Battling Tops game by Ideal. Photos: Ian MacPherson.

Battling Tops was first manufactured by Ideal Toy Corporation in 1968. By the late 1980s, the game was out of production, although in recent years Mattel has re-released a similar version.

Photo: Ian MacPherson.

Players launched spinning tops into an arena (shown below) and the object of the game was to have the last spinning top. You could choose from eight different tops – each of them had a different name: Hurricane Hank, Super Sam, Dizzy Dan, and Tricky Nicky, just to name a few.

Battling Tops arena. Photo: Ian MacPherson.

It’s a terrific game and if you ever see one on eBay, we recommend you snag it!

Beyblades by Hasbro. Photo: Ian MacPherson.

There’s a similar version of this game on the market right now. It’s called Beyblade Metal Fusion and your kid has probably already begged you for it, or by now owns a set.

Beyblade Metal Fusion arena. Photo: Ian MacPherson.

Originally developed and manufactured by Japanese toy company Takara in 2000, Beyblade spinning tops are now sold internationally under the Hasbro brand. They’ve become hugely popular and the inside scoop is, supply can’t keep up with demand. As these high-performance tops fly out of toy stores across the globe, we can’t help but wonder what other ‘blasts from the past’ will be making their way to toy store shelves soon.