Challenge your friends to intense top battles with the Beyblade Metal Masters Triple Battle Set. An ideal toy for Beyblade beginners, this set contains everything you need to start battling, including two classic Beyblade tops and a unique arena for them to battle in. Recommended for ages 8 and up, this set is sure to provide plenty of top-slamming, rip-cord-pulling thrills.
For those who are unfamiliar, Beyblade is a twenty-first-century reinvention of the classic game, "Battling Tops." The game is adapted from a wildly popular manga and TV series, "Beyblade," in which characters pit high-tech tops (called "Beys") against one another in staged battles. To play the game, players begin by revving up their tops with a rip-cord launcher. They then release the tops into an arena, where the tops collide and knock each other off balance. The last top left spinning wins the game.
Much like the tops in the TV show, Beyblade tops are fully customizable. Each top features five separate components that can be taken apart and recombined with pieces from other tops. The trick is to build a top that has all the qualities necessary to outlast your opponent. You can build an "attack" top that strikes with extreme force, a "defense" top that deflects attacks, or a "stamina" top that can keep spinning for long periods of time. With hundreds of different top combinations possible, this game lets you can create a distinct battling style of your own.
The Triple Battle Set comes with two of the most popular Beyblade tops: the Galaxy Pegasus and the Meteo L-Drago. The Galaxy Pegasus is a classic attack-style top, which uses aggressive maneuvering to knock down opponent tops. It has a fiery red-and-blue design and sports a Pegasus emblem at the center. The Meteo L-Drago, meanwhile, is a more unconventional top: it spins counterclockwise and features hooks that grab opponent tops. With its metallic gold-and-silver finish and intimidating dragon emblem, the L-Drago is highly sought after by collectors.
Both tops are constructed out of metal and have a solid and hefty feel. Our testers had some difficulty snapping apart the various components of the tops. However, with a little bit of adult assistance, children should have no problem disassembling and rebuilding their tops.
The Triple Battle Set also includes a gear-shaped battle stadium that has been specifically designed for Beyblade battles. Made out of hardy plastic, the stadium has a concave design that naturally directs each top towards the center. It comes with three different "battle cores" that can be installed at the center of the stadium, and each influence the battle in different ways. There is a "Zip" core, which forces tops into a straight line of movement. A "Chaos" core causes tops to move unpredictably, and a "Deflector" core sends tops circling into their opponents. The cores add strategic depth to the game and should help keep battles fresh and exciting.
Playing with Beyblades involves both strategy (selecting which top components to use) and skill (launching the tops properly). The game will have players exercising their creative muscles, as they try to come up with new strategies for winning. It could even foster an early interest in engineering, as it encourages kids to find out why certain top components work well together. Overall, this is a fun, constructive toy for younger and older kids alike.
Beyblade Metal Masters Triple Battle stadium, two performance tops, two ripcord launchers, three battle cores, rule book, and tournament bracket notepad.
