The turn of the century was a golden era for a handful of legendary toy franchises. Hot Wheels, Lego, Pokémon, Transformers—these names have withstood the test of time and are still recognisable to nearly anyone. Standing there among them is Beyblade. These high-speed spinning tops have long since become a household name, and you’ll have trouble finding someone who hasn’t heard of them in this day and age.

Ever since Beyblade landed on our sunny shores in the early 2000s, they’ve been constantly evolving. Millennials may recall “Letting it Rip” underneath void decks after a long day of school, while using buckets and pails as makeshift stadiums. Or they might recall dashing to toy stores in excitement when the second generation of Beyblades, featuring brand-new metallic parts, were released all the way back in 2008. There’s something about high-speed spinning tops that appeals to people of all ages, and this latest generation is no exception.

An official Beyblade tournament taking place in a mall atrium

In recent years, you may have chanced upon Beyblade tournaments taking over toy stores and mall atriums in Singapore. Maybe you’ve even been a curious onlooker, craning your neck to get a look at the arena.

Whether you’re a returning player seeking to relive your childhood, a fascinated spectator intrigued by the fast-paced action, or a parent trying to understand what your kid is all hyped about, there’s never been a better time to start with Beyblade X— the latest and most ‘Xtreme’ generation by far.

What Does Beyblade X Do Differently?

Video Credit: @kuya_aem19

Beyblade X has learnt important lessons from all of its predecessors. This season features unique traits from previous generations. Modern blades hit harder and clash faster, thanks to the metallic ‘Blades’ that have returned from Metal Fight Beyblade (2008). On top of that, these beyblades are capable of accelerating to great speeds thanks to two pieces of clever engineering.

The inner bowl of a standard Beyblade X stadium is lined with gear teeth, forming a track known as the ‘Xtreme line’. This line is designed to interact with the tips that Beyblades spin on.

These tips each have a set of teeth as well, meaning that once a Beyblade contacts the Xtreme line while in motion, it launches itself across the entire perimeter of the arena. This enables high-speed clashes and rapid movement in nearly every single battle, making sure that no two rounds feel the same.

Video Credit: @kuya_aem19

There are multiple ways you can win a round, allowing each player to master their own playstyle. Common strategies that Beyblade fanatics focus on are:

• Outspinning your opponent’s Beys with sheer stamina
• KOing the enemy by knocking them into one of the two pockets
• Performing an Xtreme Dash and knock them straight out of the arena
• Stealing your opponent’s rotation using a Bey that spins counter-clockwise

Video Credit: @kuya_aem19

And notably, one of the most exciting victory conditions has been carried over from Beyblade Burst (2015). If a Bey takes a critical hit to its ‘Ratchet’, which keeps their Blade and Tip anchored together, it might get blasted apart before your very eyes.

This ‘Burst’ mechanic is a sight to behold, and allows anyone to experience those heart-pounding moments from the animated series where Beyblades shatter in the arena and meet their end. Fortunately, Beyblades are built to survive repeated bursts, and their pieces can simply be put back together.

With each round being a heart-pounding adrenaline rush, filled with high-speed action and climatic finishing moves, it’s no wonder that Beyblade X has gained a rapid following these past few years!

How Do I Build My Own Beyblade?

You can build a Beyblade of your own by combining three key parts: the Blade, the Ratchet, and the Bit.

The titular Blade is a metal disc with a mascot sticker that reflects its theme. There are pointy and angular shapes for attacking, rugged and dense defensive Blades, and smooth, well-balanced ones for high stamina. Every Blade has its own unique traits, making it easier for different shapes to carry out certain strategies.

Next is the Ratchet. This part keeps the Blade and the Bit locked together. Every Ratchet has several weak points that could make it more likely for the Bey to burst apart in the stadium. In exchange, the Ratchets offer varying shapes, height, tightness and weight. A shorter one might lower your Beyblade’s height and let them attack Ratchets more effectively, or an asymmetrical one could help it move more unpredictably and bounce out of pockets.

Lastly, the Bit is the tip of the Beyblade, which serves as the contact point against the stadium. These Bits have the greatest impact on the way a Beyblade acts. There are flat Bits that help attack-focused Beys move aggressively around the arena. There are rounded, ball-like Bits that give a Bey calmer movement, but higher spin time. You may even find Bits made of different materials, like rubber or metal, causing the Bey to move differently due to friction.

With these three parts, there are almost infinite combos you can make!

For casual play, you can build whatever you’d like—but if you’d like to take part in an official tournament, take part in a casual tourney, or play with friends using a standard match ruleset, there are some common rules to follow:

• A full Beyblade deck must have 3 Beys.
• These Beys cannot have repeated parts among them (No spamming 3 of your strongest parts!).
• The first player to obtain 4 points in a match is the winner.

What Do I Need To Play Beyblade?

The easiest way to take your first step into Beyblade X is with a Starter Set. These beginner bundles come with a full Bey and a Launcher, letting you get started immediately. Be sure to save the QR code from the box tabs, as you can use it to earn points in the official Beyblade X App.

After getting your first Bey, you can fill out your roster with a Booster Set. These sets are standalone upgrades, giving you access to new parts that you can mix and match to find the ultimate combo for your own playstyle.

And lastly, in order to play at home, you’re going to need a Beyblade X Stadium. These sets can include standalone stadiums, two-player starter bundles that you can split with a friend, and exclusive Bey colours that can’t be purchased separately.

Start Your Beyblade X Journey at HammerHouse

HammerHouse stocks a wide range of Beyblade X products in-store, keeping up with the latest releases and providing the perfect place to begin your Beyblade adventure. Beyond retail sales, we also strive to be a community hub for local games enthusiasts—including Beyblade, of course!

Monday is Beyblade night at HammerHouse!

We also organise regular community tourneys on most weeks, featuring unique themes and customised rulesets. When we aren’t running tourneys, we host official G3 tournaments several times a month, giving players regular opportunities to compete at a higher level. Podium winners get to walk home with golden Prize Beys, to either bling out their decks or fill out their trophy cases.

If you have any questions about how to get started, or would like to find out more about our Beyblade X events, click here to join our WhatsApp group—or come on down to Chinatown today to ask our friendly staff!