Pixel Sundays: Prince of Persia – From Sands of Time to the Rogue Prince Roguelike

Since 1989, the Prince of Persia franchise has delivered breathtaking gameplay, cinematic rotoscope animation, and a captivating blend of puzzles and action. Created by Jordan Mechner, it has influenced multiple generations.

Summary

From the second prince’s adventure to the acclaimed Sands of Time trilogy and the recent 2D Metroidvania The Lost Crown. A Sands of Time remake is already on the way, blending roguelike with Prince of Persia. Let’s dive into a 35-year-long, legendary prince’s adventure.

Classics and Early Adventures (1989–1993)

It all began in 1985 when Jordan Mechner started developing the first Prince of Persia (1989). Jordan wanted to improve his game and used revolutionary rotoscope animation. To achieve realistic movements, Mechner filmed his brother. The gameplay was more frantic than in other titles, as you were under time pressure. You had 60 minutes (120 minutes on SNES) to get through 12 levels full of traps, guards, shadow doubles, and the final boss Jaffar. The combat was simple, using a contra-move system, making it timing-based and precise.

Sales started slowly on the Apple II, but the game boomed in Japan/Europe on PC and console. It eventually sold 2 million copies. Critics praised the game for its “incredibly smooth animations”. It was described as extremely challenging, with trial-and-error gameplay. The time limit and precise jumps became legendary.

In 1993, Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame was released as a sequel with new levels and an epic finale. Published by Brøderbund, the story takes place eleven days after the first game, as the evil Jaffar once again assumes the prince’s form. The story takes him across distant islands back to the palace, where he had once defeated Jaffar. The game ends on a cliffhanger with a witch who becomes the new antagonist.

The gameplay focused more on combat, requiring you to defeat up to four enemies at once. Levels were more extensive and offered variety through magical portals, new enemies, and extra puzzles. Despite all the innovations, there was still a time limit, now set at 75 minutes. Critics praised the improved animations and ambitious level design but also described the higher difficulty as very frustrating.

In 1999, Prince of Persia 3D was released. Before this, the franchise took several years off to make the leap into 3D. Developed by Red Orb Entertainment, Jordan Mechner participated only as an advisor. The game first appeared on PC and later on Dreamcast. New to the game was the third-person perspective. In addition to classic climbing and switch puzzles, there were various weapons such as a sword, staff, or bow with special arrows. The goal was to bring the charm of the originals into a modern 3D world.

The game suffered from many technical problems. Controls were imprecise, and the camera was buggy, making the game almost unplayable. It was often described as a disappointing experiment that could not live up to its predecessors. The only praise it received was for its oriental setting and the attempt to create something new, even if it ultimately failed.

The Sands of Time Trilogy (2003–2010)

After the failed Prince of Persia 3D, a reboot brought the franchise back on track. Ubisoft Montreal, led by Jordan Mechner, decided to relaunch the series. The goal was to merge classic platforming and adventure mechanics with modern game design. The core of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was an innovative time manipulation feature. Using the Dagger of Time, you could rewind a few seconds. You could also slow or freeze time—a mechanic that saved you from many frustrating moments and made the game feel fresh.

The parkour and movement elements were also modernized and became a hallmark of the franchise. You could run along walls, climb acrobatically, and perform spectacular jumps. The reviews were outstanding, praising the responsive controls and the elegant combination of puzzles, combat, and acrobatics. The game sold over 14 million copies.

After such success, Ubisoft chose a much darker sequel. In 2004, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was released, depicting the prince as a bitter, vengeful antihero hunted by the fate creature Dahaka, who wanted to punish him for manipulating time. It featured an aggressive combat system with combos, new weapons, and free-form fighting enhancements.

Then in 2005, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones was released. In this game, the Prince returns to Babylon with his companion. But his city is attacked. After another time manipulation, the Prince splits into a light and a dark persona. This duality is also reflected in the gameplay. Alongside the classic parkour and combat elements, there is the new Speed Kill mechanic, which lets you eliminate enemies silently.

Five years later, Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands (2010) was released. This game takes place between Sands of Time and Warrior Within and tells a parallel story. The Prince gains new elemental powers, such as the ability to freeze water, summon sandstorms, or create massive stone platforms. The story revolves around a demon army attacking the kingdom of his brother Malik.

2008 Reboot & Film (2008–2009)

After completing the Sands trilogy, Ubisoft decided on a radical reboot. The team in Montreal developed something entirely new, unrelated to earlier games or the upcoming film. Visually, it used a distinct cel-shading look inspired by oriental illustrations. The new Prince of Persia takes place in a new universe, where a nameless Prince teams up with the mysterious priestess Elika to battle the corrupt god Ahriman. He shrouds the world in darkness. The story has a more fairy-tale tone and focuses on their relationship.

The game leaves behind the classic rewind time feature. Instead, you have Elika as a permanent companion who assists in combat and saves the Prince if he falls. As a result, the game has no traditional game over. It offered a much more open world, letting you choose which corrupted area to cleanse. The parkour elements remained a core part of the experience, though simplified to improve flow.

