"What is Beyblade?", you ask?
Dragoon S, an example of a Beyblade.
Beyblade (also known as Topblade and/or G Blade in South Korea) is a Japanese spinning top toy line created by Takara (Now known as Takara-Tomy since the merge between Takara and TOMY in 2005) with collectible, customizable tops that you battle with. The franchise was created by Osamu Mashimo, who had worked with Takara (and even into the merge with fellow Japanese toy company Tomy in 2005) since April of 1986. Beyblade had gotten its start from two older spinning top toy lines, called "Battletop" and "Suge Goma", both of which where doing badly in the toy market. They were about to abandon both, when Mashimo thought of the one thing that lead to the franchise we know and love: customization. The name is inspired by the traditional Japanese spinning top "Beigoma". Beyblade is also an action-packed anime and manga series, written by Aoki Takao and Adachi Takafumi, and it also has comedic moments, too. In case you don't know, an anime is a Japanese cartoon, while a manga is a form of Japanese comics. In both the manga and anime, the Beyblades are usually depicted containing powerful spirit beasts. The spirit beasts in the original series, V-Force, and G-Revolution are called Bit-Beasts (Holy Beasts in the Japanese version). The ones in the Metal Saga are called Bey-Spirits or simply Beasts (like Spirit Beasts).
Now, there are four types of Beyblades, that you'll have to keep in mind. Attack-type Beyblades have high attack power, but lacking in defensive power and stamina, as they are meant to finish a battle as quickly as possible. Defense-type Beyblades have high defensive power, and with a bit more stamina than Attack-types, but not as much attack power, as Defense-types are meant to wear out Attack-types. Stamina-type (Also known as Endurance- or Survival-type) Beyblades have high stamina, but lacking in both defense and attack power, and are meant to outlast the opponent in battle. Balance-type (Combination-type in the old days) Beyblades are usually a combination of two of the three other types. However, there are qualities that have to be sacrificed in battle in order to win. There is a "rock-paper-scissors"-type thing between Attack-, Defense-, and Stamina-types. Attack-types can beat Stamina-types, and Stamina-types beat Defense-types, and Defense-types beat Attack-types. However, there can be cases where a Defense-type Bey beats a Stamina-type, or say an Attack-type defeating a Defense-type. These cases can depend on the types of parts used in battle.
A Beyblade battle is usually between two to four players or Bladers. You and your opponent(s) would engage their Beyblades on their launchers, aim them over the Beystadium (A plastic dish in which Beyblade battles take place), and start the Beyblade battle cry, "3, 2, 1, Let it Rip!" ("Go Shoot!" in Japan and other Asian countries where Beyblade was released), before launching the tops into the Beystadium by pulling the Ripcord (Winder in Japan) out from the side of the launcher (Shooter in Japan and other Asian countries). The objective is to defeat your opponent's Beyblade, either by knocking it out, or if the opposing Beyblade stops spinning on its own.
Beyblade toys are distributed in Japan and other Asian countries by Takara-Tomy, in the United States and Europe by Hasbro, in China and Hong Kong by Mani Ltd., and in South Korea by Sono Kong. They are usually sold in starter sets, booster packs, and/or deluxe sets. There are also Random Boosters, where you have a chance of either getting one of a number of common Beyblades, or a rare Bey (certain Random Boosters have more than one type of rare Beyblade).
Spin Gear system Beyblades consist of four-to-six parts
Attack Ring (AR): Determines the Bey's effect when it clashes with an opposing top. Some Beyblades have two-piece Attack Rings that consist of a main Attack Ring and a Sub-Attack Ring (S-AR).
Weight Disk (WD): This metal part adds weight to the Bey, so it would be harder for the opposing top to bash it around.
Spin Gear (SG): Determines what direction the Bey spins in when launched, either left- or right-spin. They are usually attached into the Blade Base (see below). Some Spin Gears are specialized, either giving the Beyblade the ability to jump, or have bearings to give the Bey extra stamina. The newer Neo Left SG and Neo Right SG Spin Gears, introduced in V-Force (known in Japan as Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002), have interchangeable cores. There is the Metal Weight Core, the magnetic Magnacore/MG (see Magnacore below), the lightweight, plastic, and standard Normal Core, and finally the weighted Heavy Metal Core. As with the earlier-generation Spin Gears, there are also specialized Neo SG cores.
Blade Base (BB): It has the tip, which determines how a Beyblade will behave in battle. The Spin Gear attaches to this part. For instance, a Beyblade with a flat tip with behave aggressively. Some Blade Bases have holes to which specialized Spin Gears can attach. Early Blade Bases often have Spin Gears built right into them.
There is also the Bit Chip (usually adorned with an icon of a mythical creature), which usually serves as a decorative piece that can be attached to the Attack Ring. Early Bit Chips are usually covered with an extra plastic layer. There was also a metal variation of the Bit Chip, which is very rare. In the anime and manga, the Bit Chips usually house the souls of the Bit-Beasts.
Some Beyblades would come with Support Parts, which can be flipped upside-down and attached to the Blade Base for use in different Beyblade customizations.
Early into what is dubbed the "plastic generation" by Beyblade fans worldwide, there was the Bearing Gyros series, Beyblades with a gyroscope gimmick. With these, you can do tricks with the use of accessories included with them. Plus, their parts interchangeable with standard Spin Gear system Beyblades. Their Weight Disks are heavy enough to be banned by Takara from use in official BBA tournaments hosted in Japan. Not only that, but their circular Gyro Defense Attack Rings are perfect for "spin-stealing", a common element in a type of Stamina combo called a "Zombie". Spin-stealing is when a Zombie combo uses the momentum of an opposing Beyblade to keep itself spinning.
MagneCore Beyblades (MG in Japan, short for MagneCore Gear, also known as the MagneSystem), introduced in Beyblade V-Force (Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 in Japan), have magnetic Weight Disks and Neo SG cores for either attracting or repelling opposing Beys from each other. Also, one could purchase magnets for a MagnaCore Tray to put under a Beystadium, affecting the movement patterns of the Beyblades. There are two types of MagneCore SG weights; a "south pole" version (S-MG Core), and a "north pole" version (N-MG Core).
Engine Gear (EG System) Beys, introduced in Beyblade G-Revolution (Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2003 in Japan), replaced the standard Spin Gears with the larger and more advanced Engine Gears, which affects the behavior of the tops in battle. Each Engine Gear came with a Turbo Winder to wind up the Engine Gear before launching the Beyblade that is equipped with it. When in action, the Blade Base releases the Engine Gear determined by the Blade Base's clutch lock system, which determines when in battle does the Engine Gear itself activates. The Engine Gear series was the last to made up of plastic parts (except for the Weight Disk), before the later Hard/Heavy Metal System (see Hard Metal System). Later Engine Gear series parts were either semi-metal or completely metal. Certain Engine Gears have removable tips called Customize Engine Weights (CEW for short), for expanded customization options.
Types of Engine Gears
Engine Gear: Default Engine Gear that comes with most Beys in G-Revolution. The tips, however, are varied. Later standard Engine Gears come with the interchangeable CEW's.
Turbo Engine Gear: First released with the left-spinning Dragoon GT, the Turbo Engine Gear gives a more powerful release than a regular Engine Gear that comes with a larger Turbo Winder. This type of Engine Gear, along with the Reverse and Gyro Engine Gears, had CEW's for customization options.
