you so much 😍
@@MetalJesusRocks wow yes... how time flies.... I have definitely been having a resurgence wirh your channel...recently... devouring your considerable knowledge on hidden gems... Also become a real fan of Radical Reggie through your vids. You really do produce some of the best gaming vids in my opinion.
You know it amazing... I have did a vid on you tube 12 years ago and started podcasting 8 years ago... with the latest podcast rgds reaching a mad 309 episodes... Ha ha its crazy.
To be real, it’s brand new tech. It’s worth the $300 for the enthusiasts that want to support this. It look incredible. So unique.
Where did you get that Ocarina of Time/Opeth shirt? That is sick and I want it.
This dude does those video game / metal mash-up shirts: draculabyte.com
I like the idea of the cube but only when you got to that car game. That looked like genuine fun.
I bet someone will get classic Doom to run on it.
Cool video. Looks like a cool device. Thanks for the upload.
I definitely want to get this...I love puzzle games and the fact that you have to tinker with it sometimes when something is wrong is more a feature then a bug for me because I love solving simple problems like a disconnected battery. This device is way more complex but when you got in there to see what could be wrong reminded me of getting into a Nintendo DS to see what's wrong with it.
Has to be expensive, it's like 24 Apple Watch screens stuck together.
Amazing device! It is sad that innovative and original devices are so often held back by high pricing.
also by lack of fun.... i cant imagine these little puzzle games could entertain me more than maybe about 10 minutes lol
this is objectively not amazing
I think its pretty stupid. Like really stupid
I'm totally loving the WOW Cube! It's like a cool new version of the old Rubik's Cube, but way more awesome with its different dimensions. I went all in and upgraded to the black edition, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Seriously hoping it arrives before the end of the year - that would make for an awesome Christmas gift!
Whole new meaning for GameCube
I bet my daughter would love one. She is 1.5 😀 well i want one, just soo cool and innovative, they will probably fix the bugs before release
If the price was not prohibitive, I could see a whole new set of competitions growing out of the cubing community for this fantastic thing. Of course, there's the glitchy things that you wouldn't want to be there during a timed competition setting.
If you'e talking about the Rubik's cube, this thing has no similarity to it except that they're both cubes. Someone who actually knows how to solve a Rubik's cube would find this pathetically easy and useless.
@@vorpal22 You sound like a moron. Cubers is EXACTLY who this is for. And saying it has no similarities to the Rubik's cube is such an un-informed thing to say. Cubers will usually have a couple dozen cubes of all sorts of configurations and shapes and scales. A dedicated cuber would more than happily give the $300 for this thing. It IS a bit much for how little it provides, but it's still the perfect little device a cuber would cherish in their collection.
The 2x2x2 is a cubing classic, and it is the best option for a device like this. This thing will sell well, in spite of it's price because of the very people you seem to think would find it "pathetically easy and useless"
BTW, Rubik is literally one of the lowest quality brands for cubing that isn't just a knock-off.
@@frogfox4287 I may sound like a moron to you, but this is a glorified pocket cube with an incredibly slow frame rate and a very poorly thought out programming language.
Yes, I am well aware that this could be used as a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube, of which any configuration can be solved in three moves. People who are serious about cubing are not going to pay $500 for a digital 2x2x2 pocket cube.
I also know that people who are serious about cubing often have many three dimensional regular polygonal puzzles. There are also others: my PhD supervisor had a couple dozen variants, but they are usually more complex that the Rubik's Cube, and not less complex, and I emailed him about this trash and we had a good laugh over it.
LOL you are the idiot if you think a dedicated cuber would pay $300 (and that is not the price that they are planning on selling it for) for this digital trash. You can buy a 2x2x2 cube for around $5.
This thing is going to crash and burn because the sales have been abysmal so far by admission of their own website (and the release keeps getting delayed). No third party manufacturer will make software for this when they could focus instead on a massive market, like smart phones or the Switch.
I'm referring to Rubik's Cube specifically because that is what people know. It's like saying Kleenex instead of facial tissue, Benadryl instead of diphenhydramine, Tylenol instead of acetaminophen / paracetamol, etc. When I go to the store, I don't buy the well-known name brand because it usually isn't the best quality and you pay a huge markup for the name but otherwise people don't recognize it. Specifically I was addressing the majority of ignorant comments that specifically compared this to a "Rubik's Cube," but that seems to have eluded you.
Thanks for the laugh, dude. I have a PhD in math / computer science, so I understand the math behind cubing to a reasonable degree in theory. I don't enjoy cubing personally but I love abstract algebra. It's like how I long ago stopped playing Sudoku because the mathematical theory of Sudoku is far more interesting than writing numbers in a latin square of order 9 with added restrictions. I also know that this will be a programmer's nightmare based on the videos here on TH-cam and on the API pages for the programming libraries for this.
