There are few games capable of uniting as many generations as the Scalextric . Launched in 1957 in the UK for Minimodelsthe idea of Fred Francis did not arrive in Spain until 1962, where it was a success as in the rest of Europe. This simple and competitive racing game, with 1:32 scale electric traction vehicles that run on guides or slots that are the outlet, has entertained generation after generation since then. Its most popular period was the 70s and 80s, but as the children who played it then entered adulthood, they also has made a place for itself in the world of collecting thanks to its impressive variety of replicas of real cars and the intricate tracks that players can build using accessories such as sections of tracks, pit lanes, curves, bridges and others.
While technology has invaded new aspects of the lives of adults and children in this century, Scalextric has also had to reinvent itself, and it has done so through Scalextric Advancea version of the classic game that was released in 2022 and that incorporates a series of new features.
It should be noted that Scalextric it's not a cheap game. The base version, so to speak, given that they are modular tracks that the user can expand as they wish with the acquisition of accessories, comes with two cars, Porsche 911 GT3 Hybrid and Vantage GT3 St. Gallendos2 wireless controllers and a modular track 5.9 meters with 12 curved sections, 8 straight sections and two lane interchanges, it has a price of 279 euros on Amazon. If you want the accessory that allows Bluetooth connectivity with a mobile phone or tablet and use the app, there are others. 99 euros. And here we have not yet entered into expanding the track with more lanes, more sections or adding more vehicles to the race. Playing Scalextric is an expensive vice.
Now, what does the player get compared to the original game? Advance supports up to 9 vehicles in the same race, which is why the lane interchange is essential, since otherwise overtaking would not occur. With such a large number of vehicles, wireless controllers that brings are a necessity while the accessory Bluetooth makes it easier to turn the track into a spectacle more similar to that of a real race.
This accessory allows you to use the Scalextric Advance app and gives access to new game modes such as time trial modein which the player who has the most laps at the end of the time and the the fastest lap. It also allows you to program when vehicles run out of fuel and They must make a stop in the pit lane to “refuel”. The Bluetooth track section includes a support on which the mobile phone and tablet is placed with the application that acts as an information panel with the results that the players are obtaining in the race. 67 years after its original launch, it turns out that the Scalextric retains its charm.