Reverse Gear: This Engine Gear spins in the opposite direction of the top. These Engine Gears were only bundled with Dranzer GT, which uses this Gear for a reverse zig-zag attack. The reverse zig-zag attack may seem effective, but it will lose stamina when the gear kicks in. As with Dragoon GT, it comes with a larger Turbo Winder.
Gyro Engine Gear: A unique bearing-based Engine Gear that can spin freely on the Spin Gear, and can only be fitted with the Engine Stopper Blade Base (see Types of Engine Gear Blade Bases below). Unlike most other bearing-based Spin Gears, the Gyro Engine Gear uses a plastic bearing rather than a metal one. Not only that, the Gyro Engine Gear is exclusive to the Beyblade, Flame Pegasus.
Customize Gears: These Engine Gears are basically bigger versions of older Spin Gears, such as the Right SG Free Shaft Ver. used by the earlier Spin Gear System Beyblade, Dranzer S. Only the EG System Beyblades Zeus and Gigars were released with Customize Gears. Like the Turbo, Reverse, and Gyro Engine Gears, Customize Gears use CEW's for customization options.
Types of Engine Gear Blade Bases
Instant Release/First Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers at the start of a battle, resulting in one big burst of speed almost immediately after the Beyblade is launched.
Steady Release/No Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers at the start of the battle, but releases earlier due to the weight of the Bey on the larger or wider revolving Blade Base, which is attached directly to the Engine Gear. Used in the Beyblades Rock Bison and Wolborg 4.
Hit Release/Final Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers when the Blade Base collides with an object, or when the Beyblade is running out of stamina, and releases a quick burst of speed. The clutches must be pulled prior to winding the Engine Gear
Middle Clutch: Built exclusively for Dranzer GT, it has a similar design to the Final Clutch base, but releases the Engine Gear in the middle of a battle; earlier than a Final Clutch but not instant as in the First Clutch base.
Engine Stopper: This Blade Base, to which only the Gyro Engine Gear can attach, allows a Beyblade to spin without the use of a launcher.
Despite the Engine Gears being a new innovation in Beyblade, they have proven to be rather unpopular, since the Engine Gears and their Blade Bases have proven useless in a competitive situation, especially with their awkward heights, excessive plastic, and unreliability, except maybe Wolborg 4.
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Hard Metal System (HMS for short, also known in Japan as Heavy Metal System) Beyblades (also introduced later on in G-Revolution) (also called G Blades in South Korea) are the last line of old-generation Beyblades after the Engine Gear series in respect to the anime series. HMS Beyblades also have an advantage over the previous releases, being able to spin up to 2 times faster, due to being smaller than the older Spin Gear/Magnecore/Engine Gear Beyblades. The HMS series has proven to be a smash hit in Japan (no pun intended), though the Hasbro release in the United States and Europe had a lower profile.
HMS Beyblades consist of four parts:
Bit Protector: Unlike the Bit Chip, which was a decorative piece, the Bit Protector holds the parts together. With the release of the first five HMS Beyblade tops, each Bit Protector came with two stickers. One sticker is of the Bit-Beast, and the other is of an emblem. The emblem stickers were the only ones to appear in the later HMS Beyblade toys.
Attack Ring: The HMS Attack Ring consists of an inner metal part screwed to an outer plastic ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) cowl. Usually, there would be a plastic ring connected to a second metal ring. These Attack Rings were fashioned in different styles.
Weight Disk: HMS Weight Disks are completely circular, unlike previous Weight Disks which were shaped as hexa-, octa-, and decagons. There are also Customize Weight Disks (CWD for short), which consist of metal frames and interchangeable ABS cowls. There are two types of CWDs, stationary and free-spinning. Stationary CWDs use the small notches inside the WD to secure themselves, while free-spinning ones don't. The HMS Beyblades Thunder Dragon and Sea Dragon, also the winners of a Beyblade design contest, were the first to have CWD's.
Running Core: The Blade Base of the HMS Beys. Goes through the Weight Disk and Attack Ring and attaches to the Bit Protector. Some Running Cores have tip-changing gimmicks, and can have CWD's attached to them, rather than below the Attack Ring, and even have their own Bit Protectors.
Just so you know, HMS Beyblades do not use or require Spin Gears and Engine Gears, since they can be launched from both spin directions. It is possible with the Dual Shooter, which allows such spin-changing before the start of each battle. Most HMS Beyblades don't have Support Parts like the later V-Force series Beyblades did, except for Aero Knight MS, which has a Support Part of its own. Not only that, but Round Shell MS doesn't have a Weight Disk, due to its unique Rubber Weight Core taking the places of both the Weight Disk and Running Core.
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Metal Fight Beyblade (four-layer Metal System)
The first iteration of the Metal Fight Beyblade tops, which came out in 2008. The parts of the Metal System Beyblades are;
Face: Holds the Beyblade parts together
Wheel: The metal part of the Beyblade used for attacking and defending, also coming with stickers.
Track: Determines the height of the Beyblade, and some Tracks have gimmicks, like down force wings, free-moving balls, claws, spinning horns, and the ability to change height. (Example: Wide Defense 145 (14.5mm) has a set of three hooks for defending against low-attacking Beyblades)
Bottom: Like the Blade Base of the old-generation Beyblades, these tips determine how the Beyblade using it will behave in battle. For example, if a Beyblade has a Sharp tip, it will not move too much, or even stay in the center of the Beystadium.
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Hybrid Wheel System (HMS)/Perfomance Top System (PTS)
Beyblades in the Hybrid Wheel System, which was released in Japan in 2009, consist of five parts. This time, the Wheel is split into two pieces rather than one, and the Face, Track, and Bottom carried over to this new system.
Face Bolt/Face: Holds the parts together like in the four-layer Beyblades.
Energy Ring/Clear Wheel: They are made of polycarbonate (CPC). Aerodynamics are occasionally a factor, and are used to hold the hooks of the launcher, and make up the upper part of the Hybrid Wheel.
Fusion Wheel/Metal Wheel: They provide a frame for the polycarbonate Energy Ring, and make the most contact with the opposing top.
Spin Track/Track: Determines the height of the Beyblade like in the four-layer Beys.
Performance Tip/Bottom: Like in the four-layer Beys, they determine how the Bey will behave in battle. For instance, a flat tip will make for an aggressive movement in battle.
Light Wheel: Light Wheels are Metal Wheels that are made out of white plastic. There are four different kinds of Light Wheels, each one representing a different Beyblade type. Light Wheels are exclusive to Random Booster Light Vol. 1: Mad Cancer, Random Booster Light Vol. 2: Wind Aquario, and Random Booster Light Vol. 3: Clay Aries. It is not recommended to battle a Light Wheel Beyblade against a top that has the standard Metal Wheel; the Light Wheel might break easily against the Metal Wheel, being made of plastic and all.
Please note that the name of a Beyblade in the Metal Fight series can be determined by what parts are used. For example, the Hybrid Wheel Beyblade, Storm Pegasus 105RF, is named for the Storm Metal Wheel, the Pegasus Clear Wheel, the 105 (1.05mm) Track, and the RF (Rubber Flat) Bottom. The same with the four-layer models.
