Scalextric vs Carrera vs Anki Overdrive: seven crucial things to know before you buy

Whether you're after a fun race with friends and family this Christmas, or the perfect gift to give a budding hobbyist, a slot car racing set is the ultimate big-kid present. 

Scalextric is the synonymous brand in the UK, but others, such as Carrera and Anki Overdrive (now owned by Digital Dream Labs), offer racing ecosystems to rival the popular Scalextric sets. It raises the question: is Scalextric still the best?

We tested the Scalextric Ginetta Racers set with Arc Air powerbase upgrade, Carrera Digital GT Face off set and Overdrive: Fast and Furious Edition.

We expected to have a hoot with these reviews. However, after having to buy two replacement power bases, shelling out on extra track and compulsory app purchases, getting set up to begin racing turned out to be almost as much fun as getting a lump of coal for Christmas. 

Read on to find out the seven lessons we learned that will equip you if you're planning to buy a Scalextric or other slot car racing set. You can also discover what we ultimately thought of the sets we tested, and which brand is best for you.

Scalextric vs Carrera vs Anki Overdrive

We reviewed digital sets from Scalextric, Carrera and Anki Overdrive to see if they lived up to their, 'more bang for your buck' promises.

Digital slot car racing manufacturers claim these sets give a more real-to-life racing experience. That's because of their added features, such as lane changing, fuel management, tyre wear, pit stops, and app connectivity to manage races and unlock different racing modes.

All this comes at a greater cost though, which means more detriment in terms of money wasted if you choose the wrong set.

Here's what we discovered:

1. There's a big difference to how fun they are

• The Overdrive cars didn't drive that fast in our tests. Unless you were using a boost there was no jeopardy of falling off.
• Kids may enjoy Overdrive's Mario-kart-esque powerups, but we found it tricky and frustrating to use.
• The Scalextric Arc Air powerbase adds a pit stop feature to refuel your vehicles. Simple, but increased the fun factor and tactics needed to race well.
• The Carrera digital set adds lane changing at specific track sections. This was the best extra feature in our opinion, as it amped up the tension and allowed thrilling chases when both racers ended up in the same lane.

2. Some cars are more durable than others

• The rear spoilers on Scalextric cars fell off regularly during crashes and our durability tests, but could be clipped back in.
• Overdrive vehicles were the toughest - you could have a multi-car pile up and they'd emerge unscathed.
• The Carrera cars were more fragile, with windscreens and rear spoilers shearing off in our durability tests.

3. Anki is no longer owned by Anki

• Anki was acquired by Digital Dream Labs in 2019. 
• Any Overdrive sets for sale with the Anki logo, such the one we tested, is older stock that is being sold through.
• Digital Dream labs seem to still have plans to expand the Overdrive system, but at the moment it seems limited to providing app support for existing Anki Overdrive sets.
• If you're planning to buy into a race track ecosystem that's going to stick around, Scalextric and Carrera seem like the cars to back.

4. Carrera: extra costs to unlock all features

• Carrera gets the perfect start by simply working as expected straight out of the box.
• We got the Overdrive and Scalextric Arc Air working in the end, but they both had teething issues that hampered our enjoyment.
• If you want to use every feature Carrera digital offers you need to buy extra accessories though: the Carrera AppConnect (typically £35 - £45) to connect your track to the Carrera racing app, and the additional pit stop lane (typically £80 - £90)  to add pit stops and fuel management into your races.
• Carrera's a bigger slot car brand in European countries, so it's worth checking where you're buying it from won't result in an import charge.

5. You have to buy the Overdrive app to race

• The Overdrive cars are controlled by a smartphone app. This used to be free but since being acquired by Digital Dream Labs the app costs £2.49 on iOS and £2.89 on Android.
• This additional cost isn't clearly advertised at point of purchase. You'll hardly be thanked by friends who want to come round and race, only to find it'll cost them money to do so.

