2026 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest: Open A Box

The Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is a STEAM competition where students compete with machines that they have imagined, designed in Minecraft, and created in a fun and competitive forum.

The competitions encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem-solving in a fresh learning environment and level playing field. As always, the digital challenge mirrors the analog event. This year's challenge is to use Minecraft to build a wacky machine that will Open A Box.

There are two divisions students can compete in: Junior (8-13 years old), and Senior (13-18 years old).

TEAM GUIDE

2026 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest: Open A Box

Missed the livestream? Watch the videos on demand below!

Resources for Educators

Tutorial Videos

How To Create A Lever

How To Create A Wedge

How To Create Incline Planes

How To Create Pulleys

How To Create Screws

How To Create A Wheel and Axle

What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?

Theme / Story / Humor

Building Chain Reactions

NASEF & Rube Goldberg / Unreal Engine

NASEF, in partnership with the Rube Goldberg Institute, announces the Rube Goldberg Unreal Engine Challenge^®. This interactive 3D competition invites students to use their creativity to animate a virtual Rube Goldberg Machine in the digital world.

Create, record, and submit a video of your Rube Goldberg Unreal Engine Machine that accomplishes the 2025-26 task: Open A Box.

The submission deadline closes on Friday, May 8th, 2026