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4D System
The 4D System came out in April of 2011. It is somewhat of a combination between the old Hard Metal and Hybrid Wheel systems. The 4D's stand for
Different Material
Divided Wheel
Dynamic Move
Deep Custom
Beyblade naming has changed, however. For example, Big Bang Pegasus F:D, is named for the Big Bang 4D Metal Wheel, the Pegasus III 4D Clear Wheel, and the F:D 4D Bottom (F:D stands for Final Drive). But, it's not always like this. In the case of four-layer L-Drago Destroy F:S, L-Drago's name comes first, as it does not have a Clear Wheel.
Face Bolt: The one part needed to keep the other parts together.
4D Clear Wheel: These Clear Wheels are now made with metal compounds; a powder-like substance to be heavier. Some 4D Beys will not have Energy Rings, like the aforementioned L-Drago Destroy F:S.
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4D Metal Wheel: This time, the Metal Wheel can be composed of more than one part. For instance, Big Bang Pegasus F:D's Big Bang Metal Wheel is composed of three parts. The number of parts composing the Metal Wheel varies. These types of 4D Fusion Wheel parts are:
Frame: These make up the upper and sometimes middle layers of 4D Metal Wheels. Some Beyblades, like Big Bang Pegasis F:D, for instance would have two frames making up the upper and middle layers of the 4D Fusion Wheel. There are three types of Frames:
Metal Frame: Self-explanatory
PC Frame: The PC stands for polycarbonate, the same kind of plastic used in every plastic part of the Metal Fight series except for the PD Bottom. Note that Variares' PC Frame is built into its Metal Wheel, and can automatically change modes in battle.
Rubber Frame: Also self-explanatory, and exclusive to Fusion Hades AD145SWD, the prize Bey of Random Booster Vol. 9: Fusion Hades.
Core: The part that makes up the bottom layer of the 4D Metal Wheel, which is where the Clear Wheel can be attached. Most Cores are made of Metal, except for the Cores of L-Drago Destroy F:S and Phantom Orion B:D, which are made of polycarbonate.
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4D Bottom: Essentially a fusion between the Track and Bottom, they have automatic mechanisms which changes the tips in battle. For instance, Big Bang Pegasus's F:D (Final Drive) acts as an SF (Semi-Flat) tip at the start of the battle, and when it loses spin velocity, it will act as a more aggressive RF (Rubber Flat) tip. Some 4D Bottoms, like Variares' three-tip Delta Drive (D:D for short) 4D Bottom, requires its mode to be changed manually between battles. Note that some 4D Beyblades have regular Hybrid Wheel Spin Tracks/Tracks and Performance Tips/Bottoms.
Notes:
Now, most plastic parts in the Metal Fight series Beyblades are made of polycarbonate (CPC), except for one. PD (Polish Defense) is a Performance Tip that is made of polyoxymethylene (POM), and comes exclusively with the BB-90 LED Sight. Since PD is made of polyoxymethylene, it makes for less friction on the Beystadium floor. However, the holes on its sides causes whatever Beyblade that is equipped with it to bounce a bit. It has been recently confirmed that Hasbro would release their versions of the 4D Beyblades, which they will call "Hyperblades" in late January of 2013. Apparently, the 4-layer Metal System Beyblades are, and I quote, "forwards-compatible" with 4D Bottoms, since 4D Bottoms have the same top sockets as the Spin Tracks. Not only that, but when Hasbro's versions of the 4D Beyblades come out later in 2012, certain ones will not have 4D Bottoms, but rather Spin Tracks and Performance Tips. However, Hasbro may potentially manufacture 4D Beyblades, as evidenced in the images of the upcoming Hyper Strike BeyStadium Set.
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Zero-G: A new series of Beyblade announced in the April 2012 issue of CoroCoro Comic (see CoroCoro Comic below), Zero-G, came out in Japan on March 31st, 2012, starting with BBG-01 Samurai Ifraid W145CF, and like the previous Metal Fight Beyblade Hybrid Wheel system, the Beyblades will consist of a Face, a two-layer Wheel, Track, and Bottom, albeit Zero-G's wheels will be different; A Zero-G Wheel will consist of a metal frame, called the Chrome Wheel, and a plastic frame called the Crystal Wheel. Plus, the Zero-G Wheels will be asymmetrically-shaped, and can change modes depending on how it would be flipped. Chrome Up Mode is the normal mode, where the Chrome Wheel is facing up, and Crystal Up Mode is achieved when you flip the Crystal Wheel facing up. Zero-G's Stone Faces will not have a hexagonal shape, but an octagonal one resembling a gemstone. Released on June 23th, 2012 is the Metal Stone Face Custom Ver. in Flame Red and Ocean Blue colors, which functions similar to the Metal Face Bolt (see Metal Face/MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver./Metal Stone Face below), to add weight to whatever Zero-G Beyblade that it is equipped to (albeit certain Beyblades, like BBG-02 Shinobi Saramanda, will also come with regular, unpainted Metal Stone Faces of their own as a standard feature). Like the three Metal Fight Beyblade parts systems before it, Zero-G Beyblades will also have Spin Tracks and Performance Tips, and it is confirmed that they are cross-compatible with older Metal Fight Beyblade tops. But, the main feature of the Zero-G series, asides from its uniquely-designed Beyblade tops, is its new Beystadiums, which are designed to rock and sway during a Beyblade battle, giving the opposing Bladers new options on how to defeat one another. For a new customization option, Zero-G Beyblades, like the BBG-01 Samurai Ifraid W145CF and BBG-02 Shinobi Saramanda SW145SD for instance, can have their Chrome Wheels combined with one another, forming a Synchrom Wheel. Not only that, but there is also a sort of role-reversal between certain Bottoms due to the nature of the Zero-G Beystadiums; Stamina-type Sharp Bottoms will become Defense-type Bottoms, and Defense-type Bottoms will be Stamina-type Bottoms. Of course, the Attack-type Bottoms will still keep their roles, though.
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Organizations
BBA (Beyblade Battle Association)
The BBA is a now-defunct organzation, which was run by Hasbro Toys (U.S.) and Takara (Japan) to promote the original series Beyblade during the old days. They hosted various tournaments and sold Beyblade tops, gear, and accessories to Bladers to battle with. It also has a fictional counterpart in the anime and manga series.
WBBA (World Beyblade Battle Association or World BeyBlade Association)
The WBBA is the successor to the old BBA in the Metal Fight series, and unlike the BBA, which was based in both the U.S.A. and Japan, the WBBA is based around the world, though mostly active in Japan. It is being run by Takara-Tomy to promote the Metal Fight series, hosting tournaments, giving out prizes to Beybladers who achieve a certain amount of points using the Beypointers and Beypoint Cards (See Beypoints). WBBA shops can be found in numerous Japanese toy stores, and these give access to the free-to-play Bey Ta Gou/Gan Gan Hobby Stadium arcade machines, in which the objective is to defeat the opposing Beyblade with their top within a time limit determined by one of three difficulty levels, and win prizes and Beypoints (see Beypoints). Like the older BBA, the WBBA has a fictional counterpart in the anime and manga series.
TBA (Topblade Battle Association)
The South Korean equivalent of the now-defunct BBA.
