Super Hyperion & King Helios Make Their Beyblade Burst BU Debut With the Ultimate Fusion System! (B-203 Review)

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The B-203 Ultimate Fusion DX Set, similar to the B-191 Overdrive Special Starter Set, features a Belial evolution, three full beyblades and the Full Custom Beylauncher LR.

Just like the rest of the Beyblade Burst BU line, the Ultimate Fusion DX Set re-imagines yet another pair of iconic Beyblades, bringing both Hyperion and Helios into the DB system in the form of King Helios MR Giga Zeal-10 and Super Hyperion MR Tapered Xplosion-2. But this time, their gimmicks differ wildly from their original counterparts that we reviewed with the B-174 Beyblade Limit Break DX Set.

This set brings a whole lot to the table to explore in the form of 3 new DB Cores, 2 new BU Blades (with technically 10 potential configurations), 3 new Drivers, and an accessory for the Divine Blade!

Parts like the included Bearing Drift Driver in particular has been hotly anticipated, but in this review, we will be focusing specifically on testing each of the new parts from King Helios MR Giga Zeal-10 and Super Hyperion MR Tapered Xplosion-2.

Read on to find out how well each of them performs!

Product Details

• Brand: TAKARA-TOMY
• Product Code: B-203
• Product Contents:
  • B-203 King Helios MR Giga Zeal-10
  • B-203 Super Hyperion MR Tapered Xplosion-2
  • B-203 Divine Belial Nexus Bearing Drift (+ H Gear)
  • B-203 Full Custom Beylauncher LR
• System: Dynamite Battle Layer System
• Series: Beyblade Burst – Burst Ultimate

Part Weights

• King M BU Blade: 7.93g
• King R BU Blade: 7.80g
• Helios DB Core: 7.15g
• Giga Disk (2 stars): 32.51g
• Zeal Driver: 6.64g
• 10 Armor: 13.29g
• Super M BU Blade: 7.80g
• Super R BU Blade: 7.73g
• Tapered Disk (4 stars): 29.11g
• Xplosion Driver: 6.64g
• 2 Armor: 13.54g
• Divine BU Blade: 9.34g
• Belial 3 DB Core: 7.84g
• Nexus Disk (2 stars): 31.07g
• Bearing Drift Driver: 10.43g
• H-Gear: 15.05g (3.64g Plastic, 11.41g Metal)

Additional Notes:

• Most tests in this article were done in the B-09 Burst Standard Stadium using two Bladers. Zeal Driver testing done with one Blader unless otherwise noted. All Zeal Driver tests done by Kei unless otherwise noted.
• The results of each match that ended with an outspin were ruled based on the WBO’s June 2022 spinning definition update.
• Stamina matches saw both combos switch out Discs and Drivers at the half-way point to account for star discrepancy and/or Driver wear.
• This article was written in collaboration with WBO user Dan. Thank you, Dan.
• Finally, if you buy something through some of the links on this post, you won’t pay any extra, but I’ll get a small commission. This helps me keep things running. Thanks for your support!

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Super and King BU Blades Review

Unlike other reviews we’ve done in the past this one will be slightly different. Going into this review we sought to achieve two things: focusing on what is possible with just a single copy of the B-203 Ultimate Fusion DX Set as well as refining what we chose to cover. 

In the past we have attempted to be very thorough in our reviews, testing things simply to say we covered it. In this case, with the upwards of 10 different BU Blade possibilities (6 without a duplicate copy of B-203), not only is this very time consuming, but also left little to be discussed. 

Instead we are going to be strictly shining a light on the two single-copy BU Blade combos: Superking M and Superking R. These two options seem like the most competitive configurations out of the box for those with a single set since they have the same design goals on both sides as well as best balance.

For those with two copies of the set you can consider Super and King M/R options to be similar if not technically superior versions to their SuperKing M/R counterparts given that both sides will be identical and improve balance somewhat.

How do the Super and King BU Blades stand out from others?

As the name of the set implies, the Super and King BU Blades fuse or merge together. The two BU Blades are actually cut in half, with puzzle-piece slots that fit into one another tightly. This is known as the Ultimate Fusion System. 

Both Super and King BU Blades are dual spin by nature, and any combination of the two will also be able to spin in either direction (dictated by DB Core choice).

