Scalextric Powerslide - EXCLUSIVE review

10 May 2005 11:21 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Taking Japan by storm, Drift Racing basically involves driving a car around a corner sideways. The more you do so in the race the more points you earn, and just like something out of the latest video game, it’s a sight to be believed.

Realising that this could be the next big thing in the world of motor racing in this country, Scalextric has bought the concept to the slot car track - skids and all.

Scalextric Drift Racing does what it says on the tin - allows you to drift race. The secret is specially designed glide blade underneath the car that allows it to spin 360 degrees. This of course has its benefits and its disadvantages.

The benefits are that providing you’ve got a wide enough track you can glide your car around the track almost sideways performing the ultimate drifts (don’t worry the set is ultra wide). The disadvantage however, which has existed with normal slot cars if you were reckless enough, is that drifting your car too far will mean that your car ends up facing the wrong way and there’s a good chance that you’ll lose the race.

In the starter set due to be released next month, you’ll get all you need: wider tracks, barriers to save you coming off at every corner and two cars; both Nissan 350z. The cars aren’t toughened as such, for the new sport and driving style, but the detail has been reduced so you don’t break bits off as you crash into on another while drifting.

The cars’ performance remains fast, although Scalextric pro’s may decide that the front of the car is a touch underweight, but for the average player (that’s most of us) you won’t notice any problems.

As for the track, Scalextric has decided to keep it simple and there are enough pieces to create a simple figure of eight in the box. Because the Power Drift set is made up from standard traditional track pieces rather than the newer digital track you can easily combine this with current sets - or merely get more track to spice things up a bit. The company did look at using the Digital track, however felt that six cars on the same track going in opposite directions wasn’t a good idea.

Actual racing does take some adjustment. Initially, we found it frustrating that every corner can represent a change in direction. Push the accelerator too hard and you’re facing the other direction, not enough and you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about as you fail to drift your way around. That said, after a good 30 minutes we had just about got it and that’s where the fun begins as you power slide around the corners with glee.

Verdict

The beauty here is that this Drift Racing set will complement any current Scalextric gear you already own because aside from the cars, there's nothing new and potentially incompatible. That said the cars ability to turn 360 degrees makes it great fun if you are fed up with standard racing and will certainly inject a new lease of life into your racing. You can buy the cars on their own, but at £28 each, stretching your wallet by another two tenners and you can have the track at the same time.