Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2010

There was a time when raiding your savings involved a simple equation of hammer and ceramic pig. Things are more fiddly with the Rubik’s Cube Bank, released to mark the 30th anniversary of the oh-so-’80s brain-bender. This oversized replica of the original Cube has space for up to a hundred ¥500 coins inside, and it won’t let you take them out until you solve the damn puzzle. Well, more or less: get all of the green tiles on the same face, and the center one will pop out, allowing you to retrieve your loot. If we’d had one of these while we were growing up, we’d either be a lot richer or a hell of a lot smarter.

Rubik’s Cube Bank, ¥3,150. Available at department stores and toy shops nationwide. http://rubikcube.jp