On one side of each there is a rugged hard rubber shape with four protrusions, known as Super “R” and King “R”. On the other exists a similarly shaped hard plastic with an equally aggressive design and metal weighting in the center, known as Super “M” and King “M”. 

When combined together you can get a variety of “Superking” fusions either full metal (Superking M), full rubber (Superking R) or a combination of both to create Superking MR or Superking RM. 

Alternatively, if you would like to keep Super and King BU Blades completely separate you can create Super MR and King MR for a total of 6 unique BU Blade combinations in a single purchase!

Is the Superking M/Superking R BU Blade good for Attack type Beyblades? 

Of the available options in a single set we chose to focus on the two symmetrical options: Superking M (Dual Metal) and Superking R (Dual Rubber). Their symmetry and shared design goals meant that they would be the most well-balanced results-wise of the possible single-set variations.

So, how good are either of these options for pure Attack type usage?

SuperKing M/R BU Blades with Xtreme’ vs. Right Spin

In our initial testing with right-spin SuperKing M BU Blade we chose to use Belial 2 in case the Blade was burst-prone, but after testing we realized that burst risk was a non-issue. For this reason the likes of the Perseus DB Core may be optimal for extra weight.

With these tests it became very clear that regardless of whether SuperKing M or SuperKing R BU Blade was used, both were competent attack types. 

While in general we preferred right spin SuperKing M BU Blade, as the current left spin attack niche is all but dominated by the Guilty Blade, using SuperKing R BU Blade or left spin SuperKing M BU Blade produce similarly promising results.

Our only negative takeaway here was its inability to reliably defeat the Devil Blade in either direction or with either M or R. It does not perform poorly and it is certainly possible to do well and win, it lacks the consistency of the likes of Guilty Blade or Xiphoid Blade in that particular matchup.

SuperKing M/R BU Blades with Xtreme’ vs. Vanish Blade

Here we saw SuperKing BU Blades’ variations both do excellently against the Vanish Blade – a traditionally difficult wall of the DB/BU era. This is a matchup even the likes of Xiphoid BU Blade can struggle against at times, so to have the SuperKing BU Blades do well without too much difficulty is worth noting.

In general the takeaway we have here for the SuperKing BU Blade options are that the Metal variation is just a touch better, but Rubber is not too far off, and that it struggles against Devil Blade more and Vanish Blade less than average for all but the top 2 attack Blades.

Is the SuperKing R BU Blade good for spin-stealing LAD type Beyblades? 

For those that were around for the Metal Fight era’s Meteo L-Drago, or even current day Vanish Blade, you will understand the power rubber can have as a great spin equalizing material. 

While the rubber found on the Super and King BU Blades are noticeably harder than the likes of Vanish Blade, we thought it would be very interesting to compare the two and see if there was another niche than pure attack combos.

It should be noted that with just a single copy of this set you are subject to a slightly inferior option in SuperKing R compared to either Super R (in right spin) or King R (in left spin). 

This is because one half of the blade’s contact points will always be pointed directly towards the opposing beyblade regardless of spin instead of flow smoothly with a given direction like the two duplicate Blades would.

The same issue (but inverse) is technically true for the attack type combos tested above, where you won’t have both Blade sides aimed at the opponent in a given spin direction, but this matters slightly less as you typically only need one or two good hits to knock an opponent out- far different than continuous contact that we will be dealing with in opposite-spin battles.

Bearing Drift Opposite-Spin Performance

Here we saw that the SuperKing R BU Blade variation of a Bearing Drift Driver spin-equalizing based combo performed slightly worse than the Vanish Blade variation. The Vanish Blade was very consistent in its ability to draw with Wind BU Blade whereas the SuperKing R BU Blade was missing that little edge.

It is more than likely that Super R BU Blade in right and King R BU Blade in left will perform similarly well, though given its weakness in same-spin matchups the Vanish Blade still keeps the top spot as the definitive rubber-based spin equalizer.

SuperKing R Opposite Spin (vs. Vanish and Devil Blade)

In opposite-spin mirror matches with all things equals things begin to change for the SuperKing R Blade: in both scenarios SuperKing R couldn’t really keep up, strictly drawing with Vanish Blade without end and coming just short against Devil Blade.

Compared to the Vanish or Devil Blades that can reliably draw or win, this simply isn’t enough to warrant the use of SuperKing R in the opposite-spin niche. 

SuperKing R in Same-Spin

To be completely thorough, because SuperKing R didn’t perform too badly in opposite, we wanted to see how SuperKing R does in same-spin stamina matchups. 

