Beyblade X Rules & Judging Guide

Contents

• 1. Beyblade basics & equipment
• 2. When are two parts the same?
• 3. Battle types & match types
• 4. Match setup sequence
• 5. Launch position, range & the launch itself
• 6. Launch errors, failed launches & mid-air collisions
• 7. Resolving a battle
• 8. Scoring finishes
• 9. Restarts & after the battle
• 10. Equipment regulations
• 11. Banned parts
• 12. Judge roles & responsibilities
• 13. Judge discretion in practice
• 14. Conduct & disqualification
• 15. Optional rules

1. Beyblade basics & equipment

Two bladers (players) battle spinning tops called Beys inside a stadium. The last Bey still spinning in the battle zone wins the battle; a Bey is finished when it stops spinning, bursts (a part detaches), or becomes unable to return to the battle zone. Winners earn points based on how and where the opponent's Bey was finished, and the first blader to reach the match's point target wins.

Bey

A complete Bey (often just called "a Beyblade") consists of a Blade, Ratchet, and Bit. Some special constructions vary this: CX blades add a lock chip and assist blade; CX Expand blades add an over blade, metal blade, and assist blade; ratchet-integrated parts (e.g. the BulletGriffon Blade or Operate Bit) skip the separate ratchet entirely.

Deck

A deck is a set of 3 Beys required for most battle types. A deck cannot repeat any part except basic lock chips (which may repeat any number of times) - metal lock chips like Valkyrie or Emperor may appear only once each. Parts can never be swapped between Beys in a deck mid-match.

Launcher

String launchers use an internal string; winder launchers use an external winder. Any official winder works with any winder launcher. Launchers only work with Beys of the matching spin direction.

Stadium

This ruleset targets Takara Tomy's "Xtreme Stadium" (Hasbro's "Tournament Beystadium"), with supplementary rulings for the "Infinity Stadium". The stadium body's interior is divided into three zone types:

• Battle zone - everywhere inside the stadium except the over zones and Xtreme zone.
• Over zones (two of them) - the left and right corners at the front of the stadium.
• Xtreme zone - the center, at the front of the stadium.

A Bey only "enters" a zone once it is completely within it, and remains considered inside that zone until it fully leaves it. Only the flat surface the stadium sits on counts as the play surface - attached barriers or objects don't.

2. When are two parts the same?

Deck-building legality depends on knowing whether two parts count as "the same part":

• Recolors - a part re-released in a different color is still the same part.
• Retools - a part with a similar design based on another (e.g. Optimus Primal, based on SharkEdge) looks alike but is a different, unique part.
• Mold differences - minor construction revisions of the same part (e.g. PhoenixWing's revisions) are all still the same part.
• Versions - a re-released new version of a part (e.g. a "Jurassic World Version" reprint) is still the same part as the original.

One notable exception: Lightning L-Drago (Rapid-Hit Type) and Lightning L-Drago (Upper Type) cannot both be used in the same deck, even though they aren't otherwise treated as the same part (e.g. when replacing a broken part mid-match).

3. Battle types & match types

Battle types

• 1on1 - each blader uses one Bey for the whole match.
• 3on3 - each blader orders a deck of 3 Beys and battles through them in sequence, reordering only after all 3 have been used once.
• Counter - each blader reveals a deck of up to 3 Beys up front, then the loser of each battle chooses a rematch (same Beys/launchers, no adjustment) or a counter (winner picks their next Bey and presents it, then the loser does the same).

Match types

Matches are won by reaching a points target: 4-point, 5-point, or 7-point matches are single sets to that target; a Best-of-3 [4-point] match requires winning two 4-point sets, with the loser of each set choosing their launch position for the next.

4. Match setup sequence

1. Match start - both bladers and the judge arrive; once started, no outside assistance or leaving the stadium without permission.
2. Select position - one blader is chosen by a fair, randomized method (coin flip, die roll, rock-paper-scissors, agreed on in advance) to pick their launch position (left/right side). Positions cannot be discussed between bladers.
3. Select Beys - completed in secret (bladers typically turn their backs), within about 1 minute. No blader may try to learn the opponent's selection.
4. Judge check - the judge inspects both bladers' Beys (and may request launchers) for rules compliance, may disassemble parts, and may hand them back disassembled. If a blader's Beys are rejected twice in the same match, they lose the match outright; failing a check due to intentional cheating is grounds for disqualification.

