With Halloween right around the corner lets discuss some good old fashioned horror figures. One of my favorite current lines is the 8-bit series done by NECA. There are various figures paying homage to old NES and Atari games, but the original and most popular ones are Freddy and Jason. And they have released exclusives of each. Shocking!
These figures bring me back to my childhood when I would wander around aimlessly playing Friday the 13th on NES. My uncle had this game and I would pop it in from time to time to gawk at purple Jason. While I don’t think anyone had a clue what they were doing on this game, this was especially true for a 6 year old who could never quite figure out why he was running from cabin to cabin to stab this Jason imposter. And don’t get me started on the occasions where I would randomly run into the shrine from Mrs. Voorhees. The first Friday the 13th I saw was Jason Lives, so I didn’t even know he had a mom. I didn’t even know he was a person at one point! I had quite the time with this game, so it’s no surprise why I love this figure. It’s made for people like me.
This figure was released at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013, and it was the hit of this event. The box is made to look like the NES game’s box, and includes Jason, an axe, a machete, and a harpoon gun; the figure also glows in the dark. I have never actually held this figure in my hands, so I can’t judge certain aspects. Saying that, this is a great figure, and assuming everything is done well, which, with NECA’s quality control, I doubt this is an issue, it would be one I would love to have in my collection. The only thing that stops him from being in my group of horror is the price that would have to be paid on the aftermarket, but in October NECA will be releasing an updated version of this figure which will include Mrs. Voorhees’ head! This figure will not glow in the dark, but will come with all accessories the original did. And the best thing, besides the fact that the theme music will play when you open the front flap and that it comes with the rotten, decapitated head of the mother of a mentally challenged, deformed monster, is it will just cost you retail.
This isn’t the first time NECA has redone this figure, because last year there was a mego-style 8-bit Jason which was exclusive to Toys "R" Us. Something about having clothes for my horror icon figures makes me smile a little on the inside, so I do hope I can get my hands on this one day. Other than the clothes, there is no real difference between the two, except for the packaging since the mego-style comes in old fashioned plastic packaging instead of the NES style box. Lame, but I suppose they wanted people to be able to differentiate between the two figures.
Freddy also got the NES Mego-style treatment from NECA. This one is also a Toys "R" Us exclusive. NECA dropped this guy out of nowhere, not mentioning him to anyone until he was actually in stores. He’s designed after his Nightmare on Elm Street NES game counterpart, with matching orange and brown sweater. I personally have the non-mego Freddy, but I am looking to pick up the Toys "R" Us exclusive. The regular version comes in a box resembling the NES game box, like the regular Jason figure. The Freddy I own can pull off a few different poses, but he isn’t the best with articulation. I just pose mine with his claw up, like he’s beckoning someone over with his blades. I didn’t actually play this game much, so I can’t say if this pose is ever done in the game. From what I remember you basically walked around on Elm Street fighting random enemies until you get to Freddy. I think Friday the 13th was a much better game, and I think 8-bit Jason is a better figure than Freddy. I’m not downing the Freddy figure, but the baby blue and purple Jason is such a departure from regular Jason while the orange and brown Freddy isn’t THAT far off from the original.
These figures have been a big hit, and have spawned other 8-bit characters, such as Alien, Predator, Batman, Robocop, and others. It seems NECA is sticking to movie video games, which is understandable because they have the license to these characters. Even the Batman game was based on the 1989 Tim Burton film. It probably would not be that difficult to get some characters who are video game originals to put in this series, such as characters from Castlevania. NECA already made some Castlevania figures, so they do have a working relationship with Capcom. The thing is, I’m not sure how successful that would be, because I think people like the figures mentioned earlier because they are departures from the normal character. It has a lot to do with nostalgia, but old video games bring up nostalgia, too. No one was doing anything like this when NECA did it. You could go buy one of countless Jason figures before this, but there was only one purple and baby blue one. That’s not true now, because other companies have jumped on the bandwagon. For my money, I will take NECA and plan on buying Batman and Jason whenever my wallet permits. Look for more information and these characters in a future column, because, like many others, I can’t get enough of these 8-bit figures.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Video Game 8-Bit Leatherface. This figure is uniquely different from any other NECA Leatherface figure. This Leatherface is based off Atari's 1983 video game. One of the unique aspects of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre game is that it you play the murderer (Leatherface, a brain damaged psychotic killer that wears masks made of human flesh). As the Atari 2600 could only feature the most limited of graphics, Leatherface here is a tanned face pixelated green pile with a "t" shaped chainsaw that sticks out of his chest.
The NECA figure greatly improves on the figure presented in the Atari game. He stands 7" tall in all his emerald green glory. Now I would say to me this is one of the weaker figure's released from the game series, just because it's just one solid color (Except for the brown mask, and black shoes). I'm not saying the figure overall is bad, It has great articulation (25 points to be precise), I just feel this one figure is mainly for hardcore Texas Chainsaw Massacre fans. NECA has many other beautiful, well painted and sculpted Leatherfaces out on the market such as the NECA 40th anniversary Texas Chainsaw Massacre Ultimate Leatherface. This one has a beautiful box design, following in line with the box designs of the NECA Game figures. This box is a reproduction of the DVD packaging. The figure inside has a spot on paint job, perfect articulation, and many accessories. The accessories include a hammer, bloodied chainsaw, a cleaver, a bloodied meat hanging hook, and a bone handled knife. Leatherface himself actually comes with two interchangeable heads, each one is equally grotesque. NECA's 8-bit Leatherface lacks any accessories other than the green chainsaw, and just like the Atari game it may become one of the more forgettable figures they've put out to date.
So in conclusion, NECA's game line of figures is a very strong one, with high highs (Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhees) and low lows (8-bit Leatherface).
So NECA please keep on making great game figures, but please pick just games and iconic characters that people will run out day one to purchase. In this day and age where people have a budget and need to justify throwing hard earned money down on vinyl sculpts of their favorite heroes or villains, you could maybe make an Nintendo NES version of Beetlejuice. Or pick any number of characters in the Ghosts 'n Goblins game. Make something collectors need in their collection, not something you could lose in the lawn or really regret purchasing.
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