As a kid, I was devoted to the original Beyblade anime. It was one of my favorite series, however, I didn’t get to celebrate it much at school when I was a kid. No one underestimates a secret Beyblade battle on the playground, it was serious business. So when I heard about BEYBLADE X XONE, that nostalgic feeling attracted me. I had to try it on.
Of course, I am aware that Beyblade will never be the same again. Sure, the gist of the series is the same: fight other rotating tops until one is kicked out of the arena or stops spinning. In my day, there was a fantasy component, with different spirits inhabiting each peak, but… I’m sure they dropped that part of the story over a decade ago.
But that’s okay! I still liked the idea of BEYBLADE X XONE. It had some visual novel elements, and you could control your Beyblade by commanding it to attack or parry. Then use special attacks, in a way that’s strangely reminiscent of a game of rock-paper-scissors, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll win. When you win, you gain experience and maybe get a new Beyblade or some new parts to customize.
The main goal of the game is for your character, Sheer, to reach the 100th floor of X Xone. Meeting new friends and rivals, it’s a pretty simple structure. But at least you can travel away from the tournament to go to the shop or travel around the world map to participate in exhibition matches. Plus, you can pick up different parts as you wander around the map. Beyblade parts vary, including the blade, gear, and bit, but not all parts are compatible with each other, and you can upgrade them by participating in exhibition matches and earning EP.
Apparently, Knife Shinobi, your Beyblade (what happened to the Dranzer and Dragoon days. What happened?) is apparently a very rare top, perhaps given to you by your father—the legendary blader, but not the Blade Breaker of old days, as legendary as it can be—you’re just an amateur entering the tournament. But Knife Shinobi is getting the attention of some professional bladers, and I have to admit that the inclusion of professional teams is a nice addition. I’m glad it’s still an element. However, it is a bit disappointing.
Of course, you will also meet other characters that appear in the Beyblade X anime, but you can enter without any information about the series. For example, I had no idea who Team Persona was, and it didn’t really hit me. It’s like playing as your own OC, and you can talk to the characters however you want. Or, at least as limited as the three options you’re given. Plus, it’s nice to customize your Beyblades, but all you have to do is think about the species you’re fighting.
To be honest, I think it’s nice that you can increase your relationship with your fellow Beybladers, but it mostly depends on responding in a way that doesn’t make you look like a jerk. Given that in these scenarios only two options are always available at a time, this is pretty easy to do. But I wish there was more you could do outside of Beyblading, which I shouldn’t say about the Beyblade game. But let me explain a little more about how Beybattles work.
So there are four types of Beyblades: Endurance, Balance, Attack and Defense. Endurance peaks rotate a lot, while offense and defense have higher attributes in those stats, and the balance is a healthy mix of all three. You can customize your tops to your liking, but I’ll admit, the gameplay is a bit… lacking. There are only three ways to win; Xtreme finish, where you manage to knock out the opponent with an X attack; knockout finish, where you manage to knock out your opponent with an attack; and survivor finish, where you manage to outscore your opponent in a spin. In order to use your X Attack, you need to fill up your X bar, which means you’ll need to successfully attack and counter, allowing you to switch to a rock-paper-scissors element of combat. However, you have to watch your stamina while doing this.
Of course, there are some elements that make each peak different. Sometimes there are double fights which means you choose two of your Beyblades against your opponent’s two. Occasionally, there are obstacles on the terrain, such as poles, that your tip can bounce off of if you aim it correctly. The inclusion of Battle Net is also a nice addition, as it allows players to earn some credits for buying more parts and gaining more experience, so if you want to grind, it’s definitely worth it. Plus, it lets you fight other NPC bladers of your level. Players can also participate in online mode, where you can participate in casual or ranked matches, but as someone who doesn’t like playing against strangers online… I didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, it’s essentially just a regular Versus mode.
Unfortunately, I just don’t think it’s worth the £34 price tag. There are some notable issues, including screen glitching during auto-chase sequences, where flashing bars appear as the vertices spin. Looking at other players’ reviews, I don’t think it’s just an issue on my Steam Deck, and while it’s fully voice-acted and a step up from the Beyblade games of my childhood, it’s just not the high-octane Beybattle extravaganza it’s advertised to be. It’s a shame because fans of the series will definitely enjoy it, and I might pick it up again, but right now it’s too expensive to justify spending that much money on it.
Although I have to admit, I was pretty curious about the Beyblade X anime, so I guess it still achieved something for me.
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