 6. Beware Scalextric Arc Air track overload

• After inserting the Arc Air powerbase into the Scalextric set we were surprised to find the track was overloading, meaning we couldn't race. 
• We removed the powerbase and tested it on its own, and found it kept doing this.
• After the same issues with a replacement, we contacted Scalextric technical support who informed us the overloading issue was caused by our track layout having the set's original powerbase (unplugged) still in the circuit.
• If it's your first set and, like us, you want to use all the track pieces you have, it's an easy mistake to make.
• There wasn't an explicit warning in the instructions not to do this, or that it can permanently damage the Arc Air powerbase.
• Scalextric technical support agreed with us, and said details would be added to instructions.

 7. Be prepared to pay for extra track

• The box of the Scalextric set we bought showed multiple track layouts. However the Arc Air powerbase was a different length to the two straights in the set we tested.
• This meant we had to buy three additional track sets, spending an extra £35, in order to get the right configuration of track to make the suggested layouts.
• It could be argued this is an optional purchase – we could have made a simple oval circuit with the track we had – but it's frustrating to find we couldn't keep the exciting, twisting circuits advertised on the box without buying extra track to fill in the gaps.   

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Scalextric, Carrera or Anki Overdrive: which did we like best?

We tested each set for how easy the track was to build, how easy the digital features and apps were to use and how fun they made the racing.

We also looked at how sturdy the track was once assembled, and how easy it was to keep cars on the track for younger racers.

Finally we carried out a durability test on the vehicles. While they all had their moments in the sun, we've ranked them 1st to 3rd below based on all the above.  

Carrera Digital 132 GT Face Off Set

Cheapest price: £461 available at Amazon, also available at Carrera, alternative set with same track but different cars £278.78 at Amazon

Pros:

• Sturdy track and clips together nicely
• Can choose to switch lanes at set junctions
• Free app is simple to use

Cons:

• Relatively expensive
• Cars least durable of the sets we tested
• Additional purchases needed to unlock all possible features

Our verdict: First past the chequered flag

The Carrera track fits together easily, with red clips you insert to the underside of the track to lock them in place. Assembly took a little longer than Scalextric, but the track holds together better and was sturdier once done.

While the supplied instructions are text-heavy, they are clear and easy to follow. By the time we'd got used to how to change the speed and braking settings for our cars we were doing it as fast as an F1 pitstop. 

You can change lanes at two sections of the track. On paper this is more restrictive than Overdrive – where you can change lanes at any time – but within these limitations the thrill of the race is made. We had a lot of near-miss collisions at these change points, plus exhilarating cat-and-mouse chase moments where cars ended up in the same lane.

There were some downsides to the Carrera Digital set. While you can connect to its racing app (to set up quick races and grands prix) you have to purchase the AppConnect Bluetooth adapter (typically £35-£45). The app is simple to use, though it doesn't offer as many modes as the Overdrive or Scalextric's app. 

It's the same with the fuel management and pit stop features, which require buying extra pit lane track (typically £80-£90). 

The cars were also the least durable, with spoilers and wing mirrors shearing off in our drop tests. The set does come with barriers to line the corners of the track (Scalextric doesn't for the record) which should reduce the risk of damage and DNFs while racing. 

Carrera digital is also relatively expensive compared to the other slot-car racing systems. It's bigger in European countries and the USA. Prices are more expensive here and if being shipped from abroad, beware import charges. 

It's not lapping the competition by any stretch of the imagination, but if money is no object we found Carrera to be the most reliable and fun system we tested. 

Get the best presents for your kids (and kids-at-heart) this Christmas: read our best remote control cars and best trampoline reviews

Scalextric Ginetta Racers Set plus Arc Air Powerbase

Cheapest price (Ginetta Racers set): £99.99 at The Range, also available at Amazon, Robert Dyas, Scalextric.

