C1431M Scalextric 1980s TV Back to the Future vs Knight Rider Race Set – Review

By Ellie Victor

I can still feel the rush of excitement. Somewhere in the middle of the 1980s a Scalextric seemed like – to me, anyway – the ultimate Christmas present.

Fast, noisy, competitive, thrilling – a little bit dangerous. And if it meant my big brother would be killing to play it in front of me, then so much the better.

Fast forward 30+ years, and as I unbox the all-new 80s referencing Back to the Future vs Knight Rider Scalextric Race Set, I can feel the excitement return. Yes, a Scalextric is a guaranteed thrill for people of a certain age – but will this translate to the iPhone generation too? I’m about to play with my eight-year-old son to find out. But first, here’s the basics…

What’s in the Box?

• 1x Delorean Car
• 1x KITT car
• 2x hand controller
• 1x transformer
• 1x powerbase
• 20x Track pieces 1x braid pack

What Scalextric say:

“Get ready for the ultimate Scalextric battle with the new Back to the Future vs Knight Rider Race Set. Buckle up as the iconic Michael Knight racing K.I.T.T or imagine travelling in the Back to the Future Time Machine as Doc or Marty McFly. Combining retro Scalextric branding with the high detailed and functional film inspired vehicles, as well as everything you need to begin your Scalextric journey in one box.”

First Impressions:

It’s beautifully boxed. The two iconic 80s vehicles – the Delorean from Back to the Future and Kit, the talking car from David Hasselhoff’s TV hit, Knight Rider jump from the box art and are finely detailed once unboxed. There’s over five metres of track to unpack, so as always with Scalextrics, keep it neat and tidy. The instructions are simple and construction couldn’t be easier. Remember to get the track on a flat (ideally uncarpeted) surface and near to a plug socket. Before long you’ll be plugging in and, for the first electrifying time, pressing the accelerator on those famous hand controllers.

Gameplay:

For me, playing Scalextric again was a thrill. Slowing for the corners, accelerating out of them; beating your opponent to the cross section, or tactically slowing down in an attempt to ram them off it; pushing the speed just as much as you dare before just overdoing it and tumbling, cartwheeling off the track.

Yes, so much was brilliantly familiar, but there were improvements too. Lights on the cars (a flashing red pulse on Kit, front and rear lights for the Delorean) added a whole new dimension. Pull the curtains or play in the dark and you get a spectacular night race – yes, things really do seem to have more whizz in the dark!

For me though, the great improvement was in traction. The best Scalextrics offer balance between speed and skill and here, powerful magnets in the chassis exert extra downforce, meaning your cars can really shift. But overdo it and you’ll still come a cropper.

A nice new addition was the ‘Side Swipe’ – where a hairpin piece of track allows you to side nudge your opponent.

The Next Generation:

So, what did my 8-year-old make of it? Well, within 15 minutes he’d called his friend round to play with him – and believe me, that’s as big an endorsement as he can give. He loved the tactile nature of the game and how easy it was to start and get to grips with. Before long he was developing tactics, planning when to attack his more experienced mum and how much to slow down on the bends. So what if he decided to start adding mini figures to the track to knock them over – doesn’t everyone do that eventually?

Yes, Scalextric is ready to conquer another generation – and this retro-themed box has enough to appeal to delight old and new racers alike.

C1431M Scalextric 1980s TV – Back to the Future vs Knight Rider Race Set is £159.99 from uk.scalextric.com