About the Frankenstein What's Missing? Game
Mary Shelley's 1818 novel gave us one of literature's most iconic creatures. Our Frankenstein memory game captures gothic laboratories, stormy nights and stitched-together mystery — drawn entirely from the public-domain original.
What's in the Frankenstein deck
The full deck, so you know what to watch for — 12 pictures: ⚡ Bolt🏰 Castle🧟 Creature🔬 Lab⚗️ Flask🧪 Test Tube💀 Skull🌩️ Storm🗝️ Key📚 Tome🪦 Grave🕯️ Candle
Study tip: link the first three — bolt, castle and creature — into one ridiculous mental picture. Absurd images stick; lists don't. When a picture vanishes, replay the scene and ask what doesn't fit any more.
How to memorise a classics board
Classic decks — board games, timeless toys, household evergreens — memorise well by function. Ask of each item: what is it for? Rolling dice moves a piece; a playing card deals a hand; a toy train carries cargo. Function gives every picture a tiny verb, and verbs, again, are the memory's favourite handle.
Then link the functions into an afternoon: you play the game, shuffle the cards, wind the toy. A board that tells you what a rainy Sunday felt like in object form is a board you can replay from memory after one pass.
How to Play
- Press Start and memorise every picture on the board.
- After a few seconds the board hides and one picture is removed.
- Pick the missing picture from the answer choices.
- Each correct answer adds a bigger board. Three misses ends the game.
Fun Facts About Frankenstein
- Mary Shelley was only 18 when she began writing Frankenstein.
- "Frankenstein" is the scientist's name; the creature is unnamed in the book.
- The novel is often considered the first true science-fiction story.
- It started life as a ghost-story competition at Lake Geneva in 1816.
Classics deck questions
Are these decks good for reminiscence activities?
Very. Recognisable everyday objects from decades past are the standard material for memory sessions with older family members, and a matching game gives the conversation a light, no-pressure frame.
The board looks easy — should I skip to hard?
Familiar items are easier to recognise but not necessarily easier to locate. Try medium first: if your first game lands under the excellent benchmark, move up.