Pyramorphix/Mastermorphix 

Mastermorphix, Pyramorphix and Magic Tower: pyramid-shaped puzzles

The Mastermorphix looks like a Pyraminx, but inside it has a completely different mechanism. It is a shape mod of the 3x3x3 cube, which means a regular 3x3 cube reshaped into a tetrahedron. It turns exactly like a classic 3x3, but its pieces come in different shapes and sizes. Once scrambled, the puzzle loses its shape and turns into an irregular, "jagged" figure. In this category we have gathered pyramid-shaped puzzles based on NxN cubes and their variations. You will find Mastermorphixes from 2x2 to 8x8, the Pyramorphix and the Magic Tower series from ShengShou, QiYi, YJ, MoYu, FanXin and LanLan.

Mastermorphix and Pyramorphix: how are they different from a 3x3 cube?

If you can solve a 3x3 cube, you can solve a Mastermorphix too, because they use the same algorithms. The harder part is recognising the pieces. Some of them share the same colour and differ only in shape, so you need to look at both the colours and the geometry. At the end, the puzzle must form a tetrahedron again. The Pyramorphix works on the same principle but is based on a 2x2 cube, which makes it a great way to start your adventure with shape mods. The 4x4 and larger versions use big cube mechanisms. They add centers and edges that need pairing, so to enjoy solving them you should already know the corresponding NxN cube.

Unusual Mastermorphix variants

• QiYi Ivy Mastermorphix: an Ivy Cube in the shape of a rounded tetrahedron. It is fairly easy to solve and makes a great gift.
• LanLan Gear Mastermorphix: a Mastermorphix with a gear mechanism, in which turning one layer moves the others through the gears.
• QiYi MoFangGe Corner Mastermorphix: an easy-to-learn variant with an unusual shape.

Magic Tower: pyramids in the style of Jing's Pyraminx

The ShengShou Magic Tower 3x3 resembles Jing's Pyraminx and is an interesting alternative to the regular Pyraminx. The bigger towers (4x4, 5x5 and 6x6) have more layers, and experience with big cubes comes in handy when solving them. The Crazy 3x3 Magic Tower has extra circles on its faces that turn together with the opposite corner. The Void Tower has no center, so you have to solve it without the reference point that a center piece gives you.

Where to start?

If you already know the 3x3 cube, the classic Mastermorphix is the easiest choice, and for younger children the Pyramorphix 2x2. Big Mastermorphixes and multi-layer Magic Towers are better left for later. These puzzles are mainly for collecting and for the joy of solving, not for setting speed records.