Review – Back to the Future Part II Time Machine

“When building a time machine from spare parts in your garage, certain compromises must be made. But if you’re Doc Emmet Brown and you have access to the latest cutting edge future technology those problems become a thing of the past!”
— from the back of the box

The Back to the Future Trilogy* has — surprisingly, to me — turned out to be one of those movie trilogies that’s every bit as fun today as it was when first released. Even the fact that the second and third films were released so long after the original does nothing to dampen my enjoyment of the movies.

And when the notification for a Delorean large enough to hold 3.75-inch action figures arrived in my e-mail (mentioned here) . . . well, it didn’t take too long before I had ordered one for myself. After all, who can resist a flying toy car large enough to carry a Clone Trooper?

Packaging

An attractive and functional box, the Back to the Future Part II Time Machine box is huge, which has to be expected when you’re dealing with a toy car that’s about one foot long. The clear window allows you to see the car, while the opening in the top of the box lets you play with the car’s light/sound feature; there’s a “display” setting that runs an elaborate (and noisy) light and sound show whenever you push the button.

The box doesn’t look good enough to keep, so it’s destined for the trash can. Still, that’s not a knock against the box; I just don’t have room to keep all toy packaging so only the most creatively or beautifully designed boxes avoid meeting the garbage truck.

One Awesome Delorean

About one foot long and half-a-foot wide, this is a massive toy car. The box lists it as 1/15th scale, but 1/18th scale (3.75-inch) action figures work almost perfectly with it (a few larger figures don’t fit quite as well as I would like, but for the most part any normal 3.75-inch action figure can fit in the driver’s seat). And unsurprisingly, this thing is heavy, requiring two hands to hold securely. You can carry it around in one hand, sure, but if you’re clumsy like I appear to be then you’re going to want to keep two hands on the car at all times.

Sculpt

I’ve never owned a time-traveling Delorean, but this thing looks pretty damned movie accurate to me. The lines are sharp, and the detail even carries into the interior of the car, where the dash has sculpted details, there’s a gear shift, and even seatbelts are sculpted onto the bucket seats. And since this is the Part II version of the car, the Mr. Fusion device rises up out of the back of the car’s insane time travel contraption/motor/thingie.

Working side mirrors, sculpted (and light-enabled) “pipes” along the rear of the car, and sculpted hoses along the front just add to the car’s ridiculous level of detail. For a $35 toy car, with working doors and hood, this thing was a steal. I didn’t quite expect as much out of this car as was delivered, which made opening this very fun.

It’s always fun to be surprised in a good way when opening a new toy.

Paint

Not much to speak of. There are some painted details inside the car and on the back, and the hoses along the front fenders are a painted detail, but most of the car’s coloring comes from the molded plastic and a few well-placed stickers. The mirrors, for example, use reflective stickers while the seatbelts have been painted black. I’d rate the paint as functional and acceptable, but nothing nearly as impressive as a toy car of this size and weight deserves.

Flight Mode

Since this is the “flying” version of the car, it just wouldn’t be right to forget that little feature. A lever on the underside of the car moves the wheels into flight position, and while it’s a little stiff the first few times you use it, the flight transition quickly becomes smooth and effortless. And, best of all, it doesn’t feel like the lever is wearing out or getting loose.

Lights and Sounds

A large button on top of the car — but not so large that it looks out of place — controls the car’s lights and sounds. Unfortunately, all you can do is push the button and then get whichever light and sound show the car gives you; there’s no option for selecting specific lights and sounds.

The headlights and taillights light up, the dash lights up, and even the flux capacitor lights up (see Wikipedia). And, sometimes, the pipes along the rear of the car light up a bright blue.

This review of the toy at Infinite Hollywood includes an excellent video showing off the car’s light and sound features.

Closing Thoughts

Fun! That’s the first word that comes to mind after spending a little time with this toy car. It’s heavy, durable, has some great special features, and can even hold my G.I Joe, Star Wars, and Marvel Universe 3.75-inch scale action figures. The toy is sold out at Entertainment Earth, but it’s currently available at Amazon.com** and the Part I version is at Big Bad Toy Store.

If you love toy cars and 3.75-inch action figures then this would make a great addition to your collection. But shop around, since you should be able to find it for $35 to $40 (I saw it at a ToysRUs in Austin for $40).

*Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.
**Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.

Philip Reed now wants to find that 3.75-inch scale Batmobile that he saw in ToysRUs last month. It’s gone now, so Philip is going to have to hunt around a little.