Cheapest price (Arc Air powerbase): £89.52 at Amazon, also available at Scalextric, Pendle Slot Racing

Cheapest price (additional straight track x2): £15.50 at Pendle Slot Racing, also available at Amazon

Pros:

• Free app works well
• Track is easy to clip together and take apart
• Arc Air base adds fun racing features, such as pit stops and changing weather

Cons:

• We needed to buy additional track to get to the base set's suggested layouts when we added the Arc Air powerbase
• Arc Air powerbase overloads easily, caused by an issue not explicitly outlined in instructions.

Our verdict: Soared after several false starts

The track is very easy to put together and take apart. Its locking mechanism is weaker compared to Carrera track, but if you're going to be regularly setting up and taking down your circuit, Scalextric may be the speedier option. 

The cars fared better in our durability tests, though rear spoilers did pop out and have to be reattached. The base set works straight out the box.

So why did the Carrera pip it to the finish line in our tests? Because we ran into several issues when we tried to add the Arc Air powerbase to the track.

If you want the extra digital features, Carrera's works straight out of the box. Whereas we had several false starts, and needed to make additional track purchases with Scalextric in order to continue to be able to build the suggested track layouts in the set. See our 'Seven things you need to know' above for full details. 

Once we got the Arc Air powerbase working as intended, the extra features added a lot of fun and tactics to the racing. Unlike Carrera digital, you get fuel management, pit stops and can connect to the app straight away. If you want lane changing you'll have to get the Arc Air Pro powerbase (which will cost around £100 more) and lane changing track sections. 

Which features are more fun is, of course, subjective. But for what it's worth, we found the lane changing offered out of the box in Carrera's set added a bit more magic to the race than pit stops and fuel management.

Scalextric is the largest brand in the UK, however, and is cheaper and more readily available for purchase here compared to Carrera.

Overall, there wasn't much in it between Carrera and Scalextric, but the former was just more reliable and thrilling to race with.

Anki Overdrive: Fast and Furious Edition

Cheapest price: £89.99 at Amazon, standard starter set £45 at Amazon

Pros:

• Relatively cheap
• Can change lanes at any point by tilting smartphone
• Unique race and battle modes

Cons:

• Need paid app to control cars
• App was temperamental
• Cars don't drive as fast as Scalextric or Carrera
• Track isn't very sturdy
• Unclear how supported the system and app will be in the future

Our verdict: Intriguing on paper, a bore in reality

The track is a thick, plastic coated card that magnetically clips together. It makes assembling the track extremely easy, but it was very floppy and less sturdy compared to Carrera and Scalextric.

This is in contrast to the cars themselves, which aced our durability test. 

The cars are controlled by a smartphone app, which you have to pay for. While additional purchases are needed to unlock features in Carrera, or make the same track layouts for Scalextric, Overdrive is the only set we tested that needed extra purchases to simply be able to use the set.

The app didn't work smoothly, we found an iOS phone just couldn't join a race being hosted by an Android phone, for example.

The controls were simple, but we found being able to change lanes whenever you wanted was a little lacklustre in practice. The cars are slow to respond to the tilting phone, and powerups were hard to land on other racers, making them more frustrating than fun.

It does offer unique racing modes compared to the other systems: including Battle (race until you drain opponents of all their health points), King of the Hill (take out the leader to steal the crown and score points) and One Shot (one health point, last person standing).

Additionally, the app had to "scan" the track by making the cars automatically drive around the circuit once. This slowed down the pace of the race, and made it a lot less pick-up-and-play than the others we tested.

While its price point and features make for an appealing alternative, it was less fun in practice than Carrera or Scalextric. It is also unclear, since assets being acquired by Digital Dream Labs, how supported the system and app will be in the future.

As such, we can't recommend going for Overdrive over Carrera or Scalextric. 

Which Scalextric, Carrera or Overdrive set is best for you?

We reviewed the ones above but there are many different sets for different ages/budgets. Here's a quick summary of the differences between them, so you can get the right set for you.

