Beyblade
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Type | Spinning top |
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Company | Takara Tomy, Hasbro |
Country | Japan |
Availability | 1999–present |
Official website |
Beyblade (ベイブレード, Beiburēdo, diminutive Bey, from the diminutive of beigoma) is a line of spinning-top toys originally developed by Takara, first released in Japan in July 1999, along with its debut series. Following Takara's merger with Tomy in 2006, Beyblades are now developed by Takara Tomy. Various toy companies around the world have licensed Beyblade toys for their own regions, including Hasbro in Western countries, Sonokong in South Korea, and Takara Tomy for Eastern countries.
Both the toys and their names were inspired by beigoma, a traditional spinning top. The concept is similar to Battling Tops, a board game developed by Ideal Toy Company in 1968. The toy line was introduced with an accompanying manga series of the same name in 1999. In 2002, Hasbro began to sell Beyblade toys internationally (under license from Takara) along with a coordinated country-by-country release of localized versions of the TV series. In August 2008, Takara Tomy released Metal Fight Beyblade; the first incarnation of the toy in three and a half years. A third incarnation, titled Beyblade Burst was released by Takara Tomy in July 2015.
Game and rules[]
Aside from formal play, a game with specific rules was published for the initial toyline. The formal game is played with two players or more. Each player is allowed up to three Beyblades, but may not switch parts once a match has started. Players may choose from any of the three Beyblades they have with them for any battle in a match.
In Metal Fight Beyblade, a points system was introduced. In the Beyblade Burst line of toys, Hasbro releases its own ruleset for its toyline. In general, the first player to 3 points will win a match.[1]
Points are awarded to a player based on how their Beyblade looks because some Beyblades’ names vary depending on the region; the following uses the Hasbro terminology followed by the Takara Tomy ones.
- One point is awarded if the opponent's Beyblade stops spinning (Survivor/Spin Finish).
- One point is awarded if the opponent's Beyblade is knocked out of the stadium or falls into a pocket in the stadium (Ring Out/Over Finish/KO/Knockout Finish).
- Beginning with Beyblade Burst, two points are awarded if the opponent's top is "burst" during a battle (Burst Finish).
In the event of a draw (both Beyblades are knocked out of the ring, stop spinning simultaneously, or burst at the same time), no points are awarded to either player.
Types of Beyblades[]
Three of the main types of Beyblades have rock-paper-scissors style effectiveness, with Attack generally being weak to Defense, Defense to Stamina, and Stamina to Attack. However, due to the high variability of the custom designs, this is not a hard rule. Balance types may be strong or weak to any of the others depending on specific parts.
- Attack
- These Beyblades specialize in attacking other Beyblades. They battle fiercely and try to knock out the other Beyblade as fast as they can, but at the cost of having poor stamina. They tend to outperform Stamina-Type Beyblades due to their lack of defense. Attack type beys also have to be heavy too to be able to knock others out. They usually have flat or rubber performance tips and have layers which can grip onto the opponent.
- Defense
- These Beyblades specialize in knocking back attacks. They tend to travel slowly and are heavier than other types, resulting in opponents being deflected. Their weight also causes them to launch slower, resulting in less stamina. They tend to wear down Attack-types but are outlasted by Stamina. They are also very thick in terms of metal, and have wide ball-like performance tips.
- Stamina/Endurance
- These Beyblades specialize in stamina. They are used so they can out-spin the enemy top and win. In exchange for a lack of power, their stamina lasts longer against other Types of Beyblades, making them naturally advantageous over Defense-Types, which focus on resisting hits. They have sharp cone shaped performance tips.
- Balance
- These Beyblades specialize in a combination of the other three types listed above, giving them no glaring strengths or weaknesses. They use a mix of Attack, Defense, and Stamina Types put together but do not excel in any particular trait. Some Balance Types have Attack, Defense, and Stamina Modes. And their performance tips can vary.
Stadium[]
An arena called a Beystadium is sold by both brands Takara Tomy and Hasbro. It is primarily a shallow plastic tub but may have other features dependent on the purpose of the particular stadium. Different stadiums were released in different markets. Brands Takara Tomy and Sonokong produce Beystadiums similar to those featured in the manga and anime adaptations, with open sections in the walls and openings on the sides to launch into. Hasbro produces stadiums with walls that are about 4.7 inches tall and pockets that count as a ring-out instead.
