Hungarian sculptor, professor and architect  Ernő Rubik gave to the world what was originally called the Magic Cube, 50 years ago. He invented the iconic 3D puzzle in 1974 and it hit the international market in 1980 and has never left it. This ingenious mashup of colors and faces has never ceased to fascinate people, be they puzzle solvers or not, all over the planet. You turn it, you twist it, you repeat it: the original cube has 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 combinations, but only one solution. The Rubik’s Cube features six different colored sides of nine squares each and once those harmless-looking faces are jumbled, the player twists, turns, and rotates until each of the six faces has only one color. This challenging puzzle toy is still there, still with its revealing retro look, you know the one you remember from childhood. 

It is a time of celebrations, festivities and product innovations all over the world, events which have been thoroughly embraced by Spin Master, the world leader in entertainment for children and which has launched its Make Your Move campaign in honor of the puzzling puzzle. “The Rubik’s Cube is an iconic puzzle that has permeated pop culture, captivating millions of curious minds for generations,” explains Spin Master’s President of Toys Doug Wadleigh, “As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we will honor the Rubik’s Cube’s enduring global impact, inspiring new generations to explore the cube and encouraging past generations to rediscover it. »

This brain teaser, fidget toy, travel puzzle is celebrating 50 years of turns and twists and it seems as if the whole world should celebrate. In 50 years this « puzzle toy » has  become a competitive sport (the current world record for solving the puzzle: 3.13 seconds), a research tool (it can train students on algorithms) and a source of inspiration for mathematics and the arts. And now, just what everyone has been waiting for, or not waiting for: a connected  Rubik’s Cube with the launch of the first official mobile game of Rubik’s Cube®, Connected X, to be launched by Spin Master in September of 2024. And, too, a special sensory Rubik’s Cube for the visually impaired to be released at the end of the year. For that Retro 50th anniversary edition head to your favorite games and toy store or to: https://shop.spinmaster.com/products/rubiks-cube-3×3-retro-50th-anniversary-edition-6068726  ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette.