The Unique, Interactive, Intelligent Gaming System that Fits in Your Hand: Sifteo Cubes {Review & Giveaway}

Whether it's my overzealous competitiveness or just that my subconscious feels completely crushed when I lose, I'm in general not a huge fan of games. Is that strange?

Board games, computer games, outdoor games, video games, it doesn't matter. I'll give my brain a break by playing a round or two of solitaire on my laptop every now and again, but that's about it. What can I say? They're just not my thing.

Therefore, it should tell you quite a bit about the uniqueness and all-out entertainment value of a game when I say that, from the day I opened the box, I sat on the floor and played with it for hours. And then took a break. Only to pick it up again not too long later and play until my husband nearly forced it out of my hands so that I would go to sleep.

That, my friends, is the utter addictiveness of Sifteo Cubes.

A combination of video games, building blocks, puzzles and board games into a set of award-winning cubes that can fit in the palm of your hand, Sifteo Cubes are a mix of technology, interactivity and... I'm pretty sure there's some magic in there, too.

This intelligent electronic game system is made up of a starter set of three cubes (single add-on cubes can be purchased separately to increase the play up to 12 cubes) that communicate wirelessly with each other and respond to each other as well as the user. Simply tap on the colorful touchscreen, place the cubes next to each other, or tilt, shake or move them to play the various games.

As I had had a quick glimpse and a minute or two of play with Sifteo Cubes when I attended BlogHer this past summer, I couldn't have been more excited to really try them out when they arrived here at home.

Designed for ages 7+, the starter set not only had the three 1.7" cubes, but the Sifteo base (the "brain" of the system that controls the power as well as the sound), a USB cord, a soft drawstring pouch and four pre-installed games: Chroma Splash, Cube Buddies, Code Cracker and Word Caravan.

Simply pull each piece out of the box, install the AAA batteries (included) and press the power button on the base. Once the cubes automatically pair with the base, one displays a menu to allow you to select between the games. Just tilt the cube back and forth to select and you're ready to play!

Chroma Splash: Utilizing different color chromits (circles with shapes), Chroma Splash starts out basic and, level by level, progressively gets more difficult. The concept itself is easy, however, as you simply match the colors from one cube to those on another by tilting and neighboring each of the cubes... all the while ensuring that you don't leave any chromits behind.

Word Caravan: This scrambled word game involves finding and making words using the lettered tiles that appear on each cube. By tilting the cubes, the letters switch places, allowing you to create more and more words as you rearrange them in multiple ways.

Cube Buddies: Involving a variety of creative, monster-like characters, this game involves three methods of play that involve the different facial features getting mixed up and in need of sorting.

Simply swap an eye for an ear by neighboring the cubes together and passing them from one to the next. As you solve more, you unlock more content... and the more cubes that you add, the more crazy characters that are involved!

Code Cracker: A math-based game that initially seemed far too easy, I found that it didn't take long before I was struggling to complete the math sentences to solve the codes.

With three difficultly levels (Easy involves addition and subtraction, Intermediate also includes multiplication, and Difficult brings in division), I appreciate that Code Cracker is adaptable for all ages.

Sandwich Kingdom: A bonus game that is currently free to download (typically new games are $8 - $12 each) with your Sifteo purchase, I have yet to make it through all of the realms of the Sandwich Kingdom and I'm obsessed with the idea of doing so.

This adventure story involves princess Pearl finding her way through winding tunnels, ruined temples, mysterious gardens, desolate deserts, uncovering clues, utilizing bombs to create new passageways, wearing lava-proof footwear and much more as she attempts to collect the ingredients for the perfect sandwich to save her kingdom.

Sandwich Kingdom is my favorite game so far, as each unique level is followed by another and you never know what surprises or danger awaits. Plus, it is such a great use of the Sifteo Cubes, as you simply keep moving them around to see the pathway magically appear in any direction!

A unique, intelligent, challenging, easy-to-use gaming system, Sifteo Cubes involve logic, thought, reasoning, and creative problem solving skills in a way that keeps you wanting to come back over and over again. I have never played anything like these interactive, colorful little squares and I don't think that I could find them any more entertaining!

It doesn't take long at all to pick up how to play any of the games, as each one starts out easy (and with a mini tutorial) and gets progressively harder as you play. By the time you're feeling more and more challenged, you'll be long acquainted with the tapping, shaking, tilting, sliding, rearranging, twisting and more needed for that game!

So far each of the Sifteo Cubes (and the base) have proven to be extremely durable and high quality and really only require a small amount of flat space to pull them out. As they come with their own portable storage pouch, you're able to pop them into your purse or bag to easily bring them along to just about anywhere.

You can bet that at our future dentist or doctor appointments, waiting for food in a restaurant or anytime that we have time for fun at home or on the go that I'm going to be reaching for these cubes!

A fantastic gift for any casual gamers in your life, Sifteo Cubes truly are a game that the entire family can enjoy. While they are designed for ages 7 and up, my girls are both slightly on the young end to fully understand all of the games, but they have still had a great time contributing to Sandwich Kingdom or playing Cube Buddies and Code Cracker!

A basic set of three Sifteo Cubes retails for $129.95, with additional cubes selling for $29.95 each, and can be purchased directly from Sifteo or on Amazon. As well as extending the game play with more cubes, each one that you add to the mix allows you to save more chromits, make longer words, solve more puzzles and more!

Utilizing the download option right on the Sifteo website allows users to set up Sifteo Sync for adding more games to the system. It only took me a few minutes to have my computer set up and my account made so that I'll be all set to use the USB cord to ensure that my cubes are always ready to keep me on my toes in the future!

Even though the Sifteo price tag is higher than traditional games, I highly recommend them because I don't know if I could love them more than I do! To find out more about these incredible cubes and see them in action, visit Sifteo.com and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. You've just got to try them once and you'll be hooked!

Thanks to the generosity of Sifteo, one person will soon be able to start their own touchscreen technology obsession as well, because...

One lucky person will win a starter set of three Sifteo Cubes

(including base, batteries and storage pouch)!

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A big thank you to Sifteo for providing a starter set and an additional cube for me to review as well as a starter set of Sifteo Cubes for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.