While we certainly believe the design alone will hold it back from being noteworthy, it is possible SuperKing R’s recoil is too much for other Stamina blades to handle.

Unfortunately it seemed like the recoil produced by SuperKing R was more of a detriment to itself than its opponent, resulting in very convincing outspins in same-spin by both the Vanish and Devil Blade. 

This type of weakness would not be something overcome by simply relying on Super or King R created with two sets of B-203 as it is at the design level. There are simply too many recoil-laden spikes, even if they are coated with rubber.

This gimmick as it is now is a double-edged sword in the fact that general community consensus has SuperKing M and R perform similarly well to the Super and King M and R variants for all purposes, so there is less of a need to purchase a second set, but for those that do go out of their way to get a second set it can feel a bit underwhelming.

The Verdict

The SuperKing M, and to a lesser extent SuperKing R, BU Blades are reliable enough Attack options but do not completely rival the likes of Guilty Blade or Xiphoid Blade. Because of their solid-but-not-exceptional performance, the SuperKing M/R BU Blades (and Super/King M/R) are less of an attack staple but more of a way to fill out your deck or provide dual-spin variety.

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Hyperion and Helios DB Core Review

How are B-203’s Hyperion and Helios DB Cores Different From Others?

Of the cores released in the BU line the Hyperion and Helios DB Cores are among the most tame in terms of gimmicks. These two DB Cores closely resemble their Superking era Chips, yet lack any defining game-changing characteristics (like metal for example).

Instead these two DB Cores seem very run-of-the-mill, even down to their four teeth which are not particularly prominent or lead one to believe they have high burst resistance.

How Burst Resistant are the Hyperion and Helios DB Cores?

Both the Hyperion and Helios DB Cores have four decently-sized teeth, essentially identical to the Belial 1 DB Core’s teeth. The one key difference setting it apart from the likes of Belial 1 (with middling burst resistance) is two BU locks! 

What this means is that when you use a DB Disk with a BU lock gimmick (ex. Xanthus Disk, Moon Disk) you should expect a very tight hold and little burst risk. 

With that said, the uses for BU lock enhanced Disks thus far have been very limited, and when used with a regular DB Disk they seem to be a very generic set of DB Cores in terms of teeth and burst resistance down the road (relative to thicker teeth that will last marginally longer).

Surprisingly enough the DB Core not using the BU Lock-equipped Disc lost zero clicks at all throughout the course of testing whereas the BU-equipped Moon combo did lose some clicks. 

We noticed a similar phenomenon when testing the Knight DB Core and Moon Disc, it appears as if the Over Disc provides some added Burst resistance innately, over the likes of Moon Disc or its rival the Illegal Disc.

As it turns out both the Hyperion and Helios DB Cores have more than adequate Burst resistance despite “generic” looking teeth. 

This leads us to believe that you do not need to worry too much about errant Bursting on either of these DB Cores while they are in mint condition, which is a pleasant surprise for these two DB Cores.

Is the Hyperion DB Core Good for Right-Spin Stamina Types?

Hyperion DB Core vs. Dragon DB Core

First, we put up the Hyperion DB Core against the Dragon DB Core, which is the current best right-spin stamina DB Core:

Immediately we see that while Hyperion DB Core wasn’t reliably defeating Dragon DB Core, it could hold its own fairly well. 

We have heard that for some their Dragon DB Core isn’t quite as well balanced as can be, so it is possible for this scoreline to be even more in favour of Hyperion depending on the opponent’s own Dragon DB Core.

Regardless, despite being able to sneak a few wins, in general the Dragon DB Core came out on top, so no major upsets.

Hyperion DB Core vs. Belial 2 DB Core

Here we saw the Hyperion DB Core hold up solidly against the Belial 2 DB Core, which is certainly nothing to dismiss as the Belial 2 DB Core has been a staple Stamina core in the current meta, likely tied for second place with the Achilles DB Core.

Is the Helios DB Core Good for Left-Spin Stamina Types?

Helios DB Core vs. Longinus DB Core

Surprisingly the Helios DB Core was able to hold its own in this matchup. Perhaps due to the nature of the Longinus DB Core on Revolve, Helios was able to keep up and go back-and-forth. Essentially whichever combo started to tip over first would lose as both tend to struggle to regain balance easily. 