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Beypoints
These are points you earn and lose in Beyblade battles. The Beypointer is a device for such points. When you win or lose a battle, you and your opponent would connect each other's Beypointers to one another, and give or take at least 10 Beypoints, depending on whether you won or lost in a Beyblade battle. There were also special passwords given out at WBBA events that you could enter on the Beypointer to earn extra Beypoints (ranging from 100-500 each). However, one could cheat by simply buying two Beypointers in order to get an infinite amount of Beypoints. The Beypointer can be connected to the Bey Ta IchiGo (mostly spelled Bey Ta 1 Go) arcade machine and the Nintendo DS with a Beypoint Reader, to keep track of your points in those games. There was also the BB-53 Digital Power Launcher Pegasis Ver., as well as the left-spin BB-54 Digital Power Launcher L-Drago Ver., both of which having built-in Beypointers. The Beypointer is not so commonly used in Japan anymore, being outmoded by the new Beypoint Cards (released in April 2010), which are IC (integrated circuit) cards that can store your Beypoints, also putting an end to the infinite Beypoints cheat done with the Beypointers, though they (the Beypoint Cards) do not possess the same Beypoint transferring function as the Beypointer. You can also use them (and the older Beypointers, especially the ones built into the Digital Power Launchers) on the newer Bey Ta NiGo (also known as the Gan Gan Hobby Stadium Machine or Bey Ta 2Go), and also transfer the Beypoints on a Beypointer onto the Beypoint Card. When a Blader gets a new Beypointer (or Beypoint Card), he/she usually starts with 1000 Beypoints. As one reaches certain amounts of Beypoints, he/she can earn prizes from the WBBA, such as limited edition Beyblades for instance. When a person reaches a certain amount of points on his/her Beypoint Card, he or she levels up. There are ten levels you can reach on the Beypoint Card. At certain levels, you can earn prizes from the WBBA. Beypoints can also be won in WBBA tournaments, of which there are four Grades. The amount of Beypoints given out in a tournament depends upon its Grade, and the position you would come into in that tournament. One more thing, the Beypoints are also exclusive to Japan, and other Asian countries. Hasbro has also made a statement, saying that they will not put the Beypoints system in the United States or Europe.
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Gan Gan Hobby
Gan Gan Hobby is a term for the Grade 3 or 4 Beyblade events run by Takara-TOMY and the WBBA. Of course, the same stores are also involved with tournaments and/or events of other Takara-TOMY hobby toylines, such as Cross Fight B-Daman, Choro-Q, and Choro-Q Mach Gear, to name a few. Plus, Gan Gan Hobby Stadium Machine is used as an alternate name for the Bey Ta 2Go arcade machine.
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CoroCoro Comic: This Japanese monthly manga magazine regularly promotes toys and video games related to their manga franchises, like the world-wide video game phenomenon Pokemon, for instance. In the case of Takara-Tomy, it has tie-ins with Beyblade, among its other toylines. Certain limited edition Beyblades could only be acquired by subscribing to this manga magazine, like Divine Chimera TR145FB for example. Some CoroCoro Comic-exclusive limited edition Beys are the result of the winners of Beyblade design contests hosted by the magazine at different points in time, like the aforementioned Divine Chimera TR145FB (albeit the Beyblade was the result of two winning designs rather than one). Some CoroCoro Comic-exclusive Beyblades, like Omega Dragonis 85XF, can be acquired via guide magazines released by CoroCoro Comic.
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Metal Face Bolt/MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver./Metal Stone Face (Zero-G series)
The Metal Face Bolt is a product released by Takara-Tomy, as an upgrade to the standard polycarbonate Face Bolt. As its name implies, it is made of metal, and provides extra weight and highly useful in Attack and Defense combinations, similar to the plastic generation Heavy Metal Core. They typically weigh 4.7g and are abbreviated as MF or MF2 in Beyblade customization. They are commonly used in Defense- and Attack-type Beyblade customizations, in order to slow their movement down and prevent recoil. As for Stamina-type Beyblades, forget about it! The MF is not recommended for Stamina-type Beyblades, as the extra weight will make for less stamina, and an increased likeliness of tipping over, especially when the opposing Beyblade lands a good-enough blow and if the Bey using the MF has a Sharp tip. The MF2, also known as Metal Face Custom Ver., is an upgrade to the original Metal Face released in Japan on July 24th, 2010. The original Metal Face bolt reads "Metal Face", while MF2 Bolts read "MF2 W.B.B.A.". Useful for telling the two apart. As its alternate name of Metal Face Custom Ver. implies, the MF2 is customizable, as it consists of two parts. They are the Core, which keeps the Bey together, and the Plate, which is the outer hexagonal frame around the Core.
Metal Core: 2.6g
Metal Plate: 2.7g
Clear Core: 0.7g
Clear Plate: 0.5g
Note: The Clear Core and Clear Plate are both made of plastic.
There four types of the MF2 Bolts that can be made from the different configurations of Cores and Plates. They are:
MF-H (Heavy): Metal Core + Metal Plate = 5.3g
MF-M (Middle): Metal Core + Clear Plate = 3.1g
MF-L (Light): Clear Core + Metal Plate = 3.4g
MF-F (Feather): Clear Core + Clear Plate = 1.2g
Ironically, the MF-L is a smidge heavier than the MF-M. Not only that, but the MF-F is also a tiny bit heavier than the standard plastic Face Bolt. Both the original MF and MF2 Bolts are usually sold in pairs, along with longer-handled versions of the assembly tool. Certain Beyblades have their own engraved Metal Face Bolts, like the CoroCoro-exclusive L-Drago Destroy Gold Armored Ver. DF105LRF, for example. The original Metal Face Bolts also came with exclusive, limited edition Beyblades that came with the collector's editions of the American and European releases of the Beyblade Metal Fusion video game for the Nintendo DS portable game console, the same with the collector's editions of the American and European releases of the Metal Masters Nintendo DS game. The Metal Stone Face of the Zero-G series, is shaped like a standard Stone Face, and they each weigh 5.5g, heavier even than the Metal Face Custom Ver. in MF-H configuration. Released in Japan on June 23rd 2012, is the Metal Stone Face Custom Ver. (see Zero-G), which functions similarly to the older MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver., but heavier.
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BeyWheelz
In the Summer of 2012, Hasbro released a side-product to Beyblade, called BeyWheelz, which can be launched sideways compared to the standard Beyblades, opening the way for three new methods of play; Stunt Battles, Races, and Crash Battles, with ramp-like stadiums designed for such challenges. There are three different types of BeyWheelz, just as there are four types of Beyblades. Speed-type BeyWheelz exhibit high speeds when launched, but little to no power. Power-type BeyWheelz display aggressive power as they rolled. Balance-type BeyWheelz show a mix of Speed- and Power-type qualities, just as a Balance-type Beyblade combines the qualities of two the three basic types. Similarly to the Japan-only Metal System Beyblades, the BeyWheelz consist of four parts, and each one is made of rubber;
Spirit Axle: This part holds the other three parts of the BeyWheel together, while also possessing its motif. Essentially a BeyWheelz equivalent of the Face Bolt.
Spirit Shield: The BeyWheelz equivalent to the Energy Ring, and provides an area where the prongs of the launcher can be attached, allowing the Wheel to be launched.
Energy Core: The tire of the BeyWheel, and the base to which all other parts can attach. Each Energy Core can determine the behavior of whatever BeyWheelz that use them.
