Shape notes
Are All Shashibo Compatible? How the Sizes Connect
Do OCTA, DODECA, ICOSA XL and character cubes connect? How Shashibo collect and connect works across sizes and series, with build ideas and honest limits.
Short answer: yes. Every Shashibo form connects to the others through its outer magnets. The brand calls this collect and connect, and it is one of the best reasons to own more than one. The longer answer is about how well different sizes sit together, and what kind of builds make sense. Let us go question by question.
Do different designs connect?
Yes. The design is only the artwork on the outside and the three hidden designs inside; the magnets are the same idea underneath. A TMNT Raphael will link to a Wild Series Forest, a Meow Wolf Hyper Melon or a Hello Kitty Rainbow. Character cubes are standard DODECA cubes with licensed art, so they join the rest of the family without any adapter.
Do OCTA, DODECA and ICOSA XL connect?
Yes, they all connect through their outer magnets. They are different sizes, though, so a mixed-size build looks different from a matched one.
- OCTA: the smallest and the beginner or travel format, with 28 magnets and 30+ shapes.
- DODECA: the classic, with 12 hinged pieces, 36 magnets and 100+ shapes.
- ICOSA XL: the largest standard format, with 72 magnets, 200+ shapes and three or more pattern reveals per shape.
Several designs exist across all three sizes, which makes matched builds easy. Infinity, Atlantis, Cosmos, Mystic Ocean, Spaced Out, Chaos, Blue Planet and Primary all appear as more than one format in the catalog. Line up the OCTA, DODECA and ICOSA XL in one artwork and you have a size ladder that also connects into one piece.
What about Shashibo²?
The brand also shows a bigger version called Shashibo², billed as the biggest magnetic puzzle cube. It belongs to the same shape-shifting family. We do not stock it in this catalog right now, so we will not go into specifics; check the brand's own materials for details on how it pairs with the rest of your collection.
What can you build together?
The official collect and connect examples are a good place to start:
- Fold one cube into a star and another into a ball, then place the ball in the hole of the star. You get a star with a cube-like core.
- Make two or more stars and join them into larger star sculptures. Four stars combine into a large hexagonal sculpture.
- Connect three or four cubes into big rhombic structures and towers.
From there it is up to you. Mixed designs make striking contrast builds, like a fiery Jumbie Series Fire Goddess next to the icy Holographic Polar. Matched designs, like the four Wild Series habitats, read as one planned piece.
Is there anything that does not connect?
Within the Shashibo family, the connecting idea is the same across forms. Products sold alongside it are a different story. TECTI is a separate kinetic building system with its own plates, hinges and keystone, and Mozi, Glozi, SPIN BALLS and Wandini are flow toys rather than puzzle cubes. They live on our flow and glow shelf, but they are not part of collect and connect.
Ready-made connecting sets
If you would rather start with several cubes at once, a few packs make it simple. The DODECA 2 Pack gives you two cubes for a first combined build. The Explorer Series 4 Pack and the alternate lineup each hold four Explorer DODECA cubes, and owners of both can join them for an eight-cube build. The DODECA Box of 4 is the other four-cube option.
Tips for clean connections
- Build on a flat table so pieces do not slide while you connect them.
- Let the magnets find each other; if two faces push back, rotate one cube rather than forcing it.
- Take big builds apart gently, one cube at a time, so the hinges are not twisted.
- Store connected sculptures away from electronics, since magnets can affect them.
Do series bundles matter for compatibility?
No. Buying a pack is about convenience and a matching look, not about whether cubes will join. A single Dancing Bears cube bought today will connect with a Box of 4 bought next year. The only thing a set guarantees is that the artwork matches, which is nice for display builds.
That is the joy of the system: every cube you add makes the ones you already own more interesting.