This is a promising result, yet against Achilles DB Core, which has been known to best Longinus DB Core because of its ability to regain balance better and faster, Helios DB Core may not have the best time.

Helios DB Core vs. Achilles DB Core

As predicted, this set of testing was just not close. Unlike against the Longinus DB Core where there were a few more reliable moments of Helios regaining balance or knocking the Longinus DB Core off balance first, against Achilles this didn’t fly nearly as often. 

While this result isn’t completely terrible, and doing well against the Longinus DB Core means something, it is difficult to find a use for Helios DB Core that these two options don’t already accomplish.

The Verdict

The Hyperion DB Core is a welcome addition to the current top three right-spin DB Core roster, nestling itself among the likes of Achilles and Belial 2 DB Cores, but not quite enough to crack Dragon DB Core. 

The Helios DB Core, on the other hand, seems to be a bit lack-lustre compared to both Longinus and Achilles DB Cores. While the Hyperion DB Core is able to go back and forth with Longinus DB Core the latter’s teeth make it the preferred option and continue to be a top-two DB Core.

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Xplosion Driver Review

The Xplosion Driver is a short Driver that features a spiral-shaped hard rubber centre with a free-spinning guard around its perimeter, in many ways reminiscent of the Destroy line of Drivers. 

For those who have used Destroy Driver, especially in the Beyblade Burst Sparking era, you will remember how aggressive and deceptively enduring it can be, even against legitimate Stamina focused Drivers.

Is the Xplosion Driver Good for Attack Type Combos?

While the yellow rubber indicated that this Xplosion Driver release would be a bit on the harder side, making it less grippy and more prone to stall, the design and idea behind it remains very promising: An even more attack-focused version of the Destroy Driver.

This is definitely something that attack enthusiasts would love to have in their repertoire of competitive parts. So, does it scratch that itch the way attack enthusiasts could have hoped? We tested it out to see.

Here we saw Xiphoid BU Blade on the Xplosion Driver perform decently, but far from exceptional. This is in large part due to the nature of the Xplosion Driver – its rubber is fairly hard meaning it cannot hold a tight pattern and is more likely to stall around the ridge of the stadium.

At times this unwieldy nature makes it a risky choice not only because there is a chance it will not be able to create ample opportunity for an Attack blade to make contact with its opponent, but also because it also poses a self-KO risk due to its lack of grip yet significant speed.

Unlike Xiphoid BU Blade the Guilty Blade does not need to be launched at full strength to net itself knock-out victories, meaning that on Xplosion Driver you can sometimes get away with launching softly and still scoring a point via knock-out.

On top of this the Guilty Blade and Xplosion Driver together had enough stability and Life After Death (LAD) to draw with the Bearing Dash based Devil Blade combo a couple of times, which is highly promising and should be looked into more.

With that said, the Xplosion Driver seems to be a bit more of a wildcard pick rather than a legitimate full-fledged “attack” driver option, mixing decent enough LAD and some speed to take advantage of the power and balance of Guilty Blade. This set of testing felt more like a testament to Guilty Blade’s strength rather than Xplosion Driver’s viability. 

The Verdict

Overall, the Xplosion Driver is technically a usable choice on the likes of Xiphoid BU Blade and Guilty Blade, but very few Drivers aren’t, given those Blades’ tremendous power. Xplosion Driver could make for a great surprise pick in competitive play, but we would not recommend it over the Xtreme line of Drivers or Quick Dash.

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Zeal Driver Review

Similar to the Xplosion Driver, the Zeal Driver features a free-spinning guard around the perimeter of its tip. However, rather than a flat rubber tip, it features the first rubber sharp tip released in Beyblade Burst to date.

Rubber sharp tips have been a staple throughout the history of Beyblade, starting with the Defense Grip Base from Seaborg in Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, Grip Sharp Core from Advance Guardian in HMS, and finally continuing with the Rubber Sharp Bottom from Grand Cetus WD145RS in Metal Fight Beyblade.

Particularly in the Metal Fight Beyblade era, Rubber Sharp came into competitive usage primarily for pure defense combos that aim to resist being knocked-out.

Does the Zeal Driver have good KO defense?

With this being the first rubber sharp tip in Beyblade Burst history, we were eager to measure its defensive prowess.

As we’ve previously discussed in our Jet Wyvern review a while back, Takara-Tomy has struggled to fully distinguish stamina and defense types for much of Beyblade Burst’s history. 

