There was an old game (or toy, if you will) that up to four players could play.
The player would wind string around a top, pull it and battle to the end.
All the action took place in a plastic arena the size of a dinner plate.

I think Hasbro made it in the 1970's but I cannot remember the name of the item.
I just watched "The Santa Claus 2" and the game is in a scene in the movie.

I want to find an old copy and buy it for my kids!

Hello evets-ga,

I?m sure the game that you are looking for is ?Battling Tops? by
Ideal. A description of the game is given at Nostalgiacentral.com.

Nostalgiacentral.com, Battling Tops
http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/pop/battlingtops.htm
?Released in 1968, Battling Tops came with 6 spinning tops called
Super Sam, Dizzy Dan, Tricky Nicky, Smart Smitty, Twirling Tim and
Hurricane Hank.

The game was simple - wind the string around the top then give the
puller a solid yank to send the tops flying into the arena to crash
into each other. The last top standing was the winner.

The game was marketed by Ideal as "The Bout of the Century", and in
the late 70s the company redesigned the game in the wake of Star Wars
mania as Battling Spaceships. Marx took over the Battling Tops title
in the 80?s, but by the end of the decade, the game had disappeared
from toy shelves.?


I found several vintage versions of the game for sale at eBay:

?Vintage 1968 Ideal BATTLING TOPS Board Game?
Ends Dec-29-03 18:18:06 PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3165997279&category=1184

?Vintage 1968 Ideal Battling Tops Game~&Insert
Ends Dec-29-03 19:09:26 PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3166003949&category=1184

?VINTANGE 1968 BATTLING TOPS GREAT CONDITION?
Ends Jan-01-04 19:17:49 PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3166257980&category=2533

?1968 Battling Tops Game 1977 Spaceships Ideal?
Ends Dec-28-03 19:33:49 PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3165534752&category=2533


Mattel sells a new version of Battling Tops.  The Mattel version of
the game can be purchased at Dillards.com.

Dillards.com, Mattel "The Original Battling Tops" Game
http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=301&storeId=301&productId=500536815&langId=-1&itemCat=590297&mainCat=287835&rootCat=440
?Mattel "The Original Battling Tops" Game
The Original Battling Tops? action game is back with a new look! First
introduced in 1968, the classic action game consists of two to four
players facing off in an arena, each with his or her own spinning top.
The last player spinning is the winner of the round. The first player
to win ten rounds is the grand champion. Players launch their tops
into the arena with spinner handles, spinner stickers and score pegs.
For ages 6 and up.?


I also found the Mattel version for sale at eBay.

?NEW! Original Battling Tops Game?, Ends Dec-28-03 08:16:02 PST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3166046771&category=2549
?This is a sealed box of The Original Battling Tops game,this version
NEW and made by MATTEL! The back says included is 1 battling tops
arena(which is NOT as big as the original 1968 version),6 battling
tops spindles,6 battling tops disks , 4 battling tops pullers,5 score
pegs , 1 label sheet with super sam,cyclone steve,tricky
nicky,twirling tim , dizzy dan,hurricane hank AND the instructions!
This is a NEW 2003 game not vintage.?


There is a contemporary game called BeyBlades by Hasbro that is based
on the same concept as Battling Tops, but is more ?hi-tech?.

Epinions.com, Review of Hasbro Beyblade Super Beystadium: Thunder Rumbler
http://www.epinions.com/content_119552380548
?BeyBlades, for those not in the know, are spinning tops that when
launched at each other bounce into each other -- and the one that
stays spinning the longest wins. As with many children's products,
this is tied into both a television show and a video game.
Conceptually, the game is like Battling Tops from the 70s, except the
technoogy and design is much better.?

Hasbro.com, Beyblade Home
http://www.hasbro.com/beyblade/pl/page.browse/dn/default.cfm


I hope you have found this information helpful.  If you have any
questions, please request clarification prior to rating the answer.

Googlenut


Search Strategy:

Google Search Terms:

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eBay Search, "battling tops"
http://search-desc.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=%22battling+tops%22&ht=1&sosortproperty=1&from=R10&sotextsearched=2&BasicSearch

I was close! It was 1968, and Ideal, not Hasbro!
Superb answer. Thank you very, very much.

Thank you for the 5-star rating and the tip!

I'm glad I was able to help.

Enjoy the game!

Googlenut