Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia is the adventure that made smooth, life-like animation famous. The evil vizier Jaffar has seized the throne and locked the princess away, and he gives her one hour to marry him. You start in the dungeon with nothing, and you have 60 minutes to escape: run, jump over gaps, hang from ledges, avoid spikes, slicing gates and floors that fall away, find a sword and duel the palace guards. This is the NES version, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture, then Start (Enter) twice.
2. A room appears with CONTINUE on the left and NEW GAME on the right: walk to the right to start a new game.
3. Run with the arrow keys. Jump with X: a standing jump leaps far, and jumping while running clears a wider gap.
4. Take a careful step with Z to walk to the very edge of a ledge or across a loose floor tile.
5. Press up under a ledge to jump, grab it and climb. Press down near an edge to climb down.
6. Drink the small red potions to refill a health triangle. Falling too far or a guard’s sword costs health.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys run, climb and crouch, X jumps, Z takes a careful step, Enter is Start and pauses, V (Select) shows how many minutes are left. In a sword fight, X strikes and Z blocks the guard’s attack. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: an on-screen pad appears under the game: the cross, A to jump and strike, B for a careful step and to block, and Start.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game. A small panel opens over the game, and the game waits until you close it.

• Infinite time: the clock stops, so you always have 60 minutes left.
• Unlimited energy: your health triangles stay full.

Reloading the page turns the cheats off again.

Tips

• Listen and look before you jump: floors that shake fall away a moment after you step on them.
• Walk slowly past slicing gates and step through right after the blades close.
• In a sword fight, block first and strike when the guard has just attacked.
• Time keeps running while you think, so press Select now and then to see how many minutes are left.

About Prince of Persia

Jordan Mechner created Prince of Persia for the Apple II in 1989, animating the prince from video of his brother running and jumping. The game was ported to many systems, and Virgin Games released this NES version in 1992. Its 60-minute deadline and its fluid movement made it one of the most influential adventure games ever.

Frequently asked questions

Is Prince of Persia free to play?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

How much time do I have?

One hour. Press Select (V on a keyboard) to see the minutes left, or switch on infinite time in the cheats.

How do I grab a ledge?

Stand under it and press up to jump and hang, then press up again to climb.

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad appears under the game.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has save state and load state buttons that keep the game in your browser on this device.