Common features of a Beystadium include a shallow impression called a cyclone/tornado ridge, which allows Attack type Beyblades to move around quickly without accidentally knocking themselves out, and cyclone/tornado points, which are recessed disks in the stadium floor that spin freely to add randomness to a battle. Other features may be specific to the series that the Beystadium is released in, like the rails from the Beyblade Burst Slingshock toy system, the large, almost bowl-like HyperSphere toy system.
Launching[]
A Beyblade Launcher (often referred to as a BeyLauncher) is used to launch the user's Beyblade into battle. Select launchers have different levels of power depending on the gears inside of them and the user's own launch strength. Launchers differ in size and shape, with some of them using Ripcords (long sticks of plastic with grips on the end and teeth on the sides to strike the gears that launch the user's Beyblade when pulled) and others using Strings (launchers that are built with a retractable string inside of them that launch the user's Beyblade with slightly more power when pulled). String Launchers are preferred by most players because of their launch power. Different series such as 2000/Original, Metal Fight/Fusion, and Burst launchers cannot be used with others.
Launching is often accompanied with a catchphrase. In the Takara Tomy version, this would be "3, 2, 1, Go Shoot!" (3、2、1、ゴーシュート!); in the Hasbro version, this would be "3, 2, 1, Let it Rip!"[1]
Systems[]
The "Basic System" tops are the first generation of Beyblade tops. They are made entirely of plastic, with the exception of Weight Disks and some Blade Base components. These Beyblades consist of four basic parts, the "Bit Chip," the "Attack Ring," the "Weight Disk," and the "Blade Base
Magnacore System (MG)[]
Introduced with the V-series, the "Magnacore" line of Beyblade toys featured magnetic Spin Gears and Weight Disks to attract or repel blades from each other. Additionally, certain Beystadiums had points to attach magnets, which affected the movement pattern.
Engine Gear System (EG)[]
Engine Gear tops were introduced with the G-series, and retain the same major design of a typical Beyblade, including a Bit Piece, an Attack Ring, a Weight Disk, and a Blade Base; Engine Gear tops, however, replace the typical Spin Gear with a more advanced Engine Gear, which affects the movement of the top during the battle. Each Engine Gear includes a Turbo Winder to wind-up the engine core. When in action, the Blade Base releases the Engine Gear determined by the Blade Base's clutch lock system. This series of Beyblades were the last ones to be made of plastic parts with the exception of the weight disks. The later ones were semi-metal or completely metal.
Heavy Metal System (HMS)[]
The Hard Metal System (HMS) is a line of Beyblade toys released after the Engine Gear line. It was released exclusively in 2008 by Takara Tomy. This series uses smaller pieces made mostly of metal. HMS Beyblades have a distinct advantage over previously released Beyblades, that being that their spin velocities are 1.5-2× faster. The parts of this system cannot be used in customization with those of past systems.
Metal/Hybrid Wheel System[]
This system was released in 2008 in Japan under the name "Metal Fight." A sub-system, the "Hybrid Wheel System," was released in 2009 in Japan, and was imported by Hasbro in 2010. The main difference of this sub-system from the earlier Metal System is the replacement of the lone die-cast Wheel with a combination of a plastic "Energy Ring/Clear Wheel" and "Metal/Fusion Wheel". This was done to prevent the breakage of launcher parts.
Names of Beyblades can now be determined by their parts. For example, Storm Pegasus 105RF has a 'Pegasus' Energy Ring/Clear Wheel, 'Storm' Fusion Wheel/Metal Wheel, '105(10.5mm)' Spin Track/Track, and an 'RF (Rubber Flat)' Bottom/Performance Tip.
4D System[]
4D system Beyblades were introduced in March 2011. It is an expansion of the Hybrid Wheel System which introduced new parts including the 4D Fusion Wheel and 4D Bottom. Additionally, the plastic parts of the wheels are made of a heavier, stronger material.[2]
The 4D Fusion Wheel replaces the standard Fusion Wheel, and is made of multiple parts - the PC Frame, Metal Frame, and Core. Some omit a standard frame and core design, such as L-Drago Destructor which has an upper metal frame to replace the Energy Ring and a lower PC core with rubber inserts to replace the Fusion Wheel, essentially flipping the common construction of most tops from this system.
The 4D Bottom replaces the Spin Track and includes a built-in gimmick involving the tip, such as being quickly changed between battles without disassembly, changing performance based on stamina, or spinning freely on a bearing.
