Editorial Review

Designed for competitive or cooperative play, Go Away Monsteris a delightful game for pre-school-age children. It gives them powerover fears they might have as they "rid their rooms" of scary monsters.By providing each of up to four players with his or her own playingboard--designed to look like a child's room--the game cunningly avoidspotential squabbles over sharing. Players take turns reaching into a"monster bag" and feeling for pieces of furniture needed for theirrooms. If they pull out a monster instead, they can hide it or throw itaway while shouting "Go away, monster!" Players may help one another orcompete to finish their rooms first. --Lee Strucker ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great first game for kids!
We bought this game for our son for Christmas and he loves it. It has really taught him how to take turns and cooperate with his sister when playing a game. It is also a lot of fun for him. Our son is has mild autism and the visuals of this game make it easy for him to learn and follow.

Go Away, Monster! is a great game!!
Our son, who is now 3 1/2, has been playing this game since he was 2 years old. It is so easy to learn. The play is so quick that it holds the attention of a 2 year old. It's just like the "grow-up" games with playing boards and pieces. Everyone with young children should own this game!!

very cool for speech delayed 3 year old, great first game
This is a wonderful first game....Be sure to make lots of high affect funny faces and sound effests...oh no...I picked a monster! and then in an exaggerated way take the monster and throw it to the side of the room saying "go away monster!!!!!!" and laugh..and smile. Very good for speech delayed or autistic kids that really need to develop shared attention skills...fun!!!!

JUST PLAIN FUN!!!
It is a great game to get a toddler started....you can make it as fun and funny as you want! There is no stress with complicated rules. A child learns to share, count, and recognize objects...without realizing it!

Takes the fear out of monsters
The silliest, friendliest monsters inhabit the bedrooms of Go Away Monster! My daughter loves this game, and her friends enjoy playing it together. They cheer whenever a monster is selected and thrown into the monster pit (box). It's great for matching objects, sharing, turn-taking, and lets kids feel in control of any monster fears. Sometimes we let the monsters hide under the bed, or pretend they're part of the wall, but they're always discovered and sent back to the box. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bela Lugosi as the Count from Universal's 1931 "Dracula"
The great cultural benefits of the attempt to update the great movie monsters of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man for this year's blockbuster monster romp "Van Helsing" is that we are seeing a revival of the original Universal Monsters as well. You can pick up "Dracula: The Legacy Collection" on DVD, which has the Universal films "Dracula," the even better 1931 Spanish version of "Dracula," "Dracula's Daughter," "Son of Dracula," and "House of Dracula." Then there is this "Classic Monsters Figure: Dracula," that offers Bela Lugosi in his famous role as the vampire count from Transylvania.

Now, for those of you who are thrown by the sight of Lugosi's Dracula in full color, be aware that Jakks Pacific is putting out a Series 2 collection of the Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolf Man figures where the characters are preserved in their original glorious black and white (although the inside of Dracula's cape is still blood red). Jakks Pacific is also the same company handling the "Van Helsing" figures, so they are covering both the old and the new. I think there is also an attempt here to provide for the new generation what us old timers remember with the Aurora models of the Universal Monsters. Dracula comes with his box of earth, which is the functional equivalent of a vampire packing his suitcase. There is also a bit of stone arch way from which you can hang his friendly bat. You also get a rat and a candlestick in terms of accessories. The figure is articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and ankles so there are lots of possibilities, although keeping the figure upright is a concern, so watch it.

How is this an educational monster figure? Because it should inspire a new generation of viewers to go check out the original film and perhaps even Bram Stoker's classic novel. Even at the start of the 21st-century everyone should know their movie monster heritage along with its literary antecedents. The Dracula figure is actually the least impressive of the trio, with the figure of the Frankenstein monster clearly the best of the bunch. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

You get not only the Wolf Man but also cursed Larry Talbot
To quote Sir John Talbot, "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." One of the cultural benefits of the attempt to update the great movie monsters of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man for this year's blockbuster monster romp "Van Helsing" is that we are seeing a revival of the original Universal Monsters as well. You can pick up "Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection" on DVD, which has the Universal films "The Wolf Man," "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man," "She-Wolf of London," and "Werewolf of London." Then there is this "Classic Monsters Figure: Wolf Man," that turns poor tragic Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) into an action figure.

