If you love puzzles, mazes and labyrinths, or know somebody that does, you’ve got to know about Perplexus puzzles. You may have seen these puzzle balls in stores, and if you didn’t know what they were you could have passed up a really cool toy!
Each Perplexus is a 3D maze ball, with a track inside a plastic globe. The track weaves in and out, twists and turns, and generally makes it hard to follow exactly where the path leads.
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The object is to get a small steel marble from the beginning of the track, through the twisting obstacle course to the end. But that’s easier said then done. The track seems long, and it is. A Perplexus globe is about the size of a soccer ball but can hold more than 20′ of track inside! Falling off the track is a common occurrence, but thankfully it’s easy to get the fallen marble back to the beginning of the course and try it again.
Don’t worry about small parts. The marble can’t get lost, because the globe is sealed – so the ball stays on the inside with the track.
If you’re looking for a gift for a puzzle fan, or perhaps a desktop puzzle that’s more intriguing than a Rubik’s cube, then a Perplexus puzzle is an excellent choice.
Perplexus Maze Balls
Perplexus Original
The first Perplexus was released in 2009, and the original 3D Labyrinth is still a great puzzle. It’s bright and colorful so it catches your attention right away. You might even mistake it for a hamster ball. But once you pick it up and give it a try, you’ll find it’s not so easy to put down!
The Original Perplexus has 100 turns, corners and obstacles on your way to the end of the maze. If you’re into a challenge, then this is the Perplexus to start off with. If you are buying this for somebody that’s young, or you want to start with the easiest Perplexus, then try the Perplexus Rookie (below)
The Best Perplexus Maze Games
Perplexus Original
The first Perplexus was released in 2009, and the original 3D Labyrinth is still a great puzzle. It’s bright and colorful so it catches your attention right away. You might even mistake it for a hamster ball. But once you pick it up and give it a try, you’ll find it’s not so easy to put down!
The Original Perplexus has 100 turns, corners and obstacles on your way to the end of the maze. If you’re into a challenge, then this is the Perplexus to start off with. If you are buying this for somebody that’s young, or you want to start with the easiest Perplexus, then try the Perplexus Rookie (below)
Star Wars Perplexus Death Star
What a perfect match! The insanity of a Perplexus in a Star Wars Death Star setting! Once you see it, you immediately think “Yeah! A Perplexus actually DOES look a lot like a Death Star!” Of course, any ball “kind of” looks like the Death Star, now that I think about it…
In this Perplexus maze game, the steel marble is the “X-Wing starfighter” working through the puzzle mechanics to reach the end and “destroy the Death Star”.
If you’re shopping for a puzzle of game for a Star Wars fan, then the Perplexus Death Star is the perfect choice!
Perplexus Epic
Perplexus Epic is the a real challenge, with new strategies required to approach the new obstacles.
Even if you’ve been able to tackle the Perplexus Original and can move through the maze easily, you’ll be challenged once again with Perplexus Epic.
Options for Beginners and Advanced Players
Perplexus Rookie
A great place to start, the Perplexus Rookie 3D maze ball gives beginner’s a challenge without being so complicated that it can’t be completed. The age rating is still 8+, but many have found their 6 year old is able to play with it.
The difficulty rating of the Rookie is a “3”, compared to a rating of “6” for an Original and “8” for Epic.
Perplexus Rookie contains 70 obstacles to keep you entertained.
Perplexus Twist
The “Twist” of a Perplexus Twist is that not only do you control the marble in the maze, but by twisting the knob on the top of the ball you also control the maze itself!
This adds some complexity to the puzzle, so this is not the one to get for a very young puzzler and maybe not even the best option for a “first Perplexus” no matter the age.
But it’s a great addition to a 3D maze ball puzzle collection after you’ve successfully completed the Original.
Perplexus Warp
The Perplexus Warp puzzle game is similar to Perplexus Twist, except instead of a knob that adjusts the maze, there is a slider that adjusts the position of the marble while you’re playing the game.
The age range on the box says 6+ but again that will depend on your child. Perplexus Warp is one of the latest releases, showing up at the end of 2015.
With the similarity to Twist, Perplexus Warp gets the same recommendation. Tackle the Original first, then if you’re wanting something more then Warp is a great choice.
Miniature Options for Playing While Travelling
Perplexus Original (Mini)
The miniature version of the Perplexus original.
It’s not easier because it’s smaller. Smaller tracks and a smaller marble mean even the slightest twitch and you’re starting over.
Perplexus Micro Q-bot
Perfect for rides in the car or trips on an airplane, the Q-bot is a miniature maze game with a robot theme.
Like it’s larger cousins, you move the marble through the maze inside a sealed box. This time, though, it’s a box instead of a globe.
Even though it’s small in size, the difficulty is still there. The track and the obstacles are smaller, so it’s harder to maneuver around.
More 3D Maze Game Options
There are a few other 3D Maze Puzzles that are worth including in this list, and though overall they are all good choices, some have design flaws that have dropped them to the bottom of the list.
Sharper Image Space Challenge
The Sharper Image Space Challenge has a nice look to it, and there is a space theme, complete with a spaceship on the inside.
This is a popular maze ball, probably mostly due to it’s striking appearance. The color scheme just made me want to own it as soon as I saw it.
This would be a good first maze ball, but some have reported issues with durability. Any of the mazes are prone to be dropped occassionally, so any of the 3D Maze Puzzles with small pieces that extend out can end up breaking off. A better choice would be a Perplexus Original or Rookie.
Discovery Kids Space Mission
The Discovery Kids Space Mission Maze Ball is similar in difficulty with the Perplexus Original.
It’s another “space themed” puzzle, but that setting is less defined than even the Sharper Image ball. The whole idea of a theme for the maze ball is gimmicky anyway. People love to play with 3D mazes but nobody is really going to get “more out of the experience” by pretending to maneuver a ship around a space station. (Except for the Death Star. Yes I WILL imagine I’m in an X-Wing when I’m playing with the Death Star Perplexus).
Watch for the durability on this one too. You’ll do better with a Perplexus but if you’ve already solved the Original and you want something different without being more challenging, this could be for you.
Oopsy Mazey Challenger 3D Maze Ball
The Oopsy Mazey Challenger has more of an egg shape than the perfectly round shape of the other maze balls. I’m not sure the purpose of the egg-shape except to differentiate it from Perplexus products. But the really great design feature of the Oopsy Mazey Challenger is the lip around the maze.
It kind of looks like a ring around Saturn in the picture, but it’s attached to the maze and it’s just big enough for little fingers, helping to keep the maze from falling.
It’s moderately difficult, and to help keep your place there are waypoint along the path. So use the “A”,”B” or “C” waypoints to restart your progress from the next part of the course.
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