Don't Save the Princess

Title: Don't Save the Princess
Author: Alexander Shen
License: Freeware
Website: http://www.shengames.com/pc/dstp/

Don't Save the Princess (DStP) is a routing game similar to my own Puzzle Bunnies and Couffy. The objective is to place the limited number of arrows on the board to that when the knight enters through the door, he does not save the princess. Instead, you have to route him so that he is eaten by the dragon. The arrows work like fans. If the knight passes next to outbound side of an arrow, he gets redirected in that direction. If he is directed off the map, into a wall, or into the princess, you have failed the level.



An interesting twist is that the knight can destroy an arrow block by hitting it on one of its other three sides, thus causing an annoying arrow to disappear. Later on, some additional block types are introduced. The green blocks are initially bad; running into one of them, just as running into a wall, fails the level. However, passing over a green switch causes all the green blocks to be destroyed. The red blocks are initially good; the knight pass right through them. But, pass over a red switch and all of the red blocks turn into solid, and thus bad, blocks.

There are only 24 levels. Most are pretty easy once you understand the rules. Except for the last level, you can play the levels in any order. The graphics and animations are nice and effective. I found the background music annoying and wished I could have turned it off. There is a level editor included.