The Princess Bride Game

We don’t know how to cure your daughter’s princess obsession, but we can make it a bit more tolerable. Wean her off Cinderella by introducing her to 1987’s cult hit The Princess Bride. (We’d summarize the plot, but frankly, it’s inconceivable that you haven’t seen the movie.) Once your kid is hooked, clinch the transition from Disney worship to Buttercup adoration by downloading The Princess Bride Game.

While actors Robin Wright Penn (Buttercup), Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) and Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya) recorded new dialogue for the game, the voice heard most frequently is the narrator’s—a dead-ringer sound-alike for Peter Falk, the lovably gruff grandfather. In order to move the plot forward and get the characters to their “happily ever after,” young players must conquer challenges at five locations made famous in the film—the farm, the hill where Westley poisons Vizzini, the fire swamp, Miracle Max’s cabin and Humperdinck’s castle.

In “As You Wish,” the first of these mini-games, kids help Westley complete chores, like milking cows and feeding chickens, while also attending to Buttercup’s demands. Later, they enter the “Fire Swamp,” where players can battle R.O.U.S.’s, dodge lava ground and avoid fire pits. The final challenge, “Storming the Castle,” requires kids to use assets they’ve collected throughout the game to build a faux Dread Pirate Roberts capable of scaring 60 men. Parents monitoring their children’s progress—or trying out the game themselves on one of the higher difficulty levels—should enjoy a serious nostalgia trip, as sound bites taken directly from the film pop up often.

Overall, playing the game isn’t quite as charming as listening to Grandpa read the adventure aloud. But hey, you didn’t really want to invite your father-in-law over, anyway.

—Julia Israel

$20; at princessbridegame.com. Ages 8 and up.