At the same time, Ubisoft released a Nintendo DS spin-off called The Fallen King. This title had its own story, simplified combat, and touchscreen controls. Although it connects to the main game, its events aren’t essential. The story features a battle against another corrupt king.

Parallel to the reboot, Ubisoft also ventured into film in 2010. In partnership with Walt Disney Pictures, they produced the movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time with a budget of $200 million. The production was led by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Jake Gyllenhaal played the adventurous Prince Dastan, who teams up with Princess Tamina to protect the Dagger of Time from intrigue. The film combined elements from the games with a new story aimed at a broad cinema audience.

The reviews were very mixed. The film was praised for its action and production design, but criticized for a rather cliched script. Still, it earned a moderate success of over $330 million. However, this wasn’t enough to fund a planned sequel.

Modern Reinterpretations (2024)

In 2024, Ubisoft Montpellier revived the franchise after more than 10 years of inactivity. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown returned to a 2D perspective combined with modern 3D visuals. The game also adopted an open Metroidvania structure. It was released on January 18, 2024, for PC and all current consoles. The story follows Sargon, a young member of the legendary elite warriors “The Immortals,” as he searches for the kidnapped Prince Ghassan. On his journey, he explores the mystical Mount Qaf, a place full of time rifts, curses, and ancient deities. The game expands on the series’ mythology and builds it further.

The Lost Crown combines fast platforming with combat and exploration. The main character has abilities like time manipulation, dimensional dashing, and constantly unlocks shortcuts and secrets. You must return to previous locations to access previously unreachable areas. The combat system features counter mechanics, special attacks, and a variety of talismans that modify abilities.

Roguelike Meets Prince: The Rogue Prince of Persia (2025)

The Rogue Prince of Persia is a standalone roguelike spin-off of the franchise. The game is currently developed by the French studio Evil Empire, the team behind Dead Cells. It blends classic Prince of Persia elements with roguelike mechanics. This means acrobatic platforming combined with procedurally generated levels and rogue elements. Early Access for the game started in May 2025 on PC via Steam. Since then, the game has been continuously developed, with the major 1.0 update planned for August 2025. It is still unknown when the game will release on other consoles.

A run in The Rogue Prince of Persia can last from a few hours up to 10 hours. Naturally, the game has high replay value due to constantly new combinations and procedurally generated areas. The game features over 20 weapons, including swords, spears, daggers, and bows with various perks and elemental effects. The character can perform wall jumps, wall runs, and acrobatic dodges reminiscent of the classic games.

The Sands of Time Remake

In September 2020, a remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced. The game was originally planned to release in 2021, but things turned out differently. The project was initially developed by Ubisoft Pune together with Ubisoft Mumbai. The first trailers faced heavy criticism. Fans complained about the outdated graphics and stiff animations. As a result, the game was postponed indefinitely. In 2022, Ubisoft decided to transfer development entirely to Ubisoft Montreal, the studio that worked on the original. The goal was to increase the scope and quality.

According to Ubisoft Montreal, almost all assets have been overhauled, including character models, animations, and environments. Gameplay is also said to be modernized while remaining true to the original. The time manipulation feature will return. Camera, controls, and the combat system will be updated, and the presentation will be more cinematic and meet today’s standards. The game is now set to release in late March 2026.

Looking Ahead – A Glimpse Into the Hourglass

The next big title is, of course, the Sands of Time Remake 2026. This will be a decisive milestone for the franchise’s future. After a 5-year delay, fans and the press expect a quality product that not only modernizes the classic but also stays faithful to its content. Ubisoft Montreal is under significant pressure. But if the remake succeeds, it could become a springboard for a high-quality revival of the entire franchise. Maybe it will even lead to a brand-new 3D mainline series.

Meanwhile, we also have The Rogue Prince as an experimental spin-off that will leave Early Access in August. This game combines the roguelike concept with procedural levels and acrobatic gameplay. If the game proves successful, Ubisoft might experiment with more spin-offs in the Prince of Persia franchise.

What do fans want? Many wish for a continuation of the Lost Crown series. Others are waiting for remakes of the older games. And some are hoping for crossover projects with other Ubisoft series, like Assassin’s Creed. We will see how Ubisoft decides within the next 2 years.

Conclusion – One Prince, Many Paths

Prince of Persia has shown over the last 35 years that it can evolve and improve. From the early games’ rotoscope animations to the acclaimed Sands of Time reboot with its innovative time manipulation, to modern reinventions like the Metroidvania The Lost Crown and the roguelike The Rogue Prince of Persia, the series has constantly evolved. Not every attempt was successful, but when things went wrong, they were improved in the next game. Despite all the challenges, the Prince’s fascination remains unbroken.

The coming years will show whether Ubisoft can lead the franchise into a successful future or whether it will fade away. The upcoming remake is the biggest hope. With the return to 2D adventures and creative spin-offs, Prince of Persia has more paths than ever, and it can captivate both old and new generations. The legacy of one of the most influential action-adventures lives on—and will continue to be written for a long time.

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