Zero-G System[]
The Zero-G System continues the trend of the Hybrid Wheel System by using compatible parts. In uses the same engineering for the Spin Track and Performance Tip while introducing parts that can be used in place of others. The Crystal Wheel and Warrior/Chrome Wheel replace the Fusion Wheel and Energy Ring, while a similar but slightly longer Face Bolt is used due to the extra thickness of the new wheels. Stadiums for this system have rounded bottoms that cause them to pivot, which changes the movement patterns of the battling Beyblades. Additionally, the Crystal Wheel may be replaced with a second Warrior Wheel to create a heavier "Synchrome" Beyblade.
Extreme Battle System[]
The Extreme Battle System released by Hasbro in Beyblade: Metal Masters. They are separated into four groups, "Tornado Battlers" (taller, all plastic), "Electro Battlers" (light and sound effects), "IR Spin Control Beyblades" (remote controlled), and "Stealth Battlers" (hidden weapons released by centripetal force). None of these can be customized.
Burst System[]
These toys are designed so that the top may separate if it has sustained enough hits, which creates a "burst" gimmick due to a spring in the Performance Tip. The Burst System consists of 3 parts, the "Energy Layer," the "Forge Disc," and the "Performance Tip."
Toys R Us started distributing this system in Canada in September 2016[3] and Hasbro started distributing the toys in the United States in January 2017.
Dual Layer System[]
The Dual-Layer is a system by Takara Tomy and Hasbro where the energy Layers are made of multiple, not separable parts. It is not notably different from the original "Single-Layer" or standard Burst system.
God Layer/SwitchStrike System[]
The SwitchStrike system is a system by Takara Tomy and Hasbro, where each Beyblade has its own gimmick and most of them, have the disc with a disc frame which is introduced in this system by adding a frame to the disc to increase stats.
Turbo/Cho-Z System[]
The Turbo/Cho-Z system is used by Takara Tomy and Hasbro. The difference between both of them is that Takra Tomy features metal and gimmicks on the layers while Hasbro removes metal from the layers and almost all gimmicks other than Turbo Spryzen and that the drivers can change between battle ring mode or sling shock mode. This allows beyblades to ride on the sling shock rails and shoot back into the stadium.
GaTinko/HyperSphere/Rise System[]
The GT System was used by Takara Tomy. It removes the Level Chip and adds the GT Chip, Layer Base, and Layer Weight instead. GT chips determine the locking strength of a bey, Layer Bases determine shape, and Layer Weights determine weight and weight distribution. Its Hasbro equivalent, the HyperSphere system, swaps out customizable Energy Layers for large, dome-like Performance Tips and removes the layer weight. These bulky performance tips allow Hypersphere beyblades to climb the walls of the Hypersphere stadium and attack the opponent powerfully.
Superking/Sparking/Speedstorm System[]
The Superking System was used by Takara Tomy. It has a Ring, Sparking Chip, Chassis, Disc, and Driver. The Ring acts similarly to a layer base, but it has a different locking system for the Chip and can be dual-spin. Sparking Chips are similar to GT chips, but do not help the locking mechanism and are purely for looks. Chassis attach to the Ring, and determine the locking mechanism. They typically house gimmicks or otherwise alter the shape of a bey. The Hasbro equivalent system, the SpeedStorm system, instead focuses on taller tops with the drivers being taller and that they remove the chassis which then is replaced by discs. These taller drivers allow Speedstorm beyblades to change direction or speed up from small pockets built into the stadium.
Dynamite Battle/Quad Drive[]
The DB System is use by Takara-Tomy, and uses parts such as a Core, Blade, Armour, Disc, Driver, and Evolution gear. This Beyblade Series does not include a Chassis unlike its predecessor, the Superking system. These beys have high and low-mode, sometimes making it incompatible with older Discs. Older Discs can be used on the DB system but they have to be in high mode. The locking for the Core and the Armour is similar to the GT System.
See also[]
Notes[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.fun.be/media/Beyblade%20Burst%20Guide%20Book.pdf
- ^ "Archived copy" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-03-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Beyblade - Toys "R" Us". Toys R Us. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
External links[]
- Beyblade
- Hasbro products
- 2000s toys
- Tops
- Products introduced in 2000
- 2000s fads and trends
- NewBoy