The new Superstar looks interesting. So, for those of you who have one or have tried one, what do you think about it?
First, I have the regular SuperStar. I think this was one of my first “expensive” YYF metals. I had played one first and I was super pleased with it, so I got myself one. I scored a sweet BST deal for an amazing SuperStar in “new in the box” condition. While I don’t really play with the stacks, it’s still a great yoyo and when it comes to YYF, one of the ones I used to often reach for. I’m now mostly reaching for the MVP and Equilateral, but the collection and grown and my preferences have changed a bit. Still, this is a yoyo I really like.
You can see that the 2013 SuperStar clearly did in fact come from the original. They stretched it a bit, adding over 6mm of additional width, giving this yoyo a more wider-type profile, yet still not really being a wide yoyo. It’s a little smaller in diameter, right at 56mm now. It’s a little lighter by about 3 grams, but the weight is now focused more on the rims and taken out of the center. The shape has been altered too by removing the small sidewall. This profile adjustment was done to help with horizontal play.
Speaking of horizontal play, the stacks have been removed from the 2013 Superstar. They simply aren’t needed. Those who were playing and winning championships with the original SuperStar were removing the stacks anyways, so stacks clearly were not wanted for competition. Along with that, there’s no need for a stacks post when there are no need for stacks, so the inner cup is rather flat, which allows for finger-spin grinds.
In many cases, making an update usually means an improvement over the original. I don’t 100% agree with that kind of statement, because I’ve played the MPV2 and I prefer the MVP better. However, with the 2013 Superstar over the regular Superstar, YYF did everything right. With the original SuperStar being a smooth and stable platform, YYF’s 2013 Superstar is just as smooth and just as stable as the original. Removing the stacks reduces vibe caused by the stacks and removes center-weight(and relocates some of that to the rims). The wider profile adds to more stability as well as increased horizontal stability.
The only negative points I have with the 2013 are as follows:
1: It’s using the fairly typical smooth YYF finish, so if grinds are your thing, it’s not the best for this. The inner painting on the cup area helps with the finger spins. As I can’t do horizontal or finger spins, this is an irrelevant point.
2: The inside of the rim for the finger spins is a bit too wide so finger spins could get sloppy fast if you’re not good at it. More skilled players will most likely NOT have this issue. However, I can’t even do this yet, so my statement may be irrelevant.
If you’re looking for a competition friendly yoyo at a reasonable price, YYF has seriously been on the ball with their recent offerings. The 2013 Superstar is simply amazing and affordable. Then again, if you’re just looking for something fun, then the same models are excellent for that too.
I knew going forward that the 2013 was gonna be a great yoyo when I saw it. I’ve been extremely pleased.