But until now we haven’t had the potential best defensive shape and material for a Driver tip: rubber sharp. Let’s see how it does.

Same-Spin Defense Testing

Zeal Driver vs. Xtreme’ Driver

In all rounds, the combo using the Zeal Driver was launched first and used the Full Custom BeyLauncher LR with the Long Core Unit from B-203 (which has a longer string than previous releases). The attack type always used the Full Custom BeyLauncher LR with the Long Core Unit from B-191.

First, to set the stage we conducted a benchmarking test:

This verified the similar test result we did with Xiphoid Xcalibur Giga Xtreme’-1 vs. Devil Dragon Over (2 Stars) Bearing’-3 in our Xiphoid Xcalibur review. The Bearing Dash Driver stands no chance against Xiphoid in this matchup.

This was thoroughly impressive. While XpXC.Gg.X’-1 had the power required to knock-out D(F)BL2.Ov.Zl-3, it basically needed a massive critical hit at the start to have a chance of victory. But it almost never happened. The Zeal Driver stonewalled Xiphoid.

In this first set, we started to realize some of the versatility of the Zeal Driver as well. Because of the power of the Full Custom BeyLauncher LR, it doesn’t necessarily just sit in the middle of the stadium as you might expect from a rubber sharp tip. The harder you launch, the more movement it produces.

This movement gives players strategic options for countering opponents. You can launch moderately for less movement and will likely still outspin pure attack types, or if you sense your opponent is anticipating that and has a good shooting technique that can hit you away from the centre of the stadium, you could hard launch to try and catch them near the ridge and either KO them or disrupt their movement pattern.

Although, it is worth noting that the performance of the Zeal Driver could certainly change as the tip is worn down. It will likely move more the more worn it is.

Next, we wanted to give Xiphoid an even tougher opponent. In our Xiphoid Xcalibur review we also tested Prominence Belial 2 (Black) Over Bearing’-3 against XpXC.Gg.X’-1 and Xiphoid was able to muster just a 60% win percentage against it, down from 80% against Dynamite on Bearing’.

The results were similar to our first set with the Zeal Driver. And like the benchmark from our Xiphoid Xcalibur review, in almost all rounds Xiphoid was able to detach the Prominence Blade’s armor.

Before moving on from the Xtreme’ Driver, we quickly tried two variants: a slightly worn B-173 Silver Xtreme’ Driver and B-00 Shadow Amaterios Xtreme’ Driver. Driver wear on Xtreme’ as well as the material being used (which differs between each of the different releases of Xtreme’) can affect performance critically in many situations.

The sample size here is small, but it seems fair to say that despite the increased control and speed offered by these Drivers, the performance improvement did not seem to be enough to invalidate Zeal as seemingly the premier defensive option for use against Xtreme’ combos at this point.

Although the numbers don’t suggest it, Ultimate performed the best here in terms of producing big hits against Wind. It got a bit unlucky a few times. However, it really required launching powerfully, which then compromised your controllability.

It could have certainly been 2-3 or even 3-2 for Ultimate, but considering the realities of tournament play (pressure, nervousness, etc), we would still feel confident in using Zeal for defensive purposes in these types of situations, at least relative to existing stamina-oriented Drivers like Bearing’, High Xtend+’, and Bearing Drift.

Zeal Driver vs. Quick’ Driver

Having demonstrated that combos wielding the Xtreme’ Driver tend to have a very difficult time against Zeal, we next wanted to see if it had enough stamina to outlast an attack type Driver like Quick’ which has greater stamina than Xtreme’.

SBL2.Il.Qc’-9 knocked off the armor from the Prominence Blade in almost every round, which made it easier for it to push Prominence down into the stadium floor. In a situation where two players are launching simultaneously, the sense we got was that Prominence could have come out ahead here. Some of the outspins by SBL2.Il.Qc’-9 were very close, despite being launched second.

Nevertheless what this demonstrates is that the Zeal Driver itself doesn’t have a remarkable amount of same-spin stamina potential. Players using it in this type of matchup will have to carefully manage their launch strength (especially if they are using a Blade like Prominence with poor same-spin stamina) so as to avoid being outspun, but also not launch too hard so that it is easy for their opponent to knock them out near the ridge with a flat hard launch.

It also reinforces however that the Zeal Driver has excellent KO defense. SBL2.Il.Qc’-9 just could not muster enough power to actually KO PBL2.Ov.Zl-3.

