Dracula Is Terrified Of That Kid’s Mullet
The wife is a notoriously difficult person to shop for, especially at birthdays and holidays. I just never know what to get her. So, when she said that she wanted some old horror-themed board games, I jumped at the opportunity.
It was a trifecta of fate. I was finally able to buy her a present that I KNEW she was going to like, consumer confidence not being something I’m used to when it comes to gifts. Second, I would be able to add another cool little piece of vintage kiddie-horror kitsch to my ever-growing collection of crap, a collection I honestly don’t have the room for. (I need help.) And finally, it gave me the opportunity to write a quick piece on something other than a movie, while at the same time riding the train that is “nostalgia”.
And really, who doesn’t love reminiscing about the toys, cartoons, breakfast cereals, and what-have-you’s of their youth? Hell, some bloggers even write incredibly popular pieces on single pages of department store Christmas catalogs from years past. I figured that maybe I could actually buy one of those items from those flashy pages of brightly colored commercialism and talk about that. You see, just like a lot of you, I’ve also read those articles because I also love reminiscing about those things too. Getting old is a bitch, huh?
Revenge of Dracula was released by Pressman Games in 1991. The cover art alone is a time capsule of that era with the fashion trends in clothing and hairstyle on the young boy presented in the box art, who appears to be busting in ready to loot Dracula’s pad. Dracula, meanwhile, looks like he was just caught in the act of touching himself. Even more telling is the photo of the children presented on the underside of the game box. While they may look like a couple of good-natured kids partaking in a weekend leisure activity, I assure you that they are in fact members of the Young Satanist Society rehearsing an intricate incantation for an upcoming sacrificial ceremony in honor of their Dark Lord. It’s really a swell event. They even have cake and punch.
Revenge of Dracula is a kid’s game (Ages 6 and up) for 2 to 4 players. As such, it’s fairly easy to learn the directions and most kids will be set up and playing within a matter of minutes. That is, unless your kid is dumb. In that case, I apologize for your luck and I’m really not sure what to tell you about that.
At the game’s beginning, the Dracula piece is placed lying down in his coffin at the center of the game board. The players start at the point marked “Start” on the game board. Well, of course they do. Starting elsewhere would be redundant. Almost as redundant as my stating that players start at the “Start”. The object of the game is to be the first player to cross the “Finish” line. This statement is also quite redundant. Moving on.
The players take turns rolling the special die that is included with the game. This a 6-sided die, but unlike most that are numbered from 1-6, this die features the numbers 2, 3, & 4, as well as 2 moons. The players roll the die, moving the rolled number of spaces, and then ending their turn. Play continues as such until a moon has been rolled. The first time a moon is rolled, the player that rolled it still moves the allotted number of spaces, but ends their turn by standing Dracula up on the game board.
Once Dracula has been “awakened”, the players continue rolling the die and moving the number of spaces rolled. However, after each turn, they must also move Dracula one white space along the twisting white and purple trail, designated as “Dracula Path”. If, after being moved the one space, the Dracula piece lands on a space occupied by a player, that player is sent back to Start. If multiple players are on that space, they all move back to Start. Also, if a player moves the number of spaces rolled on the die and finds themselves on a space occupied by Dracula, that player must also return to Start, even if the Dracula piece has not been moved its 1 space yet.
If a player rolls another moon while Dracula is awake and moving along him path, that player does not move for that turn. Instead, the Dracula piece is still moved to the next white space. As before, if any players occupy the space that Dracula is moved to, they will be returned to the Start.
Play continues as such until Dracula has completed his path and is back at his coffin in the center of the game board. Once Dracula reaches his coffin, the Dracula piece is laid back down and he is considered “asleep” until the next moon is rolled, thus starting the cycle once again.
And that’s about it! See? Told ya it was a pretty simple game!
As expected, a lot of the game’s entertainment is derived from watching your opponents being sent back to Start. Well, most of the “fun” comes from laughing at them when they do.
The game can be finished in as short as 5 to 10 minutes, but can extend longer depending on the number of times that players are sent back to start. While not a particularly “deep” game, it’s still a pretty fun time, especially for younger players. For example, within 3 games of first playing, my 5-year-old is now a big fan of the game. And like most 5-year-olds, he’s a horrible winner. There’s usually a quick celebratory song and dance. There’s some gloating and boasting. Occasionally, he’ll try to start some of that “Yo Mama” trash talk, but I quickly remind him that he’s actually smack talking his Grandmother.
Revenge of Dracula is fairly easy to find on eBay and really isn’t that expensive of a game, especially considering its age and lack of ready availability. Used copies of the game can be found for around the same price, if not cheaper, than most of the new board games found in your local department store. Still-sealed copies will naturally run a little more, but can be obtained for prices that won’t break the bank. Think $30 -$40, if not less.
Highly recommended for younger gamers and horror fans, as well as for collectors of vintage horror and/or gaming memorabilia.
In researching this game, I found that it was released at an earlier time by a different company. As you can see from the picture below, this version featured an almost identical game board, but drastically different box art. Also, the Dracula figure included was drastically changed. Unfortunately, I am at a complete loss for any details on this version. If you have any additional info relating to either release, please send it over to us as Horrorandsons@yahoo.com.
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