The Friday before Halloween is “Frankenstein Friday”. What better way to celebrate this Funko Friday than with Funkoverse: Universal Monsters? Even if the big lug himself is absent from the core game box, we’re dipping into some spooky scenarios featuring Dracula, The Bride, Gillman, and The Invisible Man.
Included in the box are 4 scaled-down Funko Pop style characters and bases to help the characters stand on the game board, 4 character cards detailing the abilities of each, and 2 Basic character tokens and their character cards. Also in the box are 5 Status Cards, 2 Scenario Cards, a scaled-to-the-characters plastic Shovel and Fishing Net, 2 Item Cards, 2 Cooldown Tracks, 1 double-sided Map (game board), 11 Game Tokens, 17 Game Markers, 1 Blood Die, 21 Points, the First Player Marker, and the Instructions. Funkoverse: Universal Monsters is recommended for 2 to 4 players ages 10 and up. Average gameplay lasts anywhere between 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the scenario chosen.
Funkoverse: Universal Monsters plays similarly to other Funkoverse games. Players choose which map they want to play through, either Dracula’s Castle or Frankenstein’s Lab. From there, they agree on which of the 2 scenarios they want to play on that map. Additionally, players can elect to go head-to-head in a contest to see who can knock the others out first. Players who own other Funkoverse sets may elect to bring other characters into play. For example, you can swap out the Universal Monsters for The Golden Girls if you own the two 2-packs featuring those characters, allowing the gals to work through the maps and scenarios.
Therein lies the appeal of the Funkoverse games. With 60+ characters so far in the line, ranging from popular IPs like Marvel, DC, and Harry Potter to classic characters like the Kool-Aid Man and recent favorites like Squid Game, Funkoverse games are infinitely replayable. That said, the game can feel overwhelmingly complicated upon first glance. Reading through the instructions can be a daunting task. In our gameplay experience with Universal Monsters and other Funkoverse games, we’ve found that just focusing on the pertinent information related to the scenario you’re playing and only going back to the instructions as questions arise is a more fun and engaging way to play the game. Don’t get bogged down in all the information available to you and just focus on having fun.
It’s our hope that Funko Games continues to build on the Universal Monsters series, as it has with other properties in the Funkoverse line. A Frankenstein’s Monsters and Wolfman 2-pack feels like a natural expansion.
Grab your copy of Funkoverse: Universal Monsters online for an MSRP of $39.99. At the time that this review was typed, Amazon was selling the game for a flat $35 (12% off MSRP).
Disclaimer: A copy of Funkoverse: Universal Monsters was provided for review purposes. All opinions are our own. Purchasing through the links above helps support Pop Goes the Culture.
