How to Enter a Beyblade Tournament

This article is for players who want to take part in Beyblade tournaments, and it covers how tournaments are organized, the rules, and how a tournament generally runs. That way, players will have all the information they need to enter or organize a Beyblade tournament.

In this article you will find out:

• What the different types of Beyblade tournaments and events you can take part in are.

• What the rules of these Beyblade competitions are

Beyblade tournaments: everything you need to know

Before rushing into a tournament or into organizing one, it is important to have a good grasp of the Beyblade fundamentals.

For players interested in the Beyblade Burst generation, the starter guide has all the information you need, including how a Beyblade is put together and the basic rules.

Players who want to deepen their knowledge can check out:

• An article dedicated to the key concepts of the Beyblade Burst generation

• An article on the advanced techniques that are essential to fully enjoying the game

• An article on the systems of the Burst generation, to help you understand them better and learn how to start a collection

For players interested in the Beyblade X generation, the article on the Xtreme Gear Sports system covers the fundamentals of the 4th generation of Beyblade. In this guide, players will find information about the unique design of the Xtreme Stadium, how a Beyblade X is put together, and the basic rules.

What are the rules of tournaments in general?

As in the TV series, a tournament consists of successive battles between bladers. Winners face each other and losers are eliminated as the tournament goes on.

In addition, for organizational reasons, it is not unusual for matches to be fast-paced, using the following rule: a match is played over a maximum of 3 rounds, and the first player to score 2 points wins. This rule is often used so that matches follow one another quickly, in order to avoid any delays in the running of the tournament.

The rules and the general flow of the tournament depend on the organizer and on the brand used. There are two official Beyblade brands: Takara Tomy and Hasbro.

In France, the biggest tournaments are organized with Hasbro Beyblades from the "classic" line. In other words, the Hasbro Pro Series are banned from these tournaments.

As for Takara Tomy, the brand has very little presence in France and in Europe in general. The brand has its own competitive organization in Japan, the WBBA. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent organization in Europe. In this article, we will still go over how a tournament runs in Japan, along with the rules and arenas used. That way, those who want to recreate these tournaments at home or organize their own will have all the information they need.

Everything about the Battle League (Hasbro)

Here is an overview of what could be called the most important French championship: the Battle League. We will look at how this competition is organized, along with everything you need to know to be able to enter.

Who organizes this major Beyblade tournament?

The Battle League is actually a series of large tournaments (up to 100 players for the biggest ones) held all over France. Once these have been completed, they lead to a national final. Sponsored and set up by Hasbro, it is actually the toy retail stores that create and organize the different tournaments.

How does the championship work?

The way the championship runs is fairly simple. First, toy stores create the tournaments on the Battle League website. This step generally takes place at the beginning of the year. Then comes the phase you don't want to miss: registration. It takes place at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second. Next, the tournaments themselves are held until the end of June. And finally, the grand final, which generally takes place in Paris, normally in July during Japan Expo. In this final, the winners of the preceding tournaments will face each other.

What are the conditions and rules for taking part?

To take part, you must be between 8 and 13 years old and have registered beforehand on the Battle League website. Registration is free and the organizers cannot ask for any financial contribution. You must come with an adult parent and a Hasbro Beyblade Burst top.

Go to the Battle League website to find tournaments near you and sign up. Note that since Takara Tomy released the 4th generation of Beyblade, Beyblade X, Hasbro has stopped distributing Beyblade. As a result, the Battle League is temporarily on hold, until Hasbro launches its own Beyblade X line.

What types of Beyblade tops and launchers are allowed?

As mentioned above, the top must be made by Hasbro. Takara Tomy tops and counterfeits are therefore banned. Tops from the first two generations are also banned: no Beyblade Metal Fight tops, no Bakuten Shoot, only Beyblade Burst tops. Radio-controlled tops and electronic tops are also banned.

It is also forbidden to bring "tampered" tops: no tops glued to prevent bursts, and no overly worn parts.

The same goes for launchers: only Hasbro launchers are allowed, with no other brands and no tampered or modified launchers, etc.