I'd be willing to make a serious wager that - provided it is released in December 2022 this time - by December 2023, this will be landfill waste. Based on the reviews I've seen, it's the "digital puzzle playing" equivalent of having a pet gerbil: it's fun for an hour or two, and then you wonder why you made a horrible mistake and should have bought something else instead.
There are specialty rubiks cubes that are extremely expensive. the 21x21 cube costs $1,500
I wonder how this idea would do as a VR app! Especially if it was an accessory that could get added to valve's virtual loft apartment. As a five to fifteen dollar digital item purchase, would be pretty rad. Man I think I just discovered what I should make for a living.
Sounds like a good idea buddy gl you can do it and sell to vr chat
Hey, that's actually not bad thinking. Putting this into VR solves the price issue completely, it solves the problem of the computers glitching completely, no charging, etcetera. The biggest downside I see is that you lose the tactile feel of actually holding and turning the cube, which is a definitely a big con, but all the pros might out-weigh that. I'd never buy this $300 cube in a million years, but if it was a puzzle app in VR that only cost a couple bucks, I might try it out. (Plus in VR you're not limited to a 2x2 cube. You could have a regular 3x3 cube, or even crazy 100x100 cubes. Puzzle cube fans would go crazy for that feature alone.)
I say go for it 👍🏼
It's an alien device, you have to think in 3D to use it.It also opens portal to another dimension after you complete the game.
And it then releases cenobites to show you the many pleasures of Hell
This is a stunning piece of hardware and I really want one. I also kinda understand that all the tech inside it may get kinda expensive (like all those screens and mini computers). But 300 bucks for the basic edition is just too much, even if it will get additional games in the future. But then, that's what I paid for a switch. Guess I'll wait it out for a bit and look how good the cube gets supported in the future...
Edit: btw, cubers are used to high prices, some GAN cubes go for 70-100 bucks and are just a lump of plastic and don't have any hardware in it ;)
The Magic 8-Ball is the thing you ask the questions to.
Won't be long until someone puts Doom on the device.
I wonder how big of a production run they would need to get the price point down to at least $150. It helps that they're really only making 2 pieces, the center plastic joint in the middle that it all pivots on and seems to be purely mechanical and the individual cubes, which there are 8 to a unit.
The company would probably go bust after a month.
@@degenerate8228 I completely agree in its current situation. I'm just wondering what the numbers would be. If they could get the unit price down to $150, then they'd probably sell at least 50 million units. That may be tempting enough for Mattel, Sony, or Microsoft to pick the company's corpse at the end and put real money behind a mostly already completed product.
This could definitely appeal to people of an older generation, but still be intriguing enough to younger generations. So, the potential seems pretty great, aside from the steep price tag.
Thank u for stating price at beginning of video. Others try to hide outrageous price at the end after they build it up
There’s definitely niche items and then there’s the niche of the niche and this is one of those items, if that makes any sense. Lol
It’s definitely interesting tech. But I really have no idea how long I’d generally be interested in these games.
The one thing that was really cool during your breakdown was the screensaver when you turned out the light. It reminded me of lava lamps and the hue they would give off. Prob not as practical as a lava lamp since you the mentioned the battery life of these was only about 5 hours.
I’m indifferent on the price. It’s definitely expensive but when you pulled it apart, and showed how each cube is it’s own computer with complex circuitry, I understand the cost.
Like I said before a niche of the niche item. 😅
I want it so bad but I don’t know wether to put it in my game collection or my puzzle cube collection what do I do
I would definitely rather buy a Switch and a regular rubix cube.
this reminds me: there was a guy at MAGFest like 8 years ago who was devving games for Sifteo Cubes - had a platformer with each room rendered on the screens. It was something like VVVVVV in style, metroidvania-style, and depending on where the second cube was, it let you move the character to the next room, or back again, as if you were adding/removing the next rooms and physically manipulating access to the dungeon itself. Was pretty cool tbh.
It’s a neat little novelty. I can think of a dozen other things I’d personally rather have for $300-$500, but hey, if you have plenty of disposable cash, why not? It’d be a nice little conversation starter to have laying around.
Wow, amazing product! How did they think to build something like this, just amazing 👍
Thank you for the nice words ☺
Magic 8-ball
Yes! That was what I was thinking of 😂
I think this is a case of its way ahead of its time and both the hardware and software are just not there yet to justify a $300+ price tag. Maybe in 20 or 30 years we might see something like this in the mainstream. I know in the past there has been devices that were too far ahead of their time and now something similar is mainstream.
