Fanxin Basketball 3x3

Fanxin Basketball 3x3

Fanxin Basketball 3x3 is a puzzle shaped like a basketball. Inside, it has a standard 3x3 mechanism, but on the outside it's a sphere instead of a cube. The surface is textured just like a real basketball. We offer the orange color version, which looks the most like the real thing.

How do you solve it?

All the pieces are the same color, so there are no regular faces to solve. The puzzle is solved when the black lines on the surface form a continuous pattern, just like on a basketball. The moves and algorithms are the same as on a classic 3x3 cube, so anyone who knows the layer-by-layer method can solve it. Instead of colors, you keep track of the line segments on each piece.

User opinions vary. For some, the lack of colors makes it an easier version of the 3x3. Others need to get used to reading the pattern instead of colors. Buyers often praise the surface texture and the smooth turning for such an inexpensive puzzle. According to them, the ball keeps its shape while you solve it.

Who is it for?

The Fanxin Basketball 3x3 is not a speedcubing cube. It has no magnets and is not allowed in official competitions, so there's no point comparing it to magnetic 3x3 cubes. It works well as:

• a change of pace for someone who can already solve a 3x3 and wants to try solving by pattern instead of colors,
• a gift for a child who loves basketball and puzzles,
• an addition to a collection of shape mods and figures,
• a fidget toy to twist in your hands.

For your first cube to learn solving, it's better to choose a classic 3x3 with colored faces. Beginner tutorials describe the steps using colors.

Specifications

• Type: 3x3 puzzle, sphere-shaped shape mod (basketball)
• Manufacturer: Fanxin
• Size: approx. 60.5 mm
• Weight: approx. 64 g
• Magnets: none
• Adjustment: adjustment screws
• Surface: textured like a basketball
• Color: Orange
• Release year: 2020
• Allowed in official competitions: no