Scalextric

My First Scalextric

• 1:64 scale, aimed at young children
• Up to two cars, no app connectivity, wired controllers
• Plug and battery powered options
• No extra track or accessories to expand your course

Prices start around £35.99: available at The Range, Argos, Amazon, Robert Dyas and Scalextric  

Micro Scalextric

• 1:64 scale, aimed at younger racers
• More compact in size than standard Scalextric
• Up to two cars, no app connectivity, wired controllers
• A number of different sets are available
• Has some options for extra track to expand your course

Prices start around £49.99: available at Robert Dyas, Amazon, John Lewis, Argos and Scalextric

Standard Scalextric sets

• 1:32 scale, aimed at all racers, largest track size Scalextric does
• Up to two cars, no app connectivity, wired controllers
• A number of different sets are available
• Lots of extra track and accessories available to expand your course
• Compatible with Scalextric spark plug where you plug a dongle into the powerbase to control cars with your smartphone
• Compatible with Scalextric digital where you replace the powerbase with Arc Air or Arc Air Pro power base for digital race features

Prices start around £99.99: available at Amazon, Robert Dyas, Argos, John Lewis and Scalextric

Scalextric Digital

• 1:32 scale, simulates a more "real world" racing experience, compatible with standard Scalextric track
• App connectivity
• Lots of extra track and accessories available to expand your course
• Arc Air powerbase has wireless controllers, allows up to two cars and adds pit stops, fuel, tyre wear, changeable incident/weather conditions and pace car for single player racing
• Arc Air Pro powerbase has all the features of the Arc Air, plus it allows up to six cars and lane changing (need lane change track in your course)

Arc Air sets start around £239.99: available to pre-order at Scalextric

Arc Air Pro sets start around £319.99: available at Scalextric and Amazon

Carrera

Carrera First

• 1:50 scale, aimed at young children, battery powered
• Up to two cars, no app connectivity, wired controllers
• Themed sets including Mario Kart and Pixar Cars
• No extra track or accessories to expand your course

Prices start around £25: available at Argos, Amazon (Mario Kart), Amazon (Pixar Cars), John Lewis (Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig)

Carrera Go!!! and Go!!! Plus

• 1:43 scale, aimed at younger racers
• Up to two cars, wired controllers with turbo boost button, app connectivity with Go!!! Plus
• Extra track and accessories to expand your course including stunt track such as loop-the-loop and jumps
• Go Plus!!! adds single player racing and the Go!!! Plus pitstop track adds refueling, changing tyres and engine damage minigames
• Connecting to the Carrera Go!!! Plus app for additional smartphone mini games when told to stop in the pits.

Prices start around £59.99: available at John Lewis, Smyths Toys and Amazon 

Carrera Evolution

• 1:32 scale cars on 1:24 scale track, aimed at all racers
• Up to two cars, wired controllers with choice of two max speeds, no app connectivity
• Lots of extra track and accessories to expand your course
• Compatible with Carrera digital 132 and 124

Prices start around £130: available at Amazon and Pendle Slot Racing

Carrera Digital 132 and 124

• Both use 1:24 scale track, the difference is the scale of the cars: 1:32 and 1:24 respectively
• Simulates a more "real world" racing experience
• Compatible with Carerra evolution track
• Lots of extra track and accessories available to expand your course
• Adjustable speed and braking for individual cars, pace car for single player racing
• Lane changing (need lane change track in your course), app connectivity with AppConnect accessory, pit stops with pit stop track

Prices start around £278: available at Amazon and Carrera

Overdrive

Standard system

• Up to four cars, starter sets come with two cars
• Controlled by a paid for app on your smartphone, change lanes by tilting smartphone, use power ups to speed boost and disable other cars

Prices start around £45: available at Amazon (standard set), Amazon (Fast and Furious Edition)

Accessories and expansion track

• Additional cars and supertrucks (needed to play takeover racing mode)
• Accessories to create banked turns and bridges, extra track pieces: straight, corner, collision and ramps

Prices and availability last checked: 14 December 2022