5. Launch position, range & the launch itself

Present & adjust Beys

Before each battle, both bladers clearly show the top and bottom of the Bey they'll use. After presenting, either blader may adjust part orientation or mode-change functionality (not swap parts) - if both want to adjust, both must do so in secret, and a Bey can only be adjusted once per battle.

Launch position

Your launch position is bounded by an infinite line aligned to your stadium side. You may stand anywhere within it as long as you don't cross the boundary, interfere with your opponent's launch or the judge's view, or risk contact with surrounding objects/people.

Launch range

Hold your Bey on the launcher within range: directly above or within the launch area, with at least part of the Bey above the launch-area opening, no more than 5 cm / 2 inches above the stadium cover's highest point, and tilted no more than 70°. The range is split in half between the two stadium sides - you may hold on your opponent's side only if it doesn't interfere with their launch.

Illustrative reference figures in the source rulebook show valid vs. invalid launch-range positioning (e.g. too high above the cover, tilted past 70°, or not above the launch area at all) and valid vs. interfering dual-launcher positioning - refer to the official rulebook's diagrams directly for the visuals.

The launch

On the judge's countdown ("three, two, one, go shoot!" / "let it rip!"), begin pulling your winder/string exactly on the final word - not before, not after. Your Bey must pass through the launch area and touch the stadium before it touches the opponent's Bey.

6. Launch errors, failed launches & mid-air collisions

These are distinct categories with different consequences:

Launch errors (result in a pending penalty)

• Out-of-range launch, early launch (before "shoot/rip"), late launch (after "shoot/rip")
• Stadium miss, launch-area miss (touches the stadium cover before passing through the launch area)
• Flipped launch (the blade hits the stadium body before any other part)
• Stadium contact (touching the stadium with body/launcher/accessory/Bey while launching, except a string launcher's string)

The first launch error in a battle gives that blader a pending penalty and the battle restarts. A second launch error while already holding a pending penalty gives the opponent a penalty point, clears the pending penalty, and restarts the battle. If both bladers err on the same launch, neither is penalized. Any pending penalty clears once either blader wins a battle.

Failed launches (simple restart, no penalty)

• The Bey bursts before touching the stadium
• The Bey isn't spinning when it first touches the stadium
• The Bey fails to release from its launcher

Launch interference

Any physical touch between bladers, or a sudden reposition that disrupts the opponent's launch, restarts the battle; if the judge finds it intentional, severe, or repeated, it's grounds for disqualification.

Mid-air collision - the "aerial hit" rule

If the two Beys touch each other before both have touched the stadium at least once, that's a mid-air collision - the battle is simply restarted, regardless of intent.

Requesting a restart

A blader may request a restart (saying "restart" and raising a hand immediately after launching) only for opponent interference, an outside obstruction, or a launcher malfunction. Restarts for launcher failure may only be requested once per match, and approval is entirely at the judge's discretion; if approved for a technical fault, that launcher can't be used again for the rest of the match.

7. Resolving a battle

A battle starts once both Beys have legally passed through the launch area and touched the stadium. It ends the instant one Bey is still spinning in the battle zone while the other is finished, or both are finished. Never touch a Bey or the stadium until the judge confirms the result - doing so is an automatic loss of the battle, with the opponent awarded 3 points and no restart.

Spinning & stopping

A Bey counts as spinning for as long as it keeps rotating in its original direction, at any speed, regardless of axis, orientation, or position - including while rolling on the stadium body, flipped upside down, or outside the battle zone. It stops the instant it ceases rotating that way, or starts rotating the opposite direction.

Burst

A Bey bursts only when a part fully detaches and separates. A part that merely pops loose without fully separating (e.g. a bit that pops out but stays partly seated) has not burst.

