The Adventures of Dr. Franken - for NES

The Adventures of Dr. Franken is an action platformer built for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Cygnus that never reached the shops. The NES version was never officially released, and only a prototype exists, which is what makes playing The Adventures of Dr. Franken on a cartridge such a curiosity. The story is friendly monster movie through and through: Franky, one of the many creations of Dr Von Frankenbone, wakes to find that his love, Bitsy, has vanished. The castle's other evil creations have taken her and left pieces of her scattered through its rooms, so Franky sets out to put her back together.

Franky can shoot his way past many of the evil creatures in his path, but plenty of the castle will not be solved that way: falling objects need dodging and trapdoors need jumping. Power outlets are what keep him going, recharging him to full health when he finds one, and lamps have to be used before you can see anything at all in the dark dungeons. It is a one player game across many levels of castle, mixing straightforward action with a little exploring as you work out where the next piece of Bitsy is waiting.

Unfinished games have a pull of their own, and this is a good illustration of why. The Adventures of Dr. Franken found a home on other systems, but the Nintendo Entertainment System version never did, so this is a rare chance to play something that was simply stopped partway along. It has real charm too: a sweet premise, a gloomy castle and a hero worth rooting for. For collectors it belongs on the shelf of lost and unreleased titles, the small group of cartridges that say something about the games that nearly were, and The Adventures of Dr. Franken is among the more playable of them.

• Genre: Action Platformer
• Players: 1
• Region: NTSC
• Developer: Cygnus

Cartridge Only: No Box or Manual
Please note that this listing is for the game cartridge only. The original box, instruction manual, and any other accessories are not included with this purchase unless explicitly stated in the listing. What you receive is exactly what you need to play: the cartridge itself, tested and confirmed working.

Condition & Authenticity
This game has been tested and is fully functional. We do not authenticate or certify originality, and listings are intended for players and everyday collectors rather than professional grading or authentication purposes.

Images & Regional Differences
Product images are for reference only. Label artwork, cartridge color, and regional markings (PAL or NTSC) may vary from the item you receive.