Troy 3D-Star

It is certainly not a speed solving puzzle, but it’s not bad. It doesn’t catch or anything. That part I honestly expected. What is unexpected is the solve itself. The description of this puzzle claims it is a 3x3 shape mod however, it isn’t just a 3x3 shape mod. Despite having center pieces, it seems to be a common occurrence where I have my last layer center rotated, and everything else solved including my full last layer (excluding the center). Therefore, you must know a center rotation algorithm for this. Also, sometimes I get edge and corner parities exactly like those on a void cube. I’m still uncertain as to why this happens, but I am certain it happens nearly every solve. Aside from that, it’s a fun solve. I recommend it.

Turns decently, tricky to figure out at first but not too bad, probably about as hard as a mastermorphix. A very cool shape (Stella Octangula) to add to the collection!

I found the puzzle to be pretty well made. It turns very well once you start solving it. Sometimes it turns a little too well. Occasionally, while turning a piece, another piece from a different layer tried to come along for the ride. I am nit picking, but I want people to be aware of it. I like the puzzle a lot! It is a fun and challenging puzzle to solve. Harder than a Fisher cube, but easier than a blade cube or mastermorphix. I highly recommend this puzzle.

This star cube is very nice and turns very well, other than some lockups because of the many pieces. Overall, very fun, but not a single video on YouTube of how to solve it.

Although it turns smoothly out-of-the-box, it will often lock-up (or turn the wrong axis) if not properly aligned. I like the colorful high-quality stickers, but there are only 4 colors (for 24-sided polyhedron)! In my opinion, it should have at least 8 colors. The way it is colored, every "edge" piece is duplicated twice, so there are FEWER combinations than a standard 3x3 cube's edges. Unlike a standard 3x3 cube, the orientation of the center blocks DOES matter. I haven't done done the math, but my engineering estimates consider this, overall, to be nearly as difficult as a standard 3x3 cube.

Four of the corner blocks have the same color as the other four corner blocks, but with a different order. For example, if one corner has color Red-Green-Blue, then the opposite corner will have color Red-Blue-Green (when listed clockwise beginning with Red). I guess the puzzle designer wanted to confuse people with color-order (and save money on sticker colors)?

More importantly than color, the middle/slice layers are too thin. Not only does this make facet stickers small (especially at the "centers"), it makes manipulating the puzzle with "slice" moves difficult at best -- totally impossible for speed-solving. From my engineering background, I see no reason why the middle layers couldn't be thicker. Such a change would ALSO make the puzzle more aesthetically beautiful! (Currently the corners are "thicker", but expanding the middle layers by just a bit would make them all symmetrical!)

In summary: this is a very unique-looking puzzle, but design choices reduce # of combinations (easier than expected) and frustrate playing (skinny middle layers and lock-ups). I can only recommend it for a collector.

I solve using beginner's 3x3 method. Can be challenging to follow the colors. The centers of the middle layer rotate, and must be rotated properly during the first layer (similar to the windmill cube). Definitely a fun puzzle! I recommend it.

I love this puzzle, I was making good headway on a solve but I then noticed the center/base of the triangles. Uh-oh's. Back to the beginning.
This puzzle is a lot of fun.
I'm pleased that the quality of the puzzle over all is so high. Well worth the investment. OOTB, I was more focused on the appearance, weight and shape.
This is so difficult though, I'd give this an 9 out of 10. (And I've solved a Morph Egg)
This looks better when solved, which is reason enough to solve this one.
If you enjoy a solve that requires some planned moves, for example a RediCube or PetalsCube, this is the next step up.
I love it in my collection.