Attack Gear: Attaches to the other side of the Energy Core, and provides varying effects in Stunt Battles, Races, or Crash Battles.
Like in Metal Fight Beyblade, a BeyWheel's name can be determined by what parts are used, in the order of Energy Core, Attack Gear, and Spirit Shield. BeyWheelz is also supported by a 13-episode anime series, which has been recently confirmed to have a second season currently in production, along with an English dub of the Beyblade Zero-G anime, called "Beyblade: Shogun Steel".
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To learn where I got this information and that picture of the Spin Gear Beyblade, Dragoon S, go to "Links". I've got to give credit where it's due, right? Right.
Now, there are four types of Beyblades, that you'll have to keep in mind. Attack-type Beyblades have high attack power, but lacking in defensive power and stamina, as they are meant to finish a battle as quickly as possible. Defense-type Beyblades have high defensive power, and with a bit more stamina than Attack-types, but not as much attack power, as Defense-types are meant to wear out Attack-types. Stamina-type (Also known as Endurance- or Survival-type) Beyblades have high stamina, but lacking in both defense and attack power, and are meant to outlast the opponent in battle. Balance-type (Combination-type in the old days) Beyblades are usually a combination of two of the three other types. However, there are qualities that have to be sacrificed in battle in order to win. There is a "rock-paper-scissors"-type thing between Attack-, Defense-, and Stamina-types. Attack-types can beat Stamina-types, and Stamina-types beat Defense-types, and Defense-types beat Attack-types. However, there can be cases where a Defense-type Bey beats a Stamina-type, or say an Attack-type defeating a Defense-type. These cases can depend on the types of parts used in battle.
A Beyblade battle is usually between two to four players or Bladers. You and your opponent(s) would engage their Beyblades on their launchers, aim them over the Beystadium (A plastic dish in which Beyblade battles take place), and start the Beyblade battle cry, "3, 2, 1, Let it Rip!" ("Go Shoot!" in Japan and other Asian countries where Beyblade was released), before launching the tops into the Beystadium by pulling the Ripcord (Winder in Japan) out from the side of the launcher (Shooter in Japan and other Asian countries). The objective is to defeat your opponent's Beyblade, either by knocking it out, or if the opposing Beyblade stops spinning on its own.
Beyblade toys are distributed in Japan and other Asian countries by Takara-Tomy, in the United States and Europe by Hasbro, in China and Hong Kong by Mani Ltd., and in South Korea by Sono Kong. They are usually sold in starter sets, booster packs, and/or deluxe sets. There are also Random Boosters, where you have a chance of either getting one of a number of common Beyblades, or a rare Bey (certain Random Boosters have more than one type of rare Beyblade).
Spin Gear system Beyblades consist of four-to-six parts
Attack Ring (AR): Determines the Bey's effect when it clashes with an opposing top. Some Beyblades have two-piece Attack Rings that consist of a main Attack Ring and a Sub-Attack Ring (S-AR).
Weight Disk (WD): This metal part adds weight to the Bey, so it would be harder for the opposing top to bash it around.
Spin Gear (SG): Determines what direction the Bey spins in when launched, either left- or right-spin. They are usually attached into the Blade Base (see below). Some Spin Gears are specialized, either giving the Beyblade the ability to jump, or have bearings to give the Bey extra stamina. The newer Neo Left SG and Neo Right SG Spin Gears, introduced in V-Force (known in Japan as Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002), have interchangeable cores. There is the Metal Weight Core, the magnetic Magnacore/MG (see Magnacore below), the lightweight, plastic, and standard Normal Core, and finally the weighted Heavy Metal Core. As with the earlier-generation Spin Gears, there are also specialized Neo SG cores.
Blade Base (BB): It has the tip, which determines how a Beyblade will behave in battle. The Spin Gear attaches to this part. For instance, a Beyblade with a flat tip with behave aggressively. Some Blade Bases have holes to which specialized Spin Gears can attach. Early Blade Bases often have Spin Gears built right into them.
There is also the Bit Chip (usually adorned with an icon of a mythical creature), which usually serves as a decorative piece that can be attached to the Attack Ring. Early Bit Chips are usually covered with an extra plastic layer. There was also a metal variation of the Bit Chip, which is very rare. In the anime and manga, the Bit Chips usually house the souls of the Bit-Beasts.
Some Beyblades would come with Support Parts, which can be flipped upside-down and attached to the Blade Base for use in different Beyblade customizations.
Early into what is dubbed the "plastic generation" by Beyblade fans worldwide, there was the Bearing Gyros series, Beyblades with a gyroscope gimmick. With these, you can do tricks with the use of accessories included with them. Plus, their parts interchangeable with standard Spin Gear system Beyblades. Their Weight Disks are heavy enough to be banned by Takara from use in official BBA tournaments hosted in Japan. Not only that, but their circular Gyro Defense Attack Rings are perfect for "spin-stealing", a common element in a type of Stamina combo called a "Zombie". Spin-stealing is when a Zombie combo uses the momentum of an opposing Beyblade to keep itself spinning.
MagneCore Beyblades (MG in Japan, short for MagneCore Gear, also known as the MagneSystem), introduced in Beyblade V-Force (Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 in Japan), have magnetic Weight Disks and Neo SG cores for either attracting or repelling opposing Beys from each other. Also, one could purchase magnets for a MagnaCore Tray to put under a Beystadium, affecting the movement patterns of the Beyblades. There are two types of MagneCore SG weights; a "south pole" version (S-MG Core), and a "north pole" version (N-MG Core).
Engine Gear (EG System) Beys, introduced in Beyblade G-Revolution (Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2003 in Japan), replaced the standard Spin Gears with the larger and more advanced Engine Gears, which affects the behavior of the tops in battle. Each Engine Gear came with a Turbo Winder to wind up the Engine Gear before launching the Beyblade that is equipped with it. When in action, the Blade Base releases the Engine Gear determined by the Blade Base's clutch lock system, which determines when in battle does the Engine Gear itself activates. The Engine Gear series was the last to made up of plastic parts (except for the Weight Disk), before the later Hard/Heavy Metal System (see Hard Metal System). Later Engine Gear series parts were either semi-metal or completely metal. Certain Engine Gears have removable tips called Customize Engine Weights (CEW for short), for expanded customization options.
Types of Engine Gears
Engine Gear: Default Engine Gear that comes with most Beys in G-Revolution. The tips, however, are varied. Later standard Engine Gears come with the interchangeable CEW's.
Turbo Engine Gear: First released with the left-spinning Dragoon GT, the Turbo Engine Gear gives a more powerful release than a regular Engine Gear that comes with a larger Turbo Winder. This type of Engine Gear, along with the Reverse and Gyro Engine Gears, had CEW's for customization options.
Reverse Gear: This Engine Gear spins in the opposite direction of the top. These Engine Gears were only bundled with Dranzer GT, which uses this Gear for a reverse zig-zag attack. The reverse zig-zag attack may seem effective, but it will lose stamina when the gear kicks in. As with Dragoon GT, it comes with a larger Turbo Winder.
Gyro Engine Gear: A unique bearing-based Engine Gear that can spin freely on the Spin Gear, and can only be fitted with the Engine Stopper Blade Base (see Types of Engine Gear Blade Bases below). Unlike most other bearing-based Spin Gears, the Gyro Engine Gear uses a plastic bearing rather than a metal one. Not only that, the Gyro Engine Gear is exclusive to the Beyblade, Flame Pegasus.
