What makes the 3x3 cube so popular?

[Rubuscu]

Hi there.

I was just wondering what makes the 3x3 Rubik's cube so strikingly popular. Indeed, many people around the globe (of course, non-cubers) know only that a 3x3 cube exists and nothing like big cubes, pyraminx or even a 2x2 exists.

It can't be just the fact that the 3x3 is the original cube and came first. Is it just that 3x3 cubes take just the ideal time to be solved by people - neither too long nor too short. Is it because 3x3 is fairly cheap (although 2x2 can pose a contradiction to this).

So, what is it?

 

[AJT17]

Hi there.

I was just wondering what makes the 3x3 Rubik's cube so strikingly popular. Indeed, many people around the globe (of course, non-cubers) know only that a 3x3 cube exists and nothing like big cubes, pyraminx or even a 2x2 exists.

It can't be just the fact that the 3x3 is the original cube and came first. Is it just that 3x3 cubes take just the ideal time to be solved by people - neither too long nor too short. Is it because 3x3 is fairly cheap (although 2x2 can pose a contradiction to this).

So, what is it?

In my opinion this is because it was the first cube, and when it was invented many people didn't think that it could be solved, but after a month Erno Rubik was able to solve it. So it provides an intriguing perspective to a puzzle that looks very simple, and many people think, "Oh it doesn't look that difficult, I bet I could solve it." Then people try to solve it, and find out how much more difficult it actually is. This provides people a gateway to the world of speed cubing, and how to solve the cube, making it very popular.

 

[cuberswoop]

It can't be just the fact that the 3x3 is the original cube and came first.

Yeah I would say that that is the exact reason.

 

[Mastermind2368]

For us cubers who started at a fairly young age, and who weren't around in the 80s, we have to remember how much of a cultural symbol the Rubik's Cube was and still is. I don't know all the hard numbers off the top of my head, but it sold insanely well and was a cultural phenomenon. At least whenever I'm describing another cube, I compare it to the 3x3, just because literally everyone knows about the cube.

 

[AJT17]

For us cubers who started at a fairly young age, and who weren't around in the 80s, we have to remember how much of a cultural symbol the Rubik's Cube was and still is. I don't know all the hard numbers off the top of my head, but it sold insanely well and was a cultural phenomenon. At least whenever I'm describing another cube, I compare it to the 3x3, just because literally everyone knows about the cube.

I think that at this point it has sold over 350 million cubes world wide

 

[DuckubingCuber347]

I think that at this point it has sold over 350 million cubes world wide

How about way over? That tidbit is outdated and doesn't (to my knowledge) take into account non-Rubik products like Alpha, Yuxin, Qiyi.

 

[AJT17]

How about way over? That tidbit is outdated and doesn't (to my knowledge) take into account non-Rubik products like Alpha, Yuxin, Qiyi.

Ok, I do believe that it has sold way more, that was just the highest number I had seen, and I remembered off the top of my head.

 

[Nooby-Cuber]

In my opinion it's also the perfect difficulty of it. A 2x2 is simpler and a lot of people don't seem to care much if someone solves a 2x2, but people care when someone solves a 3x3, and non cubers often find it impressive. That's why it's the most popular NxN imo. As for why it's more popular than other non NxN puzzles, I think it's just 1. that it was invented first and 2. it's easier to understand. It can be quite confusing for someone to pick up a skewb and start turning it.

 

[SenorJuan]

The 3x3 was the first of Rubik's puzzles, that accounts for a lot of it's appeal. But remember the Revenge ( 4x4 ) was the ball-cored version that was not so great to solve, and the 'Pocket Cube' ( 2x2 ) had a horrid mechanism that was just awful to solve. This made the two variants very second-tier.