Amazon.com Customer Reviews
And, no, I haven't seen "Pursuit of Happiness" yet, but I'll keep my eyes peeled. - Review written on April 24, 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5
21 customers found this review helpful, 1 did not.
Of course you should follow your own interests and do what you enjoy, but there's also something to be said for having a few skills that seem more impressive than they are.
It's not that doing the Rubik's cube is easy, but it isn't as mysterious as it seems at first. It actually doesn't take a genius. There is a method for solving it, and it is learnable. It requires no more effort than solving one of those video games that you sit in your basement and play for hours with your buddies. A handful of your aimless buddies might be impressed when you beat a video game, but I promise it doesn't travel any further than that. Video games link a little bit more directly to your brain's reward system, with their immediate bonuses for good play and game-over consequences for mistakes. The cube might take a little bit more discipline to stick with, but it certainly won't take up any more time.
Being a bigger cube, with more moving parts- just 56 though, since the center is a sphere- Rubik's Revenge is easier to break. It's not conducive to trying to beat your previous time. You have to make sure all the planes are lined up before giving it a turn. The 4X4X4 seems like it would be much more complicated than the 3X3X3, what with 10 to the 45th possible permutations, versus just 10 to the 19th for the smaller version. But, in fact, it isn't much harder. Here's the trick, and stop reading if you want to figure it out on your own: any N cubed puzzle can be solved by simplifying it to the (N-1) cubed puzzle, and then just solving it from there. (I'm not pretending I figured this out on my own. There are countless blogs and videos devoted to this stuff. Getting help does not devalue the accomplishment. As I keep trying to say, even with the formulas, you still need to struggle and practice in order to really internalize how and why they work.) With the 4 across version, you solve the centers and pair up the edge pieces, then you never have to turn any sections down the midline plane, and the cube converts to a 3X3X3. It turns out any N cubed puzzle can be solved by reducing it to the N-1 cubed version. It's still a different skill and you have to play around with it to get the hang of it, but it's not like a black belt trying to move up a degree. It only took me a couple of weeks, although that did include an airport day. And, it isn't quite as simple as that sounds. There are a few distinctions that require different tricks. Since the 4X4X4 lacks fixed centers, there are a few possible novel situations that can come up called `parity errors.' It looks sort of like when someone takes apart the regular cube but puts the pieces back in wrong and it can't be solved. But the 4 cubed parity errors are solvable although they require some extra fancy little algorithms to memorize. People grumble about these algorithms on some of the web sites, but I actually find them very elegant, in their near-symmetry, with repetitive doings and undoings and minor little twists and turns putting things into place. I could sit and turn that into a metaphor for things in life but right now that feels like a boring idea. Springtime in New England.
I feel like I didn't really get the 3 block cube until I mastered the 4 block. The Rubik's 4X4X4 is fantastic. You will feel grandiose when you solve it, and most people will be impressed. Some percentage of people won't give you the satisfaction of being impressed, but it's still a positive accomplishment since it is always important exactly who those people are. Still, I continue to have trouble knowing what to say when people asked me how I learned it. I used to tell the truth but that leaves people disappointed, like finding out how a magic trick is done. So I've experimenting with various more mystical answers. I'll let you know if I settle on one.
Much different from the original. - Review written on March 02, 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5
2 customers found this review helpful.
The rubik's 4x4 cubes are perfect for someone who loves the original. It requires a whole different way of thinking to solve it. The Rubik's Revenge cubes are undoubtedly difficult, but with time and practice they become just like the 3x3. At first they seem impossible, but after learning the techniques, anyone can do it. You can also use this cube as a 2x2, when it is in its solved position. When I got my Rubik's Revenge, it turned EXTREMELY smoothly, didn't lock up at all, and was very maneuverable. However, I have a friend who also got one, but his was really stiff from the beginning. The Rubik's Revenge is pretty durable, but sometimes edge pieces will pop out if it locks up too quickly. This has only happened to me two or three times though, over the 7 months I've had my cube.
All the fun of the original, with several distinct differences. - Review written on January 06, 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5
I received this for Christmas, as I had been messing with the 3x3x3 and could solve it in around 2 minutes (not too fast but it had stopped being challenging).
The 4x4x4 has several aspects that make it very different from the 3x3x3. First, it has no fixed centers. There are four center pieces to each side and they can move around the cube. This also means that the edge pieces can get separated and move around. Once you have solved for the centers and edges, it can be solved in much the same way as the 3x3x3. I feel that this cube, with so much more going on (16 colored stickers per side as opposed to 9) has made the 3x3x3 seem much simpler and will help me solve it faster.
So, if you know how to solve the original cube, then this is a great, fun challenge. Of course, if you don't know how to solve the 3x3x3, then this will only be even more frustrating.
I do have a minor gripe, the cube tends to 'catch' often when I'm trying to turn it. With use, this has gotten better, and soon I think it won't even be a problem. But keep in mind that there will have to be a pretty good break-in period.
4 X 4 Rubik's Cube is bigger and better than the original! - Review written on December 18, 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5
6 customers found this review helpful, 1 did not.
After having finally conquered the brain-twisting original 3 X 3 cube, I was eager to try the next level. I wasn't disappointed. While many of the techniques for solving the 3 X 3 cube are transferable to the 4 x 4, the 4 X 4 cube also presents several new and interesting twists, no pun intended, that make for a much more challenging puzzle. After a few minutes at it, you'll understand why it's called the "Revenge". Solving the puzzle for the first time is a feat sure to fill you with lasting smugness. But soon you're at it again, endeavoring to master the solving techniques and best your previous time. Though slightly larger than the 3 X 3 version, the Rubik's Revenge is still quite comfortable to grip and easy to manipulate. However, my hands are on the larger side, so people with small hands may find the cube a bit difficult to handle. As far as durability goes, if this cube can withstand the hours of merciless twisting punishment of my brutish man hands, you can bet the average person will get some great mileage out of it. A fun and challenging puzzle for problem solvers of all ages!