Customize Gears: These Engine Gears are basically bigger versions of older Spin Gears, such as the Right SG Free Shaft Ver. used by the earlier Spin Gear System Beyblade, Dranzer S. Only the EG System Beyblades Zeus and Gigars were released with Customize Gears. Like the Turbo, Reverse, and Gyro Engine Gears, Customize Gears use CEW's for customization options.
Types of Engine Gear Blade Bases
Instant Release/First Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers at the start of a battle, resulting in one big burst of speed almost immediately after the Beyblade is launched.
Steady Release/No Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers at the start of the battle, but releases earlier due to the weight of the Bey on the larger or wider revolving Blade Base, which is attached directly to the Engine Gear. Used in the Beyblades Rock Bison and Wolborg 4.
Hit Release/Final Clutch: The Engine Gear triggers when the Blade Base collides with an object, or when the Beyblade is running out of stamina, and releases a quick burst of speed. The clutches must be pulled prior to winding the Engine Gear
Middle Clutch: Built exclusively for Dranzer GT, it has a similar design to the Final Clutch base, but releases the Engine Gear in the middle of a battle; earlier than a Final Clutch but not instant as in the First Clutch base.
Engine Stopper: This Blade Base, to which only the Gyro Engine Gear can attach, allows a Beyblade to spin without the use of a launcher.
Despite the Engine Gears being a new innovation in Beyblade, they have proven to be rather unpopular, since the Engine Gears and their Blade Bases have proven useless in a competitive situation, especially with their awkward heights, excessive plastic, and unreliability, except maybe Wolborg 4.
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Hard Metal System (HMS for short, also known in Japan as Heavy Metal System) Beyblades (also introduced later on in G-Revolution) (also called G Blades in South Korea) are the last line of old-generation Beyblades after the Engine Gear series in respect to the anime series. HMS Beyblades also have an advantage over the previous releases, being able to spin up to 2 times faster, due to being smaller than the older Spin Gear/Magnecore/Engine Gear Beyblades. The HMS series has proven to be a smash hit in Japan (no pun intended), though the Hasbro release in the United States and Europe had a lower profile.
HMS Beyblades consist of four parts:
Bit Protector: Unlike the Bit Chip, which was a decorative piece, the Bit Protector holds the parts together. With the release of the first five HMS Beyblade tops, each Bit Protector came with two stickers. One sticker is of the Bit-Beast, and the other is of an emblem. The emblem stickers were the only ones to appear in the later HMS Beyblade toys.
Attack Ring: The HMS Attack Ring consists of an inner metal part screwed to an outer plastic ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) cowl. Usually, there would be a plastic ring connected to a second metal ring. These Attack Rings were fashioned in different styles.
Weight Disk: HMS Weight Disks are completely circular, unlike previous Weight Disks which were shaped as hexa-, octa-, and decagons. There are also Customize Weight Disks (CWD for short), which consist of metal frames and interchangeable ABS cowls. There are two types of CWDs, stationary and free-spinning. Stationary CWDs use the small notches inside the WD to secure themselves, while free-spinning ones don't. The HMS Beyblades Thunder Dragon and Sea Dragon, also the winners of a Beyblade design contest, were the first to have CWD's.
Running Core: The Blade Base of the HMS Beys. Goes through the Weight Disk and Attack Ring and attaches to the Bit Protector. Some Running Cores have tip-changing gimmicks, and can have CWD's attached to them, rather than below the Attack Ring, and even have their own Bit Protectors.
Just so you know, HMS Beyblades do not use or require Spin Gears and Engine Gears, since they can be launched from both spin directions. It is possible with the Dual Shooter, which allows such spin-changing before the start of each battle. Most HMS Beyblades don't have Support Parts like the later V-Force series Beyblades did, except for Aero Knight MS, which has a Support Part of its own. Not only that, but Round Shell MS doesn't have a Weight Disk, due to its unique Rubber Weight Core taking the places of both the Weight Disk and Running Core.
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Metal Fight Beyblade (four-layer Metal System)
The first iteration of the Metal Fight Beyblade tops, which came out in 2008. The parts of the Metal System Beyblades are;
Face: Holds the Beyblade parts together
Wheel: The metal part of the Beyblade used for attacking and defending, also coming with stickers.
Track: Determines the height of the Beyblade, and some Tracks have gimmicks, like down force wings, free-moving balls, claws, spinning horns, and the ability to change height. (Example: Wide Defense 145 (14.5mm) has a set of three hooks for defending against low-attacking Beyblades)
Bottom: Like the Blade Base of the old-generation Beyblades, these tips determine how the Beyblade using it will behave in battle. For example, if a Beyblade has a Sharp tip, it will not move too much, or even stay in the center of the Beystadium.
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Hybrid Wheel System (HMS)/Perfomance Top System (PTS)
Beyblades in the Hybrid Wheel System, which was released in Japan in 2009, consist of five parts. This time, the Wheel is split into two pieces rather than one, and the Face, Track, and Bottom carried over to this new system.
Face Bolt/Face: Holds the parts together like in the four-layer Beyblades.
Energy Ring/Clear Wheel: They are made of polycarbonate (CPC). Aerodynamics are occasionally a factor, and are used to hold the hooks of the launcher, and make up the upper part of the Hybrid Wheel.
Fusion Wheel/Metal Wheel: They provide a frame for the polycarbonate Energy Ring, and make the most contact with the opposing top.
Spin Track/Track: Determines the height of the Beyblade like in the four-layer Beys.
Performance Tip/Bottom: Like in the four-layer Beys, they determine how the Bey will behave in battle. For instance, a flat tip will make for an aggressive movement in battle.
Light Wheel: Light Wheels are Metal Wheels that are made out of white plastic. There are four different kinds of Light Wheels, each one representing a different Beyblade type. Light Wheels are exclusive to Random Booster Light Vol. 1: Mad Cancer, Random Booster Light Vol. 2: Wind Aquario, and Random Booster Light Vol. 3: Clay Aries. It is not recommended to battle a Light Wheel Beyblade against a top that has the standard Metal Wheel; the Light Wheel might break easily against the Metal Wheel, being made of plastic and all.
Please note that the name of a Beyblade in the Metal Fight series can be determined by what parts are used. For example, the Hybrid Wheel Beyblade, Storm Pegasus 105RF, is named for the Storm Metal Wheel, the Pegasus Clear Wheel, the 105 (1.05mm) Track, and the RF (Rubber Flat) Bottom. The same with the four-layer models.
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4D System
The 4D System came out in April of 2011. It is somewhat of a combination between the old Hard Metal and Hybrid Wheel systems. The 4D's stand for
Different Material
Divided Wheel
Dynamic Move
Deep Custom
Beyblade naming has changed, however. For example, Big Bang Pegasus F:D, is named for the Big Bang 4D Metal Wheel, the Pegasus III 4D Clear Wheel, and the F:D 4D Bottom (F:D stands for Final Drive). But, it's not always like this. In the case of four-layer L-Drago Destroy F:S, L-Drago's name comes first, as it does not have a Clear Wheel.
Face Bolt: The one part needed to keep the other parts together.
