Sword Dodging

Lore & Background

Chronologically, all versions of the game are set between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within (2004). The stories follow an unnamed Prince on adventures through the lands of ancient Persia, dealing with magical threats with the aid of different djinn. In the console and Windows version, the Prince is sent by his father Sharaman to learn leadership from his brother Malik at the ancient city of Rekem, finding the city under siege. Malik releases Solomon's Army, a powerful supernatural force, which turns on everyone.

The Prince is aided by Razia, queen of the Marid djinn, and ultimately kills the Ifrit Ratash, but Malik dies in his arms. The Wii version has the Prince and a djinni called Zahra explore a ruined kingdom while fighting a sentient plant. In the PSP version, the Prince seeks the fire spirit Ahihud, allied with Helem, a spirit of time, and kills Ahihud. In the DS version, the Prince is kidnapped by a cult whose master wants his blood and Razia's magic; the Prince defeats the master but Razia dies.

Reader's Guide

In the main versions for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows, the gameplay is equivalent to earlier entries in the Sands of Time continuity, with the Prince navigating 3D environments using acrobatics and magical abilities. Threats include enemies in arena-style encounters and traps. The Prince's move set includes climbing, wall run, wall jumping, balancing on beams, swinging from horizontal and climbing vertical poles. After a point, the Prince gains magical powers: a limited-use 'rewind' function, Water powers (freezing water flows), Earth power (restoring destroyed elements), and Wind and Fire powers used in combat.

Combat has the Prince fighting groups of enemies, relying on dodging and rolling to avoid hits. Killing enemies grants experience points to upgrade abilities and unlock new powers. The PlayStation Portable version is a 3D side-scroller with acrobatics restricted to the game's perspective; magical abilities revolve around manipulating time, with limited rewinds replenished by drinking from a fountain. The Nintendo DS version is a side-scroller using 3D graphics, controlled exclusively through the touch screen; the rewind ability is activated through an hourglass icon, limited by changes of 'sand'.

The mobile version is a side-scroller split into nine stages with basic fighting and time/elemental abilities. The web browser version is a side-scroller similar to the original Prince of Persia, incorporating rewind and elemental powers.

Did You Know?

• The Forgotten Sands began development alongside the 2008 series reboot to correspond with the movie adaptation of The Sands of Time.
• After the film was delayed, the games' concept was reworked to be in the same series rather than a direct tie-in.
• The different versions were developed by different Ubisoft divisions worldwide, with the Nintendo-based and PSP versions having unique stories and gameplay.
• The game received mixed to positive reviews for most platforms, with the PSP and DS versions faring the worst.
• After the release of Forgotten Sands, the series went on hiatus until the release of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown in early 2024.