Matches are played only in Beyblade Burst arenas, or Beystadiums.

How do the battles work?

Battle League matches are won at three points, following the "classic" rules of the game. Two points are scored for a Burst (or explosive KO), and one point for a ring-out or a spin-out.

If both tops spin out at the same time, or if both tops burst or are ring-outs at the same moment, no points are scored and the players launch again.

When a blader fails to launch their top, they are entitled to one more launch. They will relaunch at the same time as their opponent. If the launch fails twice in a row, a point is awarded to the opponent.

During launch, arenas must be on the floor (not on tables or other raised surfaces). Players must not lean over the arena while the tops are in motion. Parts can be ejected and injure the face or eyes. Finally, players may not pick up their top from the arena until the referee has allowed it.

The World Championship

Far less accessible than the previous types of tournaments, the Beyblade World Championship has only been held 3 times: in 2004, 2011 and 2018. To take part, you had to qualify by being the national champion of your own country. In 2018, the championship was held in Paris at KidExpo. It was won by an 11-year-old boy from Latvia. As with the Battle League, the championship is reserved for children aged 8 to 13 in order to keep a certain level of homogeneity among the competitors.

Tournaments not sponsored by Hasbro in France and Europe

You may come across Beyblade tournaments in France that are not sponsored by Hasbro. In this kind of tournament, when they are run seriously, the organizers apply the same anti-cheating rules: no tops with tampered components, no glue to prevent bursts, etc.

On the other hand, these tournaments generally accept both official Beyblade brands: Hasbro and Takara Tomy. Takara Tomy Beyblades perform far better than Hasbro ones, but the organizers, well aware that they are uncommon in France, let players use whichever brand they want. As a result, players can generally use Takara Tomy, Hasbro and Hasbro Pro Series. Counterfeits are always banned.

Takara Tomy Tournaments

Takara Tomy tournaments are rarer in Europe and much more common in North America and Asia. The rules vary depending on the organizer, but here we will try to summarize the essential basics of a tournament using Takara Tomy Beyblades.

The 3G and 5G Formats

The vast majority of tournaments played with Takara Tomy models use the 3G and 5G formats. In the 3G format, players must have 3 different Beyblades, and the 5G format requires 5 different Beyblades.

Once players have chosen their Beyblades, they are said to have built their "Deck". The Deck is therefore the set of 3 or 5 Beyblades used for the tournament. For example, if a player chooses to use only Attack-type Beyblades, that's called an "Attack Deck", whereas a so-called "Balance Deck" is made up of different types.

What matters is building three or five different combinations, meaning that each part you use can only be used once. For example: if you have a combo fitted with the Dran Sword Blade, you can't use Dran Sword in another combo.

Read the full article on the 3G and 5G Formats to better understand how they work and their variants.

Tournament Phases

A major Beyblade Burst tournament in Japan is held in several phases, forcing players to face each other in different arenas. The first phase of a major tournament (which in Japan draws between 250 and 500 participants) is played in the B-50 Burst Beystadium Wide Type. This stadium tests the burst resistance of combinations and lets organizers eliminate more players, faster, which makes the tournament easier to organize and run.

The second phase is played in the B-33 Beystadium Standard Type, Takara Tomy's "traditional" three-exit arena.

Finally, the last phase is played in the B-183 Beystadium DB Standard Type, an arena released alongside the Dynamite Battle system. Larger and featuring two wider exit pockets, this stadium is better suited to the big, heavy Beyblades of the Dynamite Battle and Burst Ultimate systems. Finals are generally played in the 5G format, meaning players must build 5 different combos and not use the same part more than once.

In Beyblade X, only the Xtreme Stadium is used for now, but a version adapted for 3-on-3 battles will be released soon.

Friendly Competitions

Very easy to set up, organizing a Beyblade tournament among friends gives you the advantage of choosing the rules yourself. You can host it at home, and you can choose whether or not to take part as the organizer. You're free to use whatever format you like, and if you wish, you can for example replicate the 3G and 5G Formats rule.