4D Clear Wheel: These Clear Wheels are now made with metal compounds; a powder-like substance to be heavier. Some 4D Beys will not have Energy Rings, like the aforementioned L-Drago Destroy F:S.
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4D Metal Wheel: This time, the Metal Wheel can be composed of more than one part. For instance, Big Bang Pegasus F:D's Big Bang Metal Wheel is composed of three parts. The number of parts composing the Metal Wheel varies. These types of 4D Fusion Wheel parts are:
Frame: These make up the upper and sometimes middle layers of 4D Metal Wheels. Some Beyblades, like Big Bang Pegasis F:D, for instance would have two frames making up the upper and middle layers of the 4D Fusion Wheel. There are three types of Frames:
Metal Frame: Self-explanatory
PC Frame: The PC stands for polycarbonate, the same kind of plastic used in every plastic part of the Metal Fight series except for the PD Bottom. Note that Variares' PC Frame is built into its Metal Wheel, and can automatically change modes in battle.
Rubber Frame: Also self-explanatory, and exclusive to Fusion Hades AD145SWD, the prize Bey of Random Booster Vol. 9: Fusion Hades.
Core: The part that makes up the bottom layer of the 4D Metal Wheel, which is where the Clear Wheel can be attached. Most Cores are made of Metal, except for the Cores of L-Drago Destroy F:S and Phantom Orion B:D, which are made of polycarbonate.
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4D Bottom: Essentially a fusion between the Track and Bottom, they have automatic mechanisms which changes the tips in battle. For instance, Big Bang Pegasus's F:D (Final Drive) acts as an SF (Semi-Flat) tip at the start of the battle, and when it loses spin velocity, it will act as a more aggressive RF (Rubber Flat) tip. Some 4D Bottoms, like Variares' three-tip Delta Drive (D:D for short) 4D Bottom, requires its mode to be changed manually between battles. Note that some 4D Beyblades have regular Hybrid Wheel Spin Tracks/Tracks and Performance Tips/Bottoms.
Notes:
Now, most plastic parts in the Metal Fight series Beyblades are made of polycarbonate (CPC), except for one. PD (Polish Defense) is a Performance Tip that is made of polyoxymethylene (POM), and comes exclusively with the BB-90 LED Sight. Since PD is made of polyoxymethylene, it makes for less friction on the Beystadium floor. However, the holes on its sides causes whatever Beyblade that is equipped with it to bounce a bit. It has been recently confirmed that Hasbro would release their versions of the 4D Beyblades, which they will call "Hyperblades" in late January of 2013. Apparently, the 4-layer Metal System Beyblades are, and I quote, "forwards-compatible" with 4D Bottoms, since 4D Bottoms have the same top sockets as the Spin Tracks. Not only that, but when Hasbro's versions of the 4D Beyblades come out later in 2012, certain ones will not have 4D Bottoms, but rather Spin Tracks and Performance Tips. However, Hasbro may potentially manufacture 4D Beyblades, as evidenced in the images of the upcoming Hyper Strike BeyStadium Set.
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Zero-G: A new series of Beyblade announced in the April 2012 issue of CoroCoro Comic (see CoroCoro Comic below), Zero-G, came out in Japan on March 31st, 2012, starting with BBG-01 Samurai Ifraid W145CF, and like the previous Metal Fight Beyblade Hybrid Wheel system, the Beyblades will consist of a Face, a two-layer Wheel, Track, and Bottom, albeit Zero-G's wheels will be different; A Zero-G Wheel will consist of a metal frame, called the Chrome Wheel, and a plastic frame called the Crystal Wheel. Plus, the Zero-G Wheels will be asymmetrically-shaped, and can change modes depending on how it would be flipped. Chrome Up Mode is the normal mode, where the Chrome Wheel is facing up, and Crystal Up Mode is achieved when you flip the Crystal Wheel facing up. Zero-G's Stone Faces will not have a hexagonal shape, but an octagonal one resembling a gemstone. Released on June 23th, 2012 is the Metal Stone Face Custom Ver. in Flame Red and Ocean Blue colors, which functions similar to the Metal Face Bolt (see Metal Face/MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver./Metal Stone Face below), to add weight to whatever Zero-G Beyblade that it is equipped to (albeit certain Beyblades, like BBG-02 Shinobi Saramanda, will also come with regular, unpainted Metal Stone Faces of their own as a standard feature). Like the three Metal Fight Beyblade parts systems before it, Zero-G Beyblades will also have Spin Tracks and Performance Tips, and it is confirmed that they are cross-compatible with older Metal Fight Beyblade tops. But, the main feature of the Zero-G series, asides from its uniquely-designed Beyblade tops, is its new Beystadiums, which are designed to rock and sway during a Beyblade battle, giving the opposing Bladers new options on how to defeat one another. For a new customization option, Zero-G Beyblades, like the BBG-01 Samurai Ifraid W145CF and BBG-02 Shinobi Saramanda SW145SD for instance, can have their Chrome Wheels combined with one another, forming a Synchrom Wheel. Not only that, but there is also a sort of role-reversal between certain Bottoms due to the nature of the Zero-G Beystadiums; Stamina-type Sharp Bottoms will become Defense-type Bottoms, and Defense-type Bottoms will be Stamina-type Bottoms. Of course, the Attack-type Bottoms will still keep their roles, though.
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Organizations
BBA (Beyblade Battle Association)
The BBA is a now-defunct organzation, which was run by Hasbro Toys (U.S.) and Takara (Japan) to promote the original series Beyblade during the old days. They hosted various tournaments and sold Beyblade tops, gear, and accessories to Bladers to battle with. It also has a fictional counterpart in the anime and manga series.
WBBA (World Beyblade Battle Association or World BeyBlade Association)
The WBBA is the successor to the old BBA in the Metal Fight series, and unlike the BBA, which was based in both the U.S.A. and Japan, the WBBA is based around the world, though mostly active in Japan. It is being run by Takara-Tomy to promote the Metal Fight series, hosting tournaments, giving out prizes to Beybladers who achieve a certain amount of points using the Beypointers and Beypoint Cards (See Beypoints). WBBA shops can be found in numerous Japanese toy stores, and these give access to the free-to-play Bey Ta Gou/Gan Gan Hobby Stadium arcade machines, in which the objective is to defeat the opposing Beyblade with their top within a time limit determined by one of three difficulty levels, and win prizes and Beypoints (see Beypoints). Like the older BBA, the WBBA has a fictional counterpart in the anime and manga series.
TBA (Topblade Battle Association)
The South Korean equivalent of the now-defunct BBA.
