The Palace of Time
A single spilled grain can unmake the world.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a 2003 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. The game follows an unnamed Prince whose father sacks an ancient city at the instigation of a traitorous Vizier. During the attack, the Prince obtains the Dagger of Time, while his father's army captures an hourglass containing the mysterious Sands of Time. Visiting the palace of the Sultan of Azad to present the Sands as a gift, the Vizier tricks the Prince into releasing the Sands, transforming the people of Azad into savage monsters. Together with Farah, a young Princess who knows the power of the Sands, the Prince works to correct his mistake and foil the Vizier's evil plans.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Primary setting of The Sands of Time, home of the Sands of Time
- Key artifact
- The Hourglass (vessel of the Sands of Time)
- First prominently featured
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
- Architecture style
- Persian-inspired, ornate and symmetrical
- Primary antagonist associated
- The Vizier
- Trilogy appearances
- Sands of Time (primary), referenced in Warrior Within and The Two Thrones
Lore & Background
The game is a reboot of the Prince of Persia series created by Jordan Mechner, who served as creative consultant, designer, and scenario writer. Mechner's script drew inspiration from the Shahnameh. The story is set in Persia during the 9th century AD, with the Prince narrating to an unseen listener. The Vizier of a local Maharaja entices the Prince's army into attacking the Maharaja's palace to obtain the Sands of Time. The Prince loots the Dagger of Time, and the Maharaja's daughter Farah is taken as a gift for the Sultan of Azad. After the Sands are released, the Prince allies with Farah to undo the damage. The Prince discovers that his father, King Shahraman, has also been infected by the Sands and is forced to confront him.
Reader's Guide
The gameplay revolves around the Prince's platforming abilities, broken up by fights with the creatures created by the Sands. A key mechanic is using the Dagger to rewind time if the Prince makes a mistake while platforming, and to kill and freeze enemies. The Prince can wall-run, climb ledges, walk along beams, swing on poles and ropes, and solve large environmental puzzles, often requiring Farah's help. In combat, the Prince fights monsters with a sword and the Dagger of Time; enemies can only be killed by stabbing them with the Dagger.
Sand collected from enemies and the environment powers abilities: Rewind (up to ten seconds), slow time, freeze a single enemy, or freeze time completely. Health is restored by drinking water from pools and fountains; total loss of health results in a game over. Farah, controlled by AI, fires a bow at enemies but can also hit the Prince; if she is killed, the game ends.
Did You Know?
- The game was released on Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Windows in November 2003.
- Concept work began in spring 2001 after Ubisoft acquired the Prince of Persia catalog, with production starting in June 2001.
- The game used Ubisoft's Jade engine, originally designed for Beyond Good & Evil.
- A mobile phone version was developed and published in North America by Gameloft in 2004.
- As of 2014, the game has sold over 14 million copies worldwide across all platforms.
More in World & Locations
Elsewhere in Prince of Persia
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