One of the reasons Prominence became easier to outspin in the previous set was because Savior had such an easy time knocking the armor off of the Prominence Blade. And because the Over Disk made it scrape a touch earlier than it ideally should.

So, we decided to try Prominence in Heavy Mode this time to see if it would make a difference. Heavy Mode is supposed to make the armor harder to knock off. And we switched over to the Giga Disk to remove any chance of scraping (the copy of Giga used was a relatively heavy 33.2g, which is not much lighter than the typical Over Disk).

This time, it came off only half of the time, which significantly improved its ability to outspin SBL2.Il.Qc’-9. However, strangely it was able to score 3 of the 4 KOs it did score when Prominence’s armor came off. But the interactions were often a bit different than before because the armor usually did not come off as quickly.

Finally, Dan did a set with Dynamite against Xiphoid on Quick’:

Here Xiphoid demonstrated a greater ability to KO Zeal, but was almost guaranteed to lose by outspin if it couldn’t inflict a KO early on.

Additional Zeal vs. Quick’ and Xtreme’ Testing (2 Players)

To be more certain about what level of performance you can expect from Zeal on average, and more thoroughly account for the potential differences that can be produced in a more natural two-player scenario, Dan and I (Blader Kei) met in person later on to conduct a few additional sets of testing.

In all sets, Dan launched the attack type.

It became clear by the end of this test that the Quick’ Driver Dan was using was a bit too worn and didn’t have enough power to reliably KO Zeal. A couple wins by Xiphoid were by OS as well, which could have been solved by a slightly more powerful launch with Zeal.

Next, we ‘upgraded’ to Xtreme’ for greater speed and KO potential. It certainly demonstrated that, KOing Zeal with ease when placed correctly. Especially at the beginning of a match.

If the angle of XXc.Mn.X’-1 was not just right and it started to circle around the stadium perimeter, or it didn’t get the fortunate early powerful hit, it would likely lose. Unlike other Drivers which are easier to KO like the High Xtend Plus Dash Driver or the Bearing Drift Driver, there are scenarios where the rubber of Zeal did help keep it in the stadium where we estimated those Drivers might have failed.

Ultimately, to put up a 50% win percentage in a disadvantageous situation (right-spin defense type versus right-spin attack with a skilled user) is a positive. Unlike something like the Bearing’ matchup we used as a benchmark earlier on, Zeal isn’t a walk in the park for Xiphoid.

And that win percentage doesn’t even factor in the mind games that can be played in real match scenarios where you might change your launch style between rounds, making the situation more difficult for the attack user if they are not aware enough to then adjust their strategy.

Opposite-Spin Defense Testing

Zeal Driver vs. Xtreme’ Driver

In our review of the Prominence Blade, we tested Prominence (Normal Mode) Belial 2 Over Bearing’-10 vs. Guilty Longinus Giga Xtreme’-2. Guilty was able to secure a 70% win percentage in that matchup.

Here, Guilty made it look easy when launched hard and was able to inflict a powerful early hit. But otherwise, Zeal gave it a tough time.

This set was conducted by Dan and doesn’t necessarily show that Devil is worse against Guilty than Prominence, but that launch technique and Driver wear can play a big role in how this matchup plays out.

Zeal Driver vs. Quick’ Driver

In this set, the width of the Over Disk actually helped Prominence in a few cases to scrape the outer area of the stadium bowl gracefully, enhancing its defense.

Guilty came close to winning by outspin at times, but it never pulled through.

Additional Zeal vs. Quick’ and Xtreme’ Testing (2 Players)

Similar to the two player testing we conducted earlier at the conclusion of the same-spin defense testing, we did the same thing for opposite spin to help bridge the gap between some of our individual tests and get closer to replicating how the Driver could perform in a real match scenario.

In all sets, Dan launched the attack type.

Although being in the opposite-spin direction of your opponent typically is an advantage, that isn’t always the case for Beyblades that go up against Guilty. The Dynamite Blade is a perfect example of this. In the past, we’ve demonstrated that when using the Bearing Driver, the Dynamite Blade struggles against the Guilty Blade on rubber flat Drivers.

The Guilty Blade has been the dominant attack choice in the Beyblade Burst metagame since it was released, so the significance of putting forth a 72.2% average win percentage when combining all three of the above sets cannot be understated.