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Beypoints
These are points you earn and lose in Beyblade battles. The Beypointer is a device for such points. When you win or lose a battle, you and your opponent would connect each other's Beypointers to one another, and give or take at least 10 Beypoints, depending on whether you won or lost in a Beyblade battle. There were also special passwords given out at WBBA events that you could enter on the Beypointer to earn extra Beypoints (ranging from 100-500 each). However, one could cheat by simply buying two Beypointers in order to get an infinite amount of Beypoints. The Beypointer can be connected to the Bey Ta IchiGo (mostly spelled Bey Ta 1 Go) arcade machine and the Nintendo DS with a Beypoint Reader, to keep track of your points in those games. There was also the BB-53 Digital Power Launcher Pegasis Ver., as well as the left-spin BB-54 Digital Power Launcher L-Drago Ver., both of which having built-in Beypointers. The Beypointer is not so commonly used in Japan anymore, being outmoded by the new Beypoint Cards (released in April 2010), which are IC (integrated circuit) cards that can store your Beypoints, also putting an end to the infinite Beypoints cheat done with the Beypointers, though they (the Beypoint Cards) do not possess the same Beypoint transferring function as the Beypointer. You can also use them (and the older Beypointers, especially the ones built into the Digital Power Launchers) on the newer Bey Ta NiGo (also known as the Gan Gan Hobby Stadium Machine or Bey Ta 2Go), and also transfer the Beypoints on a Beypointer onto the Beypoint Card. When a Blader gets a new Beypointer (or Beypoint Card), he/she usually starts with 1000 Beypoints. As one reaches certain amounts of Beypoints, he/she can earn prizes from the WBBA, such as limited edition Beyblades for instance. When a person reaches a certain amount of points on his/her Beypoint Card, he or she levels up. There are ten levels you can reach on the Beypoint Card. At certain levels, you can earn prizes from the WBBA. Beypoints can also be won in WBBA tournaments, of which there are four Grades. The amount of Beypoints given out in a tournament depends upon its Grade, and the position you would come into in that tournament. One more thing, the Beypoints are also exclusive to Japan, and other Asian countries. Hasbro has also made a statement, saying that they will not put the Beypoints system in the United States or Europe.
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Gan Gan Hobby
Gan Gan Hobby is a term for the Grade 3 or 4 Beyblade events run by Takara-TOMY and the WBBA. Of course, the same stores are also involved with tournaments and/or events of other Takara-TOMY hobby toylines, such as Cross Fight B-Daman, Choro-Q, and Choro-Q Mach Gear, to name a few. Plus, Gan Gan Hobby Stadium Machine is used as an alternate name for the Bey Ta 2Go arcade machine.
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CoroCoro Comic: This Japanese monthly manga magazine regularly promotes toys and video games related to their manga franchises, like the world-wide video game phenomenon Pokemon, for instance. In the case of Takara-Tomy, it has tie-ins with Beyblade, among its other toylines. Certain limited edition Beyblades could only be acquired by subscribing to this manga magazine, like Divine Chimera TR145FB for example. Some CoroCoro Comic-exclusive limited edition Beys are the result of the winners of Beyblade design contests hosted by the magazine at different points in time, like the aforementioned Divine Chimera TR145FB (albeit the Beyblade was the result of two winning designs rather than one). Some CoroCoro Comic-exclusive Beyblades, like Omega Dragonis 85XF, can be acquired via guide magazines released by CoroCoro Comic.
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Metal Face Bolt/MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver./Metal Stone Face (Zero-G series)
The Metal Face Bolt is a product released by Takara-Tomy, as an upgrade to the standard polycarbonate Face Bolt. As its name implies, it is made of metal, and provides extra weight and highly useful in Attack and Defense combinations, similar to the plastic generation Heavy Metal Core. They typically weigh 4.7g and are abbreviated as MF or MF2 in Beyblade customization. They are commonly used in Defense- and Attack-type Beyblade customizations, in order to slow their movement down and prevent recoil. As for Stamina-type Beyblades, forget about it! The MF is not recommended for Stamina-type Beyblades, as the extra weight will make for less stamina, and an increased likeliness of tipping over, especially when the opposing Beyblade lands a good-enough blow and if the Bey using the MF has a Sharp tip. The MF2, also known as Metal Face Custom Ver., is an upgrade to the original Metal Face released in Japan on July 24th, 2010. The original Metal Face bolt reads "Metal Face", while MF2 Bolts read "MF2 W.B.B.A.". Useful for telling the two apart. As its alternate name of Metal Face Custom Ver. implies, the MF2 is customizable, as it consists of two parts. They are the Core, which keeps the Bey together, and the Plate, which is the outer hexagonal frame around the Core.
Metal Core: 2.6g
Metal Plate: 2.7g
Clear Core: 0.7g
Clear Plate: 0.5g
Note: The Clear Core and Clear Plate are both made of plastic.
There four types of the MF2 Bolts that can be made from the different configurations of Cores and Plates. They are:
MF-H (Heavy): Metal Core + Metal Plate = 5.3g
MF-M (Middle): Metal Core + Clear Plate = 3.1g
MF-L (Light): Clear Core + Metal Plate = 3.4g
MF-F (Feather): Clear Core + Clear Plate = 1.2g
Ironically, the MF-L is a smidge heavier than the MF-M. Not only that, but the MF-F is also a tiny bit heavier than the standard plastic Face Bolt. Both the original MF and MF2 Bolts are usually sold in pairs, along with longer-handled versions of the assembly tool. Certain Beyblades have their own engraved Metal Face Bolts, like the CoroCoro-exclusive L-Drago Destroy Gold Armored Ver. DF105LRF, for example. The original Metal Face Bolts also came with exclusive, limited edition Beyblades that came with the collector's editions of the American and European releases of the Beyblade Metal Fusion video game for the Nintendo DS portable game console, the same with the collector's editions of the American and European releases of the Metal Masters Nintendo DS game. The Metal Stone Face of the Zero-G series, is shaped like a standard Stone Face, and they each weigh 5.5g, heavier even than the Metal Face Custom Ver. in MF-H configuration. Released in Japan on June 23rd 2012, is the Metal Stone Face Custom Ver. (see Zero-G), which functions similarly to the older MF2/Metal Face Custom Ver., but heavier.
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BeyWheelz
In the Summer of 2012, Hasbro released a side-product to Beyblade, called BeyWheelz, which can be launched sideways compared to the standard Beyblades, opening the way for three new methods of play; Stunt Battles, Races, and Crash Battles, with ramp-like stadiums designed for such challenges. There are three different types of BeyWheelz, just as there are four types of Beyblades. Speed-type BeyWheelz exhibit high speeds when launched, but little to no power. Power-type BeyWheelz display aggressive power as they rolled. Balance-type BeyWheelz show a mix of Speed- and Power-type qualities, just as a Balance-type Beyblade combines the qualities of two the three basic types. Similarly to the Japan-only Metal System Beyblades, the BeyWheelz consist of four parts, and each one is made of rubber;
Spirit Axle: This part holds the other three parts of the BeyWheel together, while also possessing its motif. Essentially a BeyWheelz equivalent of the Face Bolt.
Spirit Shield: The BeyWheelz equivalent to the Energy Ring, and provides an area where the prongs of the launcher can be attached, allowing the Wheel to be launched.
Energy Core: The tire of the BeyWheel, and the base to which all other parts can attach. Each Energy Core can determine the behavior of whatever BeyWheelz that use them.
Attack Gear: Attaches to the other side of the Energy Core, and provides varying effects in Stunt Battles, Races, or Crash Battles.
Like in Metal Fight Beyblade, a BeyWheel's name can be determined by what parts are used, in the order of Energy Core, Attack Gear, and Spirit Shield. BeyWheelz is also supported by a 13-episode anime series, which has been recently confirmed to have a second season currently in production, along with an English dub of the Beyblade Zero-G anime, called "Beyblade: Shogun Steel".
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To learn where I got this information and that picture of the Spin Gear Beyblade, Dragoon S, go to "Links". I've got to give credit where it's due, right? Right.