Unable to return to the battle zone

This covers a Bey that stops/bursts outside the battle zone, exits the stadium directly from the Xtreme or over zone, touches anything besides the stadium/play surface/opposing Bey while outside the battle zone, or exits via the launch area and then touches something other than the stadium or opposing Bey. A Bey that exits through the launch area can still return normally as long as none of that happens.

Special case: BulletGriffon

For Beys built from the Bullet/Rocket + Griffon parts, only Griffon (the lower part) can finish - Bullet detaching is not a burst, and the battle is only decided by what happens to Griffon.

8. Scoring finishes

If a Bey enters the Xtreme or over zone but returns to the battle zone while still spinning, that initiated finish is reversed (treated as never initiated). If both bladers score a finish, whichever was initiated first wins the battle; if the judge rules both initiated at the exact same instant, it's a draw and the battle restarts. In the Infinity Stadium, entering one Over/Xtreme zone and then directly into a different one still scores the first zone entered.

9. Restarts & after the battle

A battle restarts for any of: a launch error, failed launch, interference, or mid-air collision; an approved restart request; a Bey exiting the stadium without passing through the Xtreme/over zone and becoming unable to return; a draw; a broken part; a broken stadium; a Bey stuck between the stadium cover and body inside the battle zone; or any other fairness/safety concern the judge identifies. A restarted battle resumes from the launch position step (Beys are not re-presented) using the same equipment, unadjusted.

If a part breaks mid-battle and is replaced with an identical copy, only the current battle restarts. If it can't be replaced, the current battle is canceled entirely, both bladers return to Bey selection keeping their existing scores, and that part can't be used again for the rest of the match. If a restart condition and a set-winning penalty point would happen at the same moment, the set win takes priority over the restart.

10. Equipment regulations

Identifying fakes

Only authentic, official Beyblade products may be used. Counterfeits are typically lower quality and can be spotted by discolored plastic/metal, excess mold-seam material, unusually hollow/light construction, missing or deformed details, absent quality-control markings, or plain Phillips-head screws where triwing screws/rivets should be. Judges should compare against a known-authentic copy and handle the situation gently - many owners of fakes don't know their gear is counterfeit.

Cracked, broken & worn parts

A part is "cracked/broken" if it has visibly separated despite being manufactured as one piece, or is missing pieces it was manufactured with - even a hairline crack disqualifies a part, since it may shatter mid-battle.

The source guide illustrates several examples with photos: a cracked Blade (even a hairline crack disqualifies it), a separated Bit (upper/lower plastic slid apart), a Bit with a broken plate, and a Bit with a broken tooth - see the official guide for the images.

Denting or subtle compression consistent with regular play is not "broken" on its own.

The source guide also shows denting/wear on a Ratchet and a Bit that are still legal despite visible wear.

Normal play is battling in an official stadium against a maximum of 2 other Beys; wear from other surfaces/objects doesn't count as normal and disqualifies the part. Parts that are extremely worn - even from legitimate play - are illegal at the judge's discretion (e.g. a sharp Bit gone flat, or a flat Bit gone round/sharp). Rubber Bits like RA/Rubber Accel wear especially fast: a legal RA tip keeps a clear flat surface and vertical wall at the edges even if slightly rounded, while an illegal one has lost its flat surface entirely, with the plastic itself becoming a primary contact point.

Parts that perform atypically due to a manufacturing defect (e.g. wrong burst resistance) also can't be used, regardless of intent.

Painting & stickers

Only small marker/thin-paint markings are allowed (no clear coats), in specific spots: the top center of a Lock Chip (excluding metal lock chips), the launcher hooks and gear-chip top center of a Blade, the underside of a Ratchet (away from where the Bit touches), and the top of a Bit's shaft. Official stickers may be used per the product instructions; custom/unofficial stickers are restricted to the gear chip or basic (non-metal) lock chips, must be thin/flat and non-offensive, and can't be stacked on other custom stickers.

Stadium regulations

A repaired stadium must be inspected before play - repairs should be essentially imperceptible to touch, especially on the floor; if not, the judge should have it replaced.