…yeah, but can it run *Crysis?* 😏
I would try that LOL
It definitely looks cool, I had the chance to use one at their booth at ces earlier this year. It is fun to use once you know how to, however the cost and the fact that all eight of the batteries will degrade faster since smaller batteries do that quicker than larger ones mean that it will just become more e waste.
Strange item for sure. Cost of living crises is happening. I cannot see this being a hit. It's a miss from me.
I think this thing looks fantastic. Price obvs sucks but I feel like MJR kinda missed the intent behind it? It clearly isn’t for hours long gaming sessions. This is the kind of thing you put on your desk for those 5-10 min stand up and walk around breaks. I didn’t see many really compelling games on it but I hope some developers make some really unique and cool things on it. I get the impression everybody has been trying to fit traditional style games onto it, going about it backwards and leaving loads of unrealized potential
Definitely looks like one of those "fun for 10 minutes" gizmos even when it works. More like a working concept than a well thought out idea. Gonna be a hard pass for me dawg, yikes.
I got this feeling too, it's something you might play with for a little bit, put it back in the box and forget about it. Just way too expensive for how little it actually does. It's like a thing you'd buy if you have too much money or just have to buy everything new to fill that empty void in your soul. I have to give it to the developer that it was a pretty neat idea but probably too complex(hence the price) for its own good.
The fact one of the initial offerings is a more complicated version of a lame app from a decade ago tells me everything I need to know.
Team up with them and release a replica of the hair wig with each unit.
How long until someone makes it play Doom? 🤣
Can you imagine trying to twist and tilt your way through Doom?! That would be HILARIOUS 😂
As someone who likes puzzle cubes I like the concept and would enjoy it. At that price point I'm not a buyer. They have to figure out how to get the price down before it would ever be a successful product. If it was under $200 I think I might consider it but it really needs to be under $150 if they expect to move units.
Yeah, 100 tops. Its a gimmick. Its not really a full gaming experience.
You can get a switch, or a mini pc with emulators, or or or. Tons of better stuff. This is a gimmick.
It’s amazing the crap people create thinking it will be big
a first person racing game where you twist the cube to steer like a negcon
Pretty cool device. But needs a killer app.
How about arkanoid with twist controls
Not sure how precise this device even is. Maybe it's more like a wiimote
Absolutely not. I wouldn't pay anything over $100. For $300 it better be touchscreen and actually run smoothly. Nothing here seems to exceed 10 FPS.
What a great, honest review and cool little gadget. If it was 2010, I would totally get one!
I have the impression that this machine is for people who are already into cubing. I saw it for the first time today and I'm thinking about buying it. My hands are always busy, so I have several cubes of different sizes and types on my desk. I solve them even during meetings, and thanks to the haptic markers on some of them, I don't even have to look at them. It is as if this device has been designed with me in mind.
Seems cool, but like in that: pick it up for like 10 minutes and play with it, then put it back and never touch it again, sort of way.
I can't see this taking off, great review as always
Ragnarok Odyssey in the intro, I loved that game on Vita and played the heck out of it with my gf. Thought it was a big niche title, really awesome to see it here \o/
I think this thing could have a shot if more interesting games were produced. Imagine having games beyond what look like cheap flash puzzle games here. For instance, someone could design platform games, Zelda-like adventures, all sorts of things. And they could all have customizable levels from twisting sections of the cube. If the screens were touch screens, the ones on the sides and the bottom of the cube (the ones, not currently face up) would provide the player with plenty of controls. This is currently lacking imagination, but I think it could have potential if the right people were to get involved.
I really hope, someone sees this and makes a "VR" version of it. The concept of solving puzzles with rotating the cube is pretty fascinating and could work in a VR enviroment. The hardware version is sadly way to expensive... and I can't imagine, that they could cut the producing costs very much.
Cool idea. I love that there are people out there thinking outside the box.
Very cool, but hopefully they could make this better with version 2.
Great concept! I believe they should include a scroller remote or a app to choose the games and drop the touch ability so it could be cheaper and won’t have to worry about the touch panels not responding normally. But great idea!
This guy has Ataris Montezuma for a second on his intro, true gaming right there you got a like and a subscribe just for that
I watched this device develop and was so excited to buy one. But not at those price points. I was expecting a base price of $200 with an early bird price around $100. $300 was too high to justify and now the base price is $400. It's unique, but would ultimately sit on a bookshelf as a display piece like my Light L16 or Lytro cameras.
I love how it comes with that free troubleshooting game where you have to disassemble it in order to make it run!
Coolest idea for a handheld game console ever! Hopefully they can work the bugs out and bring down the price.
Looks like a cool concept! Still a ways away from reaching it's full gaming potential but I respect this company's bravery for doing something different. Hopefully they can figure out how to get the prices lower tho.