This figure is produced by Jakks Pacific Inc., which is the same company handling the "Van Helsing" figures, so they are covering both the old and the new. I think there is also an attempt here to provide for the new generation what us old timers remember with the Aurora models of the Universal Monsters. It looks like Larry Talbot is engaging in a bit of grave robbing on the night of a full moon, which explains the shovel and lantern. The 6" figure is wearing the muted green shirt and brown pants Universal always used for the character and you get to switch the head, hands and feet to turn the Wolf Man back into Larry Talbot, whose face does resemble that of Chaney. You just pop the pieces in and out and then pose him as you desire. The figure is articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and ankles so there are lots of possibilities, although keeping the figure upright is a concern.

How is this figure educational? Because it should inspire a new generation of viewers to go check out the original film and even if there is not a novel behind the Wolf Man as there is with Dracula and Frankenstein, there is still something to be said for knowing our heritage even when the subject is movie monsters. The Frankenstein figure is the best of the bunch, but Wolf Man edges out Dracula to place in this particular monster race. Final Note: This is the Series 1 color figure of the Wolf Man. The Series 2 figures, out in June, will be in black & white for those who prefer their classic Universal monster figures uncolorized. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Actually the chained creature from The Bride of Frankenstein
Of the three Classic Monsters Figures that Jakks Pacific has put out in conjunction with this year's blockbuster monster romp "Van Helsing," the Frankenstein figure is the best of the original Universal Monsters (the other two are Dracula and the Wolf Man). Of course to be correct this is the Frankenstein monster immortalized by Boris Karloff since Frankenstein would be the mad scientist played by Colin Clive in the original movie. As part of the festivities you can pick up "Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection on DVD," which has not only the original "Frankenstein" but also "Bride of Frankenstein," "Son of Frankenstein, "Ghost of Frankenstein," and "House of Frankenstein."

This scene actually comes from "Bride of Frankenstein," usually considered to be the best of the Universal Frankenstein movies. After the monster is captured he is put in chains in the dungeon of the local jail. The stone seat with the wooden back is one of the most famous sets in monster movie history. You can also show the creature breaking free from his chains. The figure is articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and ankles so there are lots of possibilities, although keeping the figure upright can be a concern.

I consider this to be an education monster figure because it should at least inspire some members of a new generation of viewers to go check out at least the original film and its famous sequel as well as maybe even Mary Shelley's classic novel. Even at the start of the 21st-century everyone should know their movie monster heritage along with its literary antecedents and this Classic Monster Figure can certainly help the young folk along in that regard. For those of you who prefer your Universal Monsters in their original black & white, Jakks has come out with a Series 2 collection that does exactly that with these three figures. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The last remnant of a 15-million-year-old species, the creaturefrom the black lagoon was neither fish nor human, but a hideouscombination of both. Scales, gills, long webbed claws, and a pulsatingslash for a mouth gave the creature a ghastly quality that catapultedthe movie to instant cult-classic status in 1954. Here, he's forevercaptured in all his heartbreaking grotesqueness: arms raised, heemerges from the primeval swamp with vengeance in his haunted eyes. Hisreptilian companions--a hissing lizard and a venomous-lookingsnake--flank him; in the foreground are the bony remains of a hand.The 29-piece kit's sturdy styrene pieces are more substantial than you'll findin most kits these days; the finished model is about 9 inches tall.It's not complicated, but you'll need care and patience when putting ittogether (and maybe some light sandpaper or an emery board). Paint andcement aren't included, but the instruction sheet indicates colors foreach piece. And if you don't feel like painting the gill-man, he lookspretty convincing in his moss-green unpainted state. --JulieUbben ... Read more

Features

• Plastic Model Kit Assembly Required
• Paint and Glue Sold Separately
• 1/8 Scale
• Building Models is a Fun and Creative Activity
• Skill level 2 Ages 10 and Up

Editorial Review

King Kong blazes a forest trail in this spectacularly improbable hotrod. Kong'slarge torso is crumpled into a car seemingly too small for him (from navel to head hemeasures about 3 inches; the car is only 6 inches long). His gaping mouth with its pointyteeth coordinates well with the spiked hubcaps and evil eye on the hood. The King wearsa crown, and the back of his seat is decorated with a nameplate and a coat of arms. Helooks at once frightening and absurd--his oversized mitts dwarf the tiny steering wheel, asif he hijacked the vehicle from a human. Detailed assembly directions include paintingsuggestions. Be sure to use one of the recommended glues and paints designed for plasticmodeling kits. --Richard Farr ... Read more