Clash X, a Beyblade X social tournament, will be held at the Flashbacks arcade and restaurant on Sunday at 173 Burnett St. It starts at 1pm.
It will be the first public event hosted by Beyblade Ashburton, which was set up this year by enthusiast Alehana Taupe of Ashburton.
He is keen to meet other people interested in the craze.
Products, spot prizes and bragging rights will be up for grabs.
The 32-year-old had first-generation Beyblades in his youth and reconnected with the spinning top toy line about a year ago.
Taupe, a father-of-four, now regularly travels to Christchurch and Timaru to play others in competitive and social battles.
‘‘Beyblades are pretty much spinning tops,’’ he said when describing the small metallic discs known as beys.
‘‘They have different parts, they detach. There are four types – attack, defence type, stamina and balance.’’
Beyblade X is the latest generation of the top, which was first released in Japan in 1999.
They range in cost from about $16 to more than $700 for a rare bey out of Japan, Taupe said.
The tops spin at high speed. They are old-school and do not need internet connectivity.
‘‘I love the Beyblade community, a lot of the older generation (players) are helping the younger ones,’’ Taupe said.
‘‘It’s perfect for kids these days. They are competitive and it’s fun.’’
The competitiveness also appeals to Taupe’s son, Leikyn, who for a time was a top-ranked player in Christchurch, based on points, and his nephew Raeina Tepaki.
In battle, victory goes to the first player to get four points awarded in different ways depending on the format.
Also known as 3-2-1 day, the national day is officially March 21.
It was a chance for fans to battle, collect and celebrate the spinning tops, which had also been turned into an animation franchise.
‘‘I (chose) a Sunday because I didn’t want it to clash with sports, and everyone is busy on a Saturday,’’ Taupe said.
Anyone who wants to take part in the tournament needs their own launcher and three Beyblade Xs with different parts.
A tournament stadium would be used, but people could bring their own for casual play, he said.
Taupe is keen to see how much interest there is in the town and hopes to host monthly events in the future.
People can keep up to date via the Beyblade Ashburton Facebook page.
- Beyblade Ashburton Clash X social tournament at Flashbacks, 173 Burnett St, on March 23 at 1pm. Free entry. Spectators welcome. All Beyblade generations are welcome for casual play but only Beyblade X will be in the tournament. To compete bring a launcher and three Beyblade Xs with different parts.
