You can force that with diametrically magnetized discs[1]. It's not the usual way these discs are magnetized, but this will not allow rotation under light force

You can force that with diametrically magnetized discs[1]. It's not the usual way these discs are magnetized, but this will not allow rotation under light forces. On the other hand, if you manage to rotate them 90 degrees, they will pop out, as the magnets will start to repel. With big discs, the force needed to rotate even axial magnetized discs (like the ones they seem to use) is not trivial if the magnet surfaces are clean. By the size of the discs they use, their adhesive force can be ~3-5 kg, and it's not easy to rotate such magnets. You can add a layer of thin cloth over the magnets to increase the friction, and it will also protect the magnets from scratching and damp the hits when sticking. No idea what kind of magnets they use, but treating them like they do in the presentation (throwing them one against another, or against objects) is a sure way to crack the nickel plating in the long run. [1] like this one: http://www.supermagnete.de/eng/data_sheet_S-12-06-DN.pdf http://www.supermagnete.de/eng/data_sheet_S-12-06-DN.pdf