I’ve spent a lot of time making fun of Acclaim and LJN (and rightfully so) but there are a few other publishers who deserve the same level of derision. Bandai were just as bad in my opinion and maybe even worse considering the plethora of licenses they had access to in Japan. Except instead of bringing over the cool titles like Battle Rush we got M.U.S.C.L.E and Gilligan’s Island. Hell outside of Dragon Spirit and Monster Party I’m hard pressed to think of anything good they released. Frankenstein – the Monster Returns is almost solid but needed a second pass to iron out its flaws. It had promise but the NES has better action games.
The villagers thought the dark times were behind them until one day Frankenstein rises from his grave and lays waste to the country. With his army of demons no one stands a chance and just to prove how much of a dick he is he kidnaps a young girl named Emily. As the protagonist it is your job to rescue Emily and put a stop to Frankenstein once and for all.
Someone at Bandai really needed to brush up on their classic literature. Even though you are fighting Frankenstein’s monster the game refers to him as Frankenstein. Anyone familiar with the novel will know that Victor Frankenstein was the scientist who created the monster. I shouldn’t harp on that point too much; for a long time I also made the same mistake. If you were unfortunate enough to also play Bandai’s Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde you might dread what they have also done with this classic. While Frankenstein – the Monster Returns isn’t as bad as that game it is also let downy by some crucial flaws.
As the nameless hero you start the game only armed with your fists. Your range is terrible, and it will lead to much anger. You also have a jump kick that is weaker but far more effective. Early on certain enemies will drop a club which helps but taking a hit will drop it where it might disappear. Persevere to stage two and you’ll receive a permanent sword at which point the game picks up.
As strange as this may sound the Monster Returns has the pacing and cadence of a Treasure game. Each level consists of short bursts of action in between frequent boss encounters. The boss menagerie rivals Castlevania as you’ll fight Medusa, a werewolf, vampire, and even the Grim Reaper. It also has its share of original creatures like the Demon Horse and He/She Monsters. Before you get the idea that this is the NES equivalent of Alien Soldier let me stop you. Unfortunately Frankenstein – the Monster Returns has flaws that bring it down.
The game’s hit detection is a complete mess which is vital in a game about melee combat. Attacks that clearly connect deal no damage frequently. Trying to judge the distance of your attacks to connect hits also feels random regardless of weapon. Surprisingly long-range weapons and magic don’t have these issues but they are temporary power-ups. The collision issues also extend to the game’s platforming segments as well. Stage two’s swamp has oddly placed platforms. If you miss (which will happen) you have to face an aquatic boss every time. The hit detection in this fight is so bad almost punched a wall in anger. And swinging from rope to rope? Forget it. Frankenstein would have been better off without these sections.
Frankenstein – the Monster Returns only has four stages but this is still one of the tougher NES games. The levels are long with multiple boss encounters with few healing items in between. You have a measly one life and two continues to tame this beast and it isn’t enough. For Christ sake the game doesn’t even have the courtesy of restoring your health between levels. There are passwords for each level but they don’t help much. Between the dodgy hit detection, scarce items and cheap hits the game is more frustrating that it should be. The final stage is truly special in that regard. Not only are there four boss encounters before Frankenstein there are also potions that reduce your life bar! If that isn’t a giant kick in the nuts….
In Closing
I’ll admit I had no expectations going in to Frankenstein – the Monster Returns. It was better than I thought but also just as bad in certain respects. With a few tweaks it could have been a solid platformer. Instead it is a second-rate action game on a platform graced with classics. It simply can’t compete.
