A tiny playable Rubik’s Cube which fits even on the fingertip has gone on sale in Japan for 198,000 yen ( $1,900). The size of the cube is 9.9 millimetres, or 0.39 inch, by 9.9 millimetres and its weight is only 2 grams. According to MegaHouse Corp, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based toymaker Bandai Co, this tiny cube is made up of “ultra-precision metal”, and comes with a box for its display.
This ‘super-small’ Rubik’s cube was created to mark the 40th anniversary of the sale of the original 3-D puzzle in Japan. The order for this ultra-small cube began on September 22 and the payments can be done only by credit card. This cube was shown at an exhibition which includes an artwork made with Rubik’s Cubes. The exhibition was organized by the Hungarian Embassy this week in Tokyo. It will go on till November 9.
Talking about the exhibition, the Hungarian Ambassador to Japan said that the Rubik’s Cube embodies the small, simple but smart qualities of his country, and hence he decided to tell anyone about Rubik’s cube who will listen. He was quoted by Fox Business as saying, “The Rubik’s Cube is part of our everyday life, here in Japan, too, and inspires everyone”.
The Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle which was introduced by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik in 1970s. It was originally known as the Magic Cube. Rubik gave the licence to sell magic cube to Ideal Toy Corp, after which a US company turned it into a hit product in the 1980s.
After it was gone on sale in the 1980s, 4 million Rubik’s cubes were sold in Japan in eight months only. In two years, the sale hit 100 million across the world. The Cube also won the 1980 German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle.