Battling Tops from Ideal Toy Company (1968)

Company: Ideal | Release date: 1968 | Ages: 6+ | # of players: 2-4 | Where to buy: eBay

Released in 1968 by Ideal Toy Company, the Battling Tops tournament-style game challenged players to have the last Battling Top spinning in the arena.

A complete Battling Tops game included a molded plastic playing field/arena, eight player-assembled spinners (each consisting of a disc and spindle), spinner pullers, strings, pegs, and spinner stickers with the monikers Dizzy Dan, Super Sam, Smarty Smitty, Twirling Tim, Hurricane Hank, Tricky Nicky, Fighting Frank, and Rocky Rocko. The game was designed for two to four players, ages six and up.

Players wrapped the spindle portion of their Battling Tops spinners with the string affixed to a spinner puller. The spinners snapped into position at the corners of the playing field. Once all spinners were in position, each player quickly pulled their spinner puller, to catapult the Battling Tops into the playing field. Players earned one point each time their spinner was the last to remain spinning on the field. Spinners were taken out of the game as they collided, fell, or were bumped out of the playing field. The winner of each round moved their scoring peg up one space in their scoring corner. The goal of the series was to be the first player to reach ten points.

Battling Tops was created by legendary toy inventor, Eddy Goldfarb. Goldfarb is the man behind classics such as Yakity-Yak Talking Teeth, Dipsy Diver, KerPlunk, Quiz Wiz, and others.

Watch a classic television commercial for Battling Tops on the Toy Tales YouTube channel.

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