pentrixter
Banned
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2009
- Messages
- 356
So I went to the cube shop the other day and found the Type A IV and some weird cubes on sale. Apparently, Types A-F are manufactured by pretty huge puzzle toy companies in China (surprise surprise) but lately, there have been many imitations and interesting cube designs from smaller puzzle toy companies. They have not really been given proper English names or letter types.
I have also been doing some research on some Chinese forums and found out that the Type A V is on sale on some websites. I will be providing pictures of that too.
Nameless Cube #1: 國優旋風 (Chinese name: uh... hard to translate)
This is a Type F clone. It is special in that neither corners nor edges have holes... at all. It's an excellent cube. It cuts at least 40 degree corners and it doesn't really jam. It's speedy and I haven't had a pop yet. Will deserve an A as an overall score if I was to review it. I got this at the real HK Now Store (not online). Here's their website - http://www.hknowstore.com/.
Nameless Cube#2: 大雁 (Chinese name: Big Goose)
New and interesting design. The simplified Chinese character on the center piece means "head." Another excellent cube. It doesn't really cut corners, but it's as speedy as a Type D or Type E. Doesn't really jam and I have never had a pop. This cube is the epitome of a noisy and rough feeling cube. Has a very loose feel. It would receive an A-/A for an overall score if I were to review it. I got this at a puzzle toy shop. Here's their website - http://www.iq-puzzle.com.hk/.
Ghost Hand
I do not actually own this cube but I have been doing research on this cube because it's been recently recommended to me by a couple of forum members. This cube is yet another Type F clone. Apparently, it's called ghost hand because it's a really silent cube. The store that I visited did not have this cube on sale because there was "nothing special about it. Just another Type F clone."
Type A IV
The Type A IV is really a prototype for the Type A V. As you can see, the edge pieces are wider than the corner pieces, making it a weird cube to sticker. I do not own one, but I have tried it at the store. It's... a decent cube. Doesn't really cut corners, but doesn't jam either. It seems to me that it's performance can be reached by other cubes... so why not just stick with normal looking cubes? lol. It's a pretty fragile cube:
...especially at the corners.
Saw the Type A IV at the puzzle toy store with this website - http://www.iq-puzzle.com.hk/.
Type A V
The Type A V is almost indistinguishable from the Type A IV (at least to me). It makes sense because the Type A IV is a prototype of the Type A V. The corners are not as fragile as the Type A IV. The cubes are now pillowed. There seems to be minor modifications on the centers and edge pieces. But the whole rectangular edge piece thing still remains in this upgrade. As seen in this picture:
Conclusions
There are too many Chinese companies making cubes and clones of them. Yea.
Perhaps the most cloned cube is the Type F. I saw many other Type F clones at the store in addition to Nameless Cube #1 and the Ghost Hand. Surprisingly, they are all really good cubes. But like the Type F, they can deteriorate very quickly. So I guess the trait in question now for these cubes is durability. Will it survive the test of time? The Type F clones definitely look more promising than the Type F because they use sturdier feeling plastic. Type F plastic is very soft.
QUESTION: These obscure cubes (not the Type A IV or V) will not qualify a spot in my review thread because they are not "Main 3x3x3 Cube Models" by any standard. They don't even have an English name. But I do want to review them. Should I start a new thread with a list and reviews of all "Nameless Cubes"?
I have also been doing some research on some Chinese forums and found out that the Type A V is on sale on some websites. I will be providing pictures of that too.
Nameless Cube #1: 國優旋風 (Chinese name: uh... hard to translate)
This is a Type F clone. It is special in that neither corners nor edges have holes... at all. It's an excellent cube. It cuts at least 40 degree corners and it doesn't really jam. It's speedy and I haven't had a pop yet. Will deserve an A as an overall score if I was to review it. I got this at the real HK Now Store (not online). Here's their website - http://www.hknowstore.com/.
Nameless Cube#2: 大雁 (Chinese name: Big Goose)
New and interesting design. The simplified Chinese character on the center piece means "head." Another excellent cube. It doesn't really cut corners, but it's as speedy as a Type D or Type E. Doesn't really jam and I have never had a pop. This cube is the epitome of a noisy and rough feeling cube. Has a very loose feel. It would receive an A-/A for an overall score if I were to review it. I got this at a puzzle toy shop. Here's their website - http://www.iq-puzzle.com.hk/.
Ghost Hand
I do not actually own this cube but I have been doing research on this cube because it's been recently recommended to me by a couple of forum members. This cube is yet another Type F clone. Apparently, it's called ghost hand because it's a really silent cube. The store that I visited did not have this cube on sale because there was "nothing special about it. Just another Type F clone."
Type A IV
The Type A IV is really a prototype for the Type A V. As you can see, the edge pieces are wider than the corner pieces, making it a weird cube to sticker. I do not own one, but I have tried it at the store. It's... a decent cube. Doesn't really cut corners, but doesn't jam either. It seems to me that it's performance can be reached by other cubes... so why not just stick with normal looking cubes? lol. It's a pretty fragile cube:
...especially at the corners.
Saw the Type A IV at the puzzle toy store with this website - http://www.iq-puzzle.com.hk/.
Type A V
The Type A V is almost indistinguishable from the Type A IV (at least to me). It makes sense because the Type A IV is a prototype of the Type A V. The corners are not as fragile as the Type A IV. The cubes are now pillowed. There seems to be minor modifications on the centers and edge pieces. But the whole rectangular edge piece thing still remains in this upgrade. As seen in this picture:
Conclusions
There are too many Chinese companies making cubes and clones of them. Yea.
Perhaps the most cloned cube is the Type F. I saw many other Type F clones at the store in addition to Nameless Cube #1 and the Ghost Hand. Surprisingly, they are all really good cubes. But like the Type F, they can deteriorate very quickly. So I guess the trait in question now for these cubes is durability. Will it survive the test of time? The Type F clones definitely look more promising than the Type F because they use sturdier feeling plastic. Type F plastic is very soft.
QUESTION: These obscure cubes (not the Type A IV or V) will not qualify a spot in my review thread because they are not "Main 3x3x3 Cube Models" by any standard. They don't even have an English name. But I do want to review them. Should I start a new thread with a list and reviews of all "Nameless Cubes"?
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