''Cube World'' is a series of

electronic toys Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...

developed by

Radica Games Radica Games Limited was a Hong Kong company that produced electronic games, founded in 1983. It began by producing electronic souvenir games for casinos. In the late 1990s, it became known for its ''Bass Fishin'' line of games. On October 3, 20 ...

and

Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...

between 2005 and 2009. Each Cube World cube contains an animated

stick figure Stick Figure is an American reggae and dub band founded in 2005. The group has released eight full-length albums and one instrumental album (Prince Fatty Presents), all of which were written and produced by frontman and self-taught multi-instr ...

who is able to interact with the figures in other cubes when connected together.

Description

Cube World cubes can be assembled together by magnets on top of one another or side by side. Each cube contains a

that has a unique animation it performs by itself and with others, such as playing a musical instrument or lifting weights. When the cubes are combined, the figures interact with one another, and can move from cube to cube, with up to four at a time in any display across a maximum network of sixteen cubes. The cubes also contain an in-built

gyroscope A gyroscope (from Ancient Greek γῦρος ''gŷros'', "round" and σκοπέω ''skopéō'', "to look") is a device used for measuring or maintaining Orientation (geometry), orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in ...

, animating the figures when the cube is tilted upside down. Each cube also contain unique games played with the buttons, and feature over 100 animations.

Sets

Cube World was released as 22 different models across six series. Some units in each series were released as a 'Special Edition', in which the cubes were encased in translucent plastic, an example of the clear craze. In Japan, Cube World was distributed by

Bandai is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered ...

, which contained identical animations but featured variations to the Radica and

color schemes.

History

Cube World was initially developed by Conceptioneering Ltd, a company consisting of

Crowborough Crowborough is a town and civil parish in East Sussex, England, in the Weald at the edge of Ashdown Forest and the highest town in the High Weald AONB, High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located south-west of Royal Tunbridge ...

-based inventor and electrical design engineer Tony Ellis and his wife Judie. Ellis was inspired to create the toy based on the design of a block of flats, stating "I started wondering what the people who lived there were up to...we ended up with these cubes with stickmen where you can see what's going on inside these windows." Cube World was initially distributed in 2005 at a retail price of $30 USD for a pair. On October 3, 2006,

acquired

and incorporated its properties, including Cube World, expanding the brand into a global market. Cube World was a commercial success, selling several million units according to Ellis, and received positive reviews from consumer publications. Michael Fereday of ''Gadget Speak'' praised the game as possessing an "interesting fascination beyond their simple graphics," stating "it is amazing what these characters get up (to) either individually or in various combinations." In 2007, Cube World was nominated as the "Electronic Toy of the Year" by Toy Industry Association at the

North American International Toy Fair The North American International Toy Fair (formerly the American International Toy Fair and also known as Toy Fair New York) is an annual toy industry trade show held in mid-February in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and at to ...

.{{cite web, website=Toy Industry Association Inc., title=Final Nominees, date=2007, url=http://www.toy-tia.org:80/Content/NavigationMenu/Toy_Industry_Association/toty/Final_Nominees/Final_Nominees.htm, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107073645/http://www.toy-tia.org:80/Content/NavigationMenu/Toy_Industry_Association/toty/Final_Nominees/Final_Nominees.htm , archive-date=2007-01-07

References

Electronic toys Toy brands 2000s toys