Franki
Review by NekroDave
I don't know exactly why, but I was immediately impressed by this item from the moment I saw it. Maybe it was something to do with the sad, droopy eyes, or maybe it was the fact that it is both a bust and a game, but for whatever reason, I decided I'd love to have one. I was lucky enough to get one on Ebay last year and ironically, although the game originates in Spain, I got it from a seller in Canada...and it had a price sticker from Outer Limits in New Jersey on it. So this thing has seen the world, it seems!
As you can see above, Franki has pretty cool artwork on the box, with a weathered stone wall in the back and the name written in a dripping, wax-like font. The image of the game itself seems to be the prototype, and a photograph of a child's hand as he or she plays is superimposed into the image.
The back of the box is a wider shot with the same background and logo, the game, and now three children as they all play together. Look closely at the girl on the right. See how she just sort of disappears from about the waist down? Yeah...
The other two sides of the box feature the same artwork, a nice comic book style image of the mad doctor at work on his "patient", and what I assume are directions along the top. All four sides, however, have different writing along the bottom edges.
OK, so how is this game played? Well, if you haven't already guessed from the pictures, there are four little sticks that are stored in the shoulders of Franki, and each player takes turns inserting them into holes that run along the head.
Eventually, one player will activate a bar in the interior of the head that shoots up, pushing the top of Franki's head off, with accompanying voice and sound effects! I can’t read Spanish, but I assume that that player loses.
Whenever the game is reset, the losing hole is moved to another spot so that the game is not predictable.
Of course, for me as an adult collector, I really only care about how it displays. At approximately 12" tall and 9" across, it has decent size, but is not huge. Probably just about the right size to mix in with some other monster toys. In fact, now that I think about it, it's about the same size as the "Mad Labs" Frankenstein head game that I also have. Anyway, besides the size, I also like the understated sculpt and paintwork on this. The green has a nice, lifelike texture to it, and is shadowed effectively by the black. The whites of the eyes are a separate piece of plastic, adding further depth.
Also included are two stickers that can be applied to the interior of the head. I haven't bothered to put them on mine, but I guess any extra feature is a plus. Each sticker depicts a brain, one with a tag saying "University Laboratory" written in English on it.
I'm not sure what year this was made, but I would guess maybe sometime in the 1980s. It was made and released in Spain by a company called "Cefa". I'm not sure if it's very rare or not, but often when I show people my monster toys, they say "What's that Frankenstein head?" Well, this is that Frankenstein head...
Comments
12 comments postedVery Cool.
Very different.
I'm interested in reading all those "instructions" I guess they are.
If you have larger pictures, I could translate the spanish text for you if you want.
looks real to me, the paintjob is really good.
but if those sticks are put on its head, does it have laughing sound like in the box art?
"henshin!"
"transform and roll out"
I can't believe I forgot about that! That's what I get for cranking out a review that I started back in October, of a toy that I bought roughly 1 year ago, without actually stopping to play with it again. Yes, it makes noise as well. When the head flies off, some weird sounds start and it speaks to you Spanish. I guess I gotta get some video up now, as well as better pics, so that overcracker can do some translating! ;)
"You can't sell it until you get it from him, but you gotta sell it to pay him to get it to sell it".
---Jerilock, talking about me trying to raise the money I need to pay for the toys I already bought....
I thought so earlier haha..
really gotta be updated soon :D
"henshin!"
"transform and roll out"
I could see this possibly being an excellent drinking game. It has a nice Russian Roulette slant to it.
YES!!
OK, update review with a brief video of the game in action and a bigger picture of the instructions. Have fun!
"You can't sell it until you get it from him, but you gotta sell it to pay him to get it to sell it".
---Jerilock, talking about me trying to raise the money I need to pay for the toys I already bought....
Old electronics, you gotta love it!
Leonardo Flores
CollectionDX Staff Writer-West Coast Bureau
Wow, that's really an old electronics. But its sounds are too echoing, I think. For the scary-effect maybe? :))
"henshin!"
"transform and roll out"
O.k here we go.
Instructions:
Pic 1: Raise Frankie's bust and Place one 1.5 volt Battery. (battery not included)
Pic 2: Rotate right screw to 'scramble' (literally it says to 'un-know') the secret code / key he holds inside.
Pic 3: Each player takes a rod / pin and on their turn inserts it into the chosen hole. If nothing happens, remove the pin, and the turn moves to the next player.
Pic 4: If you guess the secret code correctly, his head will rise and you'll hear his voice amidst thunder and lightning.
Left side blurb:
Once the game is over squeeze the head down until it locks in place, where it was when the game started, and you'll stop hearing his voice automatically.
Before starting the next game don{t forget to turn the right screw to 'un-know' the position of the secret code.
As far as what he says: "Voy a descubrirte mis poderes' I'm going to uncover my powers for you.
Evil Laughter...
Something I can't make out, and then "Estoy Aqui para descubrirte mis poderes" I'm here to uncover my powers for you.
Weird, not something I'd expect a Frankestein monster to say, but oh well. Its still a nifty doodad.
The Audio was quite hard to make out with all the thunder and lightning LOL.
Thanks for taking the time out for the translation!
Super cool!
Cheers
LF
Leonardo Flores
CollectionDX Staff Writer-West Coast Bureau
Thanks very much!
And that's another thing I messed up.. I forgot you have to turn the screw (the bolt in his neck) to reset the game. D'oh... Worst review ever.. LOL
"You can't sell it until you get it from him, but you gotta sell it to pay him to get it to sell it".
---Jerilock, talking about me trying to raise the money I need to pay for the toys I already bought....