My eight-year-old nephew is a video game enthusiast. On most days he's even a borderline fanatic. He actually just called me a few minutes ago to tell me that Homer Simpson said a word that rhymes with "grass" on his Simpson's X-box game. I asked him, "Uh, Chandler, aren't you supposed to be in school?" He told me that he was sick. I said, "You don't sound too sick," to which he replied, "I am, see," and sniffed loudly. Yeah, it's funny how a video game can be an immediate cure for the common cold.Suffice it to say that a video game is always a safe bet when it comes to buying him a present at Christmas. As long as the game doesn't involve Hannah Montana or dressing up Barbie--Chandler is still at the age where girls are gross--he'll play it. I have found one game that I think he would like for Christmas, The Princess Bride Game. I would just have to convince him that he doesn't have to be either a princess or a bride to play it.
The Princess Bride Game is based on the movie The Princess Bride, which stars Robin Wright Penn, who I like to refer to as the original Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara, as Princess Buttercup and Cary Elwes, who is probably better known now as that guy who cut his foot off on Saw, as Westley. It has been awhile since I have seen the movie. I think that the last time that I saw it was in high school back in the 90's. My friend Beth was obsessed with the movie, probably because it was the only movie her overly-strict mother would allow her to watch.
I do, however, remember the premise. Princess Buttercup, believing that her one true love, Westley, has died at sea, accepts a marriage proposal from the evil Prince Humperdinck. Prince Humperdinck subsequently has Princess Buttercup kidnapped on the eve of their wedding so that he can have an excuse to go to war with the neighboring country. His plan, however, is thwarted by the masked Dread Pirate Roberts, who rescues Princess Buttercup from the prince's goons. After a few funny mishaps, Princess Buttercup learns that the man behind the pirate's mask is actually Wesley, who has been alive and well this entire time. The two spend the rest of the movie trying to defeat Prince Humperdinck and find their happily ever after.
I do, however, remember the premise. Princess Buttercup, believing that her one true love, Westley, has died at sea, accepts a marriage proposal from the evil Prince Humperdinck. Prince Humperdinck subsequently has Princess Buttercup kidnapped on the eve of their wedding so that he can have an excuse to go to war with the neighboring country. His plan, however, is thwarted by the masked Dread Pirate Roberts, who rescues Princess Buttercup from the prince's goons. After a few funny mishaps, Princess Buttercup learns that the man behind the pirate's mask is actually Wesley, who has been alive and well this entire time. The two spend the rest of the movie trying to defeat Prince Humperdinck and find their happily ever after.
Of course, I can't tell Chandler that the movie and hence the video game are all about rescuing a princess and living happily ever after. If I did, he'd most likely turn his nose up at it and declare it a girl's game. No, I'll have to tell Chandler that the game is about pirates and fighting bad guys, which it also is. In fact, The Princess Bride Game is five, gender-neutral minigames in one. Each minigame is called an episode. Episode 2, Battle of the Wits, for example, is a trivia game. Episode 3, The Fire Swamp, is like your classic Mario Brothers or Sonic game. Westley and Princess Buttercup must make it safely through the swamp while swinging on vines, fighting off villains and monsters, and collecting jewels for extra points. Meanwhile, Episode 4, Miracle Max, is a hidden object and potion mixing game. There is even a Dairy Dash-esque minigame, where Westley and Princess Buttercup have to work together to take care of the farm.
The Princess Bride Game is just $19.99 and available for both Macs and PCs. Ordinarily, to get five games, you would have to pay five times that price, but the makers of The Princess Bride Game are offering them to you for the price of one. If you want to try before you buy, PrincessBrideGame.com offers free online demos of Episodes 2 through 4. You can also find a lot a lot of other fun stuff there for your kids, nieces, or nephews, including scenes from the game that the children can print out and color, wallpapers for their computer, and clubs that they can join. For parents, aunts, and uncles, the game's site further offers national reviews of the game from publications like USA Today and Woman's Day Magazine. If you're looking for a fun, family-friendly game that both girls and boys will like, The Princess Bride Game is a great place to start.
Now if I could just tear Chandler and his convenient cold away from Homer and Bart long enough to tell him about it.
