Unusual Cubes 

Unusual cubes are solved just like regular 1x1, 2x2 or 3x3 cubes, but they look different. They have unusual tiles, textures, colors or piece shapes. The method you learned on a standard cube still works; it's just the looks that can really throw you off. These cubes are a nice change from your everyday solving. They also make a great gift for someone who already owns a few regular 3x3s, or a fun addition to a collection.

Textures, colors and prints instead of regular tiles

In some models, it's mainly the surface of the faces that changes. The YJ Blind Cube is a 3x3 where each face has a different color and a different raised texture. This lets you solve it by touch, for example with your eyes closed. The FanXin Lego Cube has brick-style studs on its faces, so you can build your own patterns on it. With the QiYi DNA (the category includes, among others, the Concave version with concave faces) and models such as the Z-Cube Rainbow, Calvins Puzzle Gradient or the UV-printed Z-Cube Autograph, the difference is mainly in the looks. You solve them exactly like a classic 3x3.

Cubes that look scrambled

A more interesting challenge comes from models where it's hard to read the state of the cube. The YuXin 2x2 Magic Eye uses a regular 2x2 mechanism. However, its corners are recessed and the colored pieces are arranged so that even a solved cube can look scrambled. The QiYi Tori Cube is a void-type 3x3 with large centers that have a hole in the middle. You turn its outer part, and you solve it like a classic 3x3. It also has screw and spring tension adjustment.

1x1 cubes: QiYi O2 Cube and YJ TianYuan

A 1x1 cube is solved intuitively: you just need to move the centers to the right places. No algorithms are needed, which makes it a great first puzzle for a child or a fidget toy to twist in your hands. The category includes the QiYi O2 Cube and several versions of the YJ TianYuan (v1, v2, v3 and a set). In the first version of the TianYuan, the outer part hides the edges, so you need to make a partial turn to check whether the cube is solved.

How to choose an unusual cube?

For beginners, 1x1 cubes or the FanXin Lego Cube are a good start. If you can already solve a 3x3, you'll have more fun with the Magic Eye, Tori Cube or Blind Cube, because these models force you to look at the cube differently. As a gift or for a collection, printed models, the Double Cube series from Calvins Puzzle or the heart-tile cube in a piggy bank are a good fit. Keep in mind, though, that these cubes are bought for the challenge and the looks. For breaking records, classic speed cubes are a better choice.