Released for the Apple II on October 3, 1989, the first Prince of Persia was an immediate critical success, earning praise for its groundbreaking rotoscoping animation techniques, which gave the game's platforming a sense of realism not previously achieved. Prince of Persia was quickly ported to nearly every console and PC version at the time, making it one of the most prolific games of its time. 35 years later the… Prince of Persia The franchise has come a long way.
In the decade after the release of the original Prince of Persia would receive two sequels, both of which received mediocre reviews. The franchise was rebooted in 2003 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timewhich is still widely regarded as one of the best entries in the series' history. But then came some disappointing sequels and even more reboots, and Prince of Persia was on ice. But this year Prince of Persia made its triumphant return and the series is arguably bigger and better than ever.
35 years later, Prince of Persia is back and bigger than ever
Prince of Persia had an impressive comeback year
After a 14-year break, the Prince of Persia franchise returned earlier this year with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. A 2.5D Metroidvania with some incredible platforming mechanics, fluid animations, addictive combat and a distinct art style. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was the return to form that fans had been waiting for over a decade.
Then, seemingly out of the blue, just a few months later Prince of Persia: The Lost CrownReleased in January, The Rogue Prince of Persia was announced. A rogue-like 2D action platformer, The Rogue Prince of Persia The game entered Early Access on Steam in May, and since its release it has received continuous updates, bringing new enemies, weapons, biomes and story content to the game at a steady pace.
A key similarity between these two 2024 Prince of Persia Projects – and a core strength of both – is that they harken back to the original 1989 game while still significantly advancing the franchise. For example, The Rogue Prince of Persia And The lost crown feature a 2D perspective and emphasize smooth platforming mechanics and animations, just like the original 1989 game did 35 years ago. But these games also have plenty of modern bells and whistles that were necessary to make the franchise stand out in the modern market.
Prince of Persia could stay here
During the Ubisoft Forward showcase in June Prince of Persia had its own area to itself. Along with a DLC announcement for The lost crownUbisoft also confirmed that the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time The remake is still in development. Although Ubisoft is currently in a difficult position, this seems likely The sands of time Remake will be released at some point, and that means that Prince of Persia The franchise is here to stay, at least for a while.
Although the return took over a decade, Prince of Persia made a triumphant return in 2024 and its 35th birthday is now an unforgettable experience.