Launcher regulations

Unusual noises, irregular shapes, or oversized winders warrant inspection and possible rejection. Rotation counts per full pull should roughly match the table below; a launcher varying by more than 0.5 rotations may be deemed unfit for play.

Unofficial launcher accessories/grips are allowed for aesthetics, ergonomics, or accessibility, as long as they don't change the launcher's function, aren't electronically powered, can't communicate launch info, don't risk touching the stadium, aren't unsafe, and don't provide a real gameplay advantage.

11. Banned parts

MN / Metal Needle Bit - banned because its pointed metal tip frequently damages stadiums. (An optional rule can unban it for events that choose to allow it - see section 15.)

12. Judge roles & responsibilities

Judges are the backbone of a fair tournament: they enforce the rulebook, stay current on rule changes, make unbiased calls, report results accurately, communicate with bladers/parents, and flag unusual circumstances to the organizer.

Judges are allowed to compete in tournaments they help judge, but must never judge their own matches or use the role for an unfair advantage. Before an event, judges should review the applicable rulebooks and any recent rule changes, and keep them accessible (phone or print) during the event.

13. Judge discretion in practice

Many calls are strict and literal (win conditions, finish definitions), but several areas explicitly rely on judge discretion:

• Relaunch/restart requests - approving these is entirely at the judge's discretion; a delay between launching and requesting a relaunch is a reason for caution, since it could be used to cancel a legitimate result. Common-sense disruptions not explicitly listed (a startling shout, a sudden sneeze) can still justify approval.
• Extreme wear calls - whether a part's wear crosses into "extreme" (and must be swapped) is a judgment call, informed by whether the observed in-battle behavior is consistent with that wear.
• Reasonable accommodations - judges may bend strict procedure for accessibility (e.g. allowing an injured blader assistance holding a launcher, or overlooking a negligible stadium touch by a young child) while still flagging it so the blader can avoid it going forward.
• Suspected post-inspection part swaps - if a judge suspects a blader swapped parts after inspection, they should inform the Head Judge/Organizer immediately rather than confront the blader directly.

14. Conduct & disqualification

Bladers are expected to arrive on time with legal equipment, avoid offensive language or trash talk, respect the venue, prioritize fairness (asking a judge if unsure whether something is legal), and follow tournament staff instructions. A judge's decision is final in the moment; a blader who disagrees may calmly request review from the Head Judge/Organizer once the next battle hasn't started yet, and can file a tournament issue report afterward if they still believe the ruling was wrong.

Disqualification is applied sparingly but decisively for serious or repeated violations. A disqualified blader loses the current match, forfeits placement/prizing for the event, and may be suspended from future events; results of previous rounds aren't retroactively changed. Judges should de-escalate calmly rather than reprimand, and should avoid direct confrontation if there's any safety concern (deferring to the organizer/authorities instead). Attempted or successful disqualifications should be documented in a written incident report for event records.

Match recording is allowed only with the judge's permission and must not interfere with the match; recordings made by bladers or spectators are never used by judges to make a decision, and a judge may revoke recording permission at any time.

15. Optional rules

Organizers may layer optional rules on top of the core ruleset for a given event; when active, an optional rule overrides anything it contradicts. A few notable examples:

• Registered deck list - bladers pre-register an exact 3-Bey deck and must use it as written; an unreplaceable broken part means an automatic loss.
• Own finish - scoring an Xtreme/Over finish against a Bey that never touched yours counts as an "own finish" worth 1 point, and the battle restarts.
• Out-of-bounds finish - a Bey exiting through the launch area and becoming unable to return counts as a finish (1 or 2 points, organizer's choice) instead of a restart.
• Swap/loser-selects position after battle - changes who picks launch position between battles within a set.
• MN bit unbanned - allows the otherwise-banned Metal Needle Bit.
• Infinity Stadium "no reverse"/"3-second reverse countdown" - changes exactly when an Xtreme/Over finish is scored in that stadium.

Always check the specific event page for which optional rules (if any) are in effect.