As noted, each set was conducted using a different launch strength for Zeal. The interactions produced by each of these strengths are different, so we did each in order to paint a more comprehensive picture of how Zeal can deal with the Guilty Blade.

Testing attack types inherently carries an immense amount of variables (part wear, launch strength, launch style, launch skill, etc). Guilty was definitely capable of winning in each scenario, but the sense we were left with was that the Zeal Driver, on the whole, does have better defense than other available options.

Does the Zeal Driver have good stamina?

Same-Spin Stamina Testing

Rubber sharp tips have always naturally had poor same-spin stamina potential, but to confirm this we conducted a few tests:

Zeal Driver vs. Metal Never Driver

This result was a bit surprising. It was basically 50/50. Metal Never isn’t known for being a same-spin stamina powerhouse, but this might be the best way to illustrate how well-balanced the Zeal Driver is competitively.

For any rubber sharp tip to be worth using in a competitive situation, it needs to not only have exceedingly high defensive ability, but it needs to be able to outspin attack types.

Zeal is able to do this, and as demonstrated here can even go toe-to-toe with some lower tier stamina Drivers depending on the context. For it to be any better than this would make it potentially overpowered.

Zeal Driver vs. Bearing Drift Driver

As expected, the Bearing Drift Driver puts Zeal in its place when it comes to same-spin stamina. There was no contest here.

Opposite Spin Stamina Testing

One of the reasons why defensive Drivers like the Unite Dash Driver or Keep Dash Driver have remained so incredibly niche is because they do not possess the opposite-spin or “Life After Death” capability that is now basically required for almost all competitive combos in Beyblade Burst.

One of the most exciting parts of the Zeal Driver is the aforementioned free-spinning guard around the perimeter of its tip because it has the potential to ensure that the attractiveness of Zeal’s defensive power wouldn’t be nullified by poor opposite-spin performance.

With that in mind, Zeal seemed like it had the potential to be similar to the infamous top-tier Rubber Defense Flat Bottom (RDF) from Metal Fight Beyblade era.

Zeal Driver vs. Drift Driver

Although the Zeal Driver “lost” this matchup overall, that it was able to score four wins and a whopping 13 draws is a massive win that cannot be understated. Up until the release of Bearing Drift in this set, the Drift Driver was the arguable best Driver for opposite-spin matchups in the game.

Instantly, this in combination with its defensive performance makes the Zeal Driver a top tier part for players to consider. There are many situations in a competitive environment where you may be unsure of whether your opponent will choose an attack type or a stamina type; having a Driver like Zeal that can potentially cover both areas is huge.

One thing to note with this set is that Zeal initially won three of the first five rounds (the other two were draws), which had us questioning whether this was real life or not. It eventually came back down to earth as the set progressed, but Drift needed to get through six consecutive draws before the final round in order to secure its sixth and final win.

Zeal Driver vs. Bearing Drift Driver

The Bearing Drift Driver has been hyped up in the community, and for good reason. Despite this, Zeal was still able to secure a respectable amount of draws against it. But it’s a losing matchup for it, as it should be.

Zeal Driver vs. Metal Never Driver

The Metal Never Driver and Never Driver have always gone a bit under the radar when it comes to their opposite spin stamina performance, but Zeal was able to convincingly defeat it.

Zeal Driver vs. Bearing Driver

Finally, the matchup against Bearing was the most definitive and back-and-forth of them all. Seemingly, this could go either way.

The Verdict

The Zeal Driver is the best defense type Driver in Beyblade Burst. It boasts equally impressive opposite-spin performance, but has poor enough same-spin performance to remain balanced competitively.

Zeal is not a total defensive brick wall that cannot be penetrated, but it is capable of a clear and definitive improvement in defensive power over existing stamina Drivers. Skilled attack type users will not find themselves in an unwinnable situation when up against it, but Zeal certainly filters out players who are less skilled or less precise in their launching.

It is also worth noting that Zeal does not have particularly great burst resistance, which only becomes a concern in other formats where increased burst resistance is a little bit harder to come by than with DB and BU.

Given the history–or lack thereof–of defense types in Beyblade Burst, Zeal is a Driver to be celebrated by Beyblade fans. It is one of Takara-Tomy’s best designed parts to date; it embraces and accepts the current nature of the competitive scene being focused around opposite-spin stamina performance and manages to find a way to finally help more clearly define what a “defense type” should be in this series.

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