It is time to take a look at another classic retro game. This time we are looking at Prince of Persia on the PC (MS-DOS). When you spend a little time with this game…it is easy to understand why many consider it to be one of the best platformers of all-time.
Let’s dive into what we feel makes this game truly special…
Animation
The animation in Prince of Persia was absolutely amazing. For the time (remember this game is 30 years old)…the animations were truly groundbreaking. The player character and enemy motions were incredibly fluid and realistic. Prince of Persia set the bar higher for what was possible in video game animation.
Gameplay
The platforming in Prince of Persia was on a completely different level. This game was not a speed-driven platformer. Instead the player had to be methodical in approaching jumps, ledges/drops and traps in the game world. Moving too quickly was often costly. You had to be thoughtful performing (and timing) jumps…or you wouldn’t make it. If you want to get through those spikes…you better walk/step through them slowly…just saying…
Level Design
At first glance…the levels in Prince of Persia do not seem like anything special. The environment pieces were fairly simple in appearance. But the layout of elements…well that is another story. Traps, enemies, jumps and drop-downs were placed with great care. The reason you had to be methodical in traversing the game world is because there was always a well-placed enemy, trap or fall (to your death) waiting for you. This game is a wonderful example of how level design and gameplay can work together seamlessly.
Difficulty
Make no mistake…this game was extremely difficult. You might get a little further each time…and then have to restart. Not to mention there is a timer running. As if the jumps and traps weren’t enough…you have a set amount of time to beat the game. This creates a layer of urgency in a game where you must take your time to advance. As maddening as it feels to fail over and over (and over) again…it is hard to turn it off. The gameplay is simply too good.
Prince of Persia earned its rightful place as an all-time classic. The animation, gameplay and level design were absolutely incredible. The only way to truly appreciate how well the level design and gameplay worked together in Prince of Persia…is to go play other platformers of this era. You will quickly realize how special this game was.
That does it for this post on Prince of Persia. If you have not played this classic…we recommend you do so immediately. Let us know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks for reading!
Be sure to check out our latest game Martian Law on Steam (PC).