AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 13, 2001
                                                   Registration No. 333-________
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           --------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           --------------------------

                            JANEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

               COLORADO                                    84-1034251
    (State or Other Jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                   Identification Number)

          1609 FOURTH STREET, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94710 (510) 524-7400
          (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including
             Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
                           --------------------------

                            JANEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.
          THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED 2000 COMBINATION STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full Title of Plan)
                           --------------------------

                           VINCENT W. GOETT, PRESIDENT
                            JANEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                               1609 FOURTH STREET
                                BERKLEY, CA 94710
                                 (510) 524-7400
                      (Name, Address and Telephone Number,
                   Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                                 WITH A COPY TO:

                           JOHN G. NOSSIFF, JR., ESQ.
                         BROWN, RUDNICK, FREED & GESMER
                ONE FINANCIAL CENTER, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02111
                                 (617) 856-8200
                           --------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


===================================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ====================
                                                                  Proposed               Proposed
                                             Amount                Maximum                Maximum               Amount of
       Title of Each Class of                to Be             Offering Price            Aggregate            Registration
    Securities to Be Registered            Registered           Per Share(1)         Offering Price(1)             Fee
------------------------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------- --------------------
                                                                                               
Common Stock,  no par value           750,000 Shares(2)             $.001                    $750                $.19
===================================== ===================== ====================== ======================= ====================


This Registration Statement relates to the registration of additional securities
of the same class as other securities for which Registration Statements on this
Form relating to an employee benefit plan are effective. Pursuant to General
Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the Registrant's Registration
Statements of Form S-8 (Registration Nos. 333-33280, 333-50376, 333-62928 and
333-63948) are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

(1)  Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
     to Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, on the basis of the
     price at which the options may be exercised.

(2)  Such presently indeterminable number of additional shares of Common Stock
     are also registered hereunder as may be issued in the event of a merger,
     consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock
     split or other similar change in Common Stock.
================================================================================




                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.




------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXHIBIT NO.        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                

5.1*               Legal Opinion of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer.
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.1*              Consent of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer (contained in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5).
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.2*              Consent of Abrams & Company, P.C., independent auditors.
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24*                Power of Attorney (included on the Signature Page of this Registration Statement).
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99.1*              Janex International Inc. Third Amended and Restated 2000 Combination Stock Option Plan.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



*        Filed herewith.





                                   SIGNATURES

        THE REGISTRANT. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Phoenix, Arizona, on
August 10, 2001.

                                           JANEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.

                                           By: /s/ Vincent W. Goett
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Vincent W. Goett, President

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Vincent W. Goett and Daniel Lesnick, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.




                   SIGNATURE                                 TITLE                                    DATE

                                                                                            

/s/ Vincent W. Goett
----------------------------                Chairman of the Board, President and                  August 10, 2001
Vincent W. Goett                            Chief Executive Officer

/s/ Daniel Lesnick
-------------------------------             Executive Vice President                              August 10, 2001
Daniel Lesnick                              and Director










                                  EXHIBIT INDEX




------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXHIBIT NO.        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                

5.1*               Legal Opinion of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer.
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.1*              Consent of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer (contained in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5).
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.2*              Consent of Abrams & Company, P.C., independent auditors.
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24*                Power of Attorney (included on the Signature Page of this Registration Statement).
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99.1*              Janex International Inc. Third Amended and Restated 2000 Combination Stock Option Plan.
------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



*        Filed herewith.