20 More Cult Classics Trapped On Old Consoles

After the recent and very unfortunate cancellation of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, the 2003 original is now very much deserving of its place on our list. 

Developed by Ubisoft, it remains one of the most beloved action-adventure games of the early 2000s, and arguably better than the other two titles in the trilogy. Famous for its fluid wall-running acrobatics, addictive combat and time-rewinding dagger, the game has aged incredibly well, and blew all of our minds when it was first released. 

The Prince’s narration and his evolving partnership with Farah added warmth and personality to a well-realised story, and the Prince himself became a beloved character, primarily because of his depiction in this title. The time-rewinding mechanic was seen as particularly ground-breaking, allowing players to take more risks in their gameplay choices. Instead of a game over screen, players could be more daring, feeling out platforming scenarios in a more carefree manner. This also helped players manage the platforming pitfalls of early 2000s game design, while the mechanic itself is also seen as a memorable piece of innovation due to how seamlessly it integrated into the Prince’s story. 

Many players long for a return to this 3D style too, with modern Prince of Persia titles like The Rogue Prince of Persia and The Lost Crown going for a 2D side-scroller aesthetic, harkening back to the series’ original style. Players will have to undertake their own time-rewinding if they’re to play this title today though, as old PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo consoles are now the only place to experience one of the Prince’s defining adventures.