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Prince of Persia has been around for over three decades, making it one of the longest-running video game franchises. What started as a 2D side-scroller action platformer in 1989 grew to be one of the biggest gaming franchises at the height of its popularity in the 2000s. After being dormant for 14 years, the POP franchise has finally returned.
Each game within the series has its qualities, making them difficult to rank. However, we will dive into the details and see which of these games were better than the rest. Here are all of the Prince of Persia games ranked from worst to best.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
All Prince of Persia games ranked
9) Prince of Persia 3D
Prince of Persia 3D is our first entry. While the developers had the right idea about a transition to 3D, they couldn't pull it off well enough. This title retains the feel of the classic side-scrolling action that made people fall in love with the series.
The excellent level design and well-paced gameplay offer plenty of fun and exciting moments. However, the poor visuals, horrendous character models, and the downright dysfunctional camera make the game unenjoyable. POP 3D cannot hold a candle to the other games on this list.
8) Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
The Forgotten Sands was a hearty attempt at reviving the POP franchise. Its complex level design, fluid movement, and innovative puzzles offer much to be happy about. However, the game fails to grasp the excellent feel of combat that emerged during the Sands of Time trilogy.
Despite being released in 2010, Forgotten Sands shamefully fails to deliver the deep and stylish combat its predecessors thrived on. Moreover, the lack of camera control makes this game unplayable during platforming sequences. Thus, The Forgotten Sands takes the second-last spot on our list.
7) Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame
As far as sequels go, The Shadow and The Flame is not very well done and suffers from a lack of originality. Some elements of the game make it seem like a cheaper imitation of its 1989 predecessor. Where this title truly shines is its world. The developers put a lot of work into the detailed environments and gruesome visuals, and it shows.
That said, the laggy controls, unusual difficulty spikes, and repetitive sound effects make this sequel a monotonous experience, earning it the seventh spot on our list.
6) Prince of Persia (1989)
The original game, despite being released in 1989, marks a serious jump in quality on our list. Its animations at the time were revolutionary when paired with the game's excellent use of physics and distinct combat system. This title is a classic in every sense of the word.
Apart from the monotonous colors and poor control scheme, the thing that holds this game back is its age.
5) Prince of Persia (2008)
Ubisoft broke the mold with this game. Its revolutionary art style has inspired a lot of games in its wake and is still lauded by the fans. However, this entry was riddled with its own issues, which never let it reach its full potential. The game's unlikeable protagonist, absence of difficulty, and watered-down combat were not well received by the fans.
This took attention away from all the things this game does well. The excellent narrative and vibrant colors worked great. Moreover, this game featured some of the best combat animations in the series, and your new sidekick, Elika, does a good job of enriching the overall experience.
This game did things differently than what people expected out of a POP title, which was its greatest strength and, ultimately, its downfall.
4) Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Lost Crown is an excellent return to form for the series. Going back to its roots as a 2D platformer works excellently. Its stylish combat and unique abilities, such as the Athra Surge, deliver an unmatched sense of satisfaction to the players. The game is heavily rooted in Persian mythology. The beautiful Metroidvania experience does a good job of encouraging exploration.
The Lost Crown is a very welcome addition to the franchise. However, the game does suffer due to its weak writing and somewhat generic characters, which are sometimes almost forgettable. This franchise thrives on its strong storyline and an amazing cast of characters. Unfortunately, The Lost Crown cannot match the original trilogy in that category.
3) Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
This game took the franchise to the height of its popularity. Sands of Time offers a stunning Middle Eastern setting that completely immerses the players when paired with its fantastic audio. This game introduced the revolutionary time-rewinding mechanic that the titular prince is famous for today.
Excellent animations and diligently crafted platforming sequences deliver some of the most memorable experiences that the franchise has to offer. Wall climbing, ledge jumping, and swinging from pole to pole always feel exceptionally fluid and never end up being clunky. There are times when the fixed camera will make life difficult during platforming sequences, but with the Dagger of Time, you can easily rewind and rectify your mistakes, which can be very satisfying at times.
Ubisoft has also done a fine job of incorporating platforming into this game’s combat system. The game lets you relocate for better crowd control, and you will also be constantly flipping over the heads of your opponents, which adds a lot of style and also a little bit of challenge to the otherwise repetitive combat.
However, The Sands of Time is a very linear game, which it doesn’t need to be, as shown by its successors. Most of the puzzles in the game are fairly easy to figure out and end up feeling like a bore due to the constant platforming that the prince has to do for the solution. Additionally, the prince’s inability to pick up secondary weapons also ends up bringing down the quality of what is otherwise a brilliant game.
2) Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
The Two Thrones was an excellent way for the Sands of Time trilogy to close out. The game provides a lot for the narrative and leaves the players with a satisfying ending. Its excellent controls make platforming better than ever, and the Speed Kill mechanism exclusive to this title and its PSP and Wii port, Rival Swords, was the icing on the cake.
Fans also loved playing as the Dark Prince, whose chain-based combat left players feeling invincible. This was also perfectly counter-balanced by the health mechanic of the Dark Prince, where the HP keeps depleting until the player collects sand from minions or breakable objects.
All that said, while this is an excellent entry, it's not the best in the franchise. As mentioned before, the story has a satisfying ending; however, the endgame content is drawn out. The prince goes on a "trip" of sorts to fight off the Dark Prince, which makes no sense as the prince has already "lost his chains" after killing the Vizier. While the ending is still satisfying, the last segment involving the Dark Prince fails to justify its existence and can make the ending feel bland and forced.
1) Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Warrior Within was a masterfully crafted sequel to The Sands of Time. The excellent boss fights, longer runtime, open-ended design, and fantastic combat system were all very well received by the fans. Moreover, It was also one of the most gorgeous-looking games at the time of its release back in 2004.
This entry did a lot of things differently, and while the music and the dark and grim setting weren’t well received by the fans initially, they have grown to become favorites during the 20 years that have passed since the game’s release.
Nothing in the series makes for a more memorable moment than being chased by the Dahaka while Godsmack's I Stand Alone plays in the background, it is both exhilarating and scary at the same time. You will come across different swords as you set out on random adventures, which encourages the players to explore.
Warrior Within also builds upon the combat of The Sands of Time and gives the players a lot more choices. All the different combos and platforming attacks are welcome features that elevate an already enjoyable combat system to one of the best within the series. Moreover, the alternate ending, which is triggered by acquiring the Water Sword, is one of the better endings within the franchise, thus earning this game the number one spot on our list.
