- BGG rank
- BGG #2,355
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Sagrada Artisans
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,784
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Qubic
1947
Rules assistance for Qubic
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 15 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.6/5
Rules assistant for Qubic
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Qubic is a board game released in 1947 for 2–6 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Don Cornish, Howard Nelson Moore, and Rolfe L. Pottberg and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil and Pattern Building.
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About the game
Qubic, which has been released multiple times by multiple publishers under various names and credited to various designers, is a placement game played on the 64 positions in a 3D board with four levels and a four-by-four grid on each level. The object is to get four in a row, whether on one level or between all four levels, straight or diagonal. It is essentially a Tic-Tac-Toe game in a 4x4x4 cube. The cube needs to be emptied before start. Each player choose a color of their pieces and take turn to place their pieces in vacant positions, one piece at a time. The player wins who first gets four in a row of his own pieces - either horizontal, vertical or diagonal. A player cannot remove or replace pieces that have already been placed. If all positions are occupied without anyone having four in a row, then the game is called a tie. A rule that makes it less advantageous to begin is to prohibit the first player from placing his first piece in either a corner position or in one of the eight center positions. Similar to: 3D Tic Tac Toe - which is played on 3x3x3 grid 4tec - which is the same game on the 4x4x4 grid also Flix - which uses dice to control placement of men on 4x4x4 grid Four Letter Words - played on 4x4x4 grid, though with words Q4 - which also played on 4x4x4 grid but with only 12 markers Tetrano - which is the same game represented on a 4x4 board. Qubic - which has a version for 3 players also Score Four - 4x4 grid of pegs that are filled from the bottom up Dimensions (1970), Hi!Noon: Das Duell (2009), Tic Tac Turn (2011), and X: Die 4. Dimension - the 4 individual horizontal board layers (4x4 each) of the 4x4x4 grid can turn 3D5 - which is played on a 5x5x5 grid
Editions
- CubiqenTviksta Spel2007
- CubiqenTviksta Spel2005
- InterceptenSunshine Initiative2004
- 3 Dimensional Tic Tac Toeen3M1974
- 3 Dimensional Tic Tac Toeen3M1974
- 3 Dimensional Tic Tac Toeen3M1974
- QubicenParker Brothers1972
- Mod-QuadenSkor-Mor1971
- Mini Score FourenDBC Company1970
- Space LinesenInvicta Games1969
- Space LinesenInvicta Games1969
- Tic Tac TowerenSelchow & Righter1969
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- (Unknown)
- Parker Brothers
- Miro Company
- Clipper
- Selchow & Righter
- (Public Domain)
- 3M
- Invicta Games
- Vic-Toy
- Skor-Mor
- Tri-ang
- Crestline Manufacturing Company
- DBC Company
- Spielkiste
- Gangler-Gentry Co.
- Qubic Games
- Nienstaedt & Co., Ltd., Hong Kong
- Tedco, Inc
- Games & Gadgets Ent.
- Tviksta Spel
- Score-Four Ltd.
- Sunshine Initiative
- Duplicon Company Inc
Questions and answers
Qubic supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Qubic is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Qubic for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Qubic has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Qubic belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil and Pattern Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Qubic are: Don Cornish, Howard Nelson Moore, and Rolfe L. Pottberg. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Qubic as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.