10 Brilliant PS2 Titles That Give You Instant Nostalgia

Many iconic 2D characters never successfully made the transition to the 3D world. For every success story, like Super Mario 64, there were hundreds of Busby 3Ds. When Prince Of Persia, a once-beloved 2D platformer from 1989 was getting the 3D treatment, few could have predicted how brilliant, innovative and addictive the new title would be.

Sands Of Time cleverly moved the Prince of Persia away from its platforming routes, instead they making him an action-adventure icon. Polished character designs were married perfectly with fluid combat (even if the camera was a bit fiddly, but this was the early 00s and all games had nightmarish cameras). The game also featured clever environmental puzzles, an excellent story and truly innovative mechanics, such as the effortless wall running, and the ability to reverse time.

Sands Of Time felt new, exciting and futuristic upon its release in 2003 and still holds up today. Even with its notoriously finicky camera, the combat still feels as fresh as anything released within the last few years and the puzzles are a genuine challenge compared to some of the copy-paste caves found in modern action games.