Classic Prince of Persia Tips

Published June 26, 2007

The original Prince of Persia will go down in history as one of the slickest, most addictive, but infuriatingly difficult games of all time. It is a masterpiece that only a rare few gamers have wholly conquered, and it is delivered now—reborn as Prince of Persia® Classic with stunningly revamped visuals and animation—on Xbox LIVE® Arcade to enchant, fluster and delight a whole new generation of gamers.

Press X. Faster!

While still brutally difficult at times, the old-school combat system is more forgiving than it once was, and with the following tips, you may find yourself cheering more and screaming in agony less. Good luck.

Shaving Time
Speed is the order of the day when leaping and sprinting through levels. You must beat the one hour endgame time limit, and it's the only way to set high scores for completing a level. One so nimble as the Prince can shave a few seconds off the clock by keeping a few tips in mind.

• Anticipate jumps: Instead of reaching a ledge, standing underneath it and jumping up, roll the left-thumbstick upward and you'll make the leap without having to come to a halt and waste time.
• Avoid walking: Though walking allows you to navigate spike traps without getting killed, your score will increase if you leap over the traps. Sometimes, careful stepping is the only option, but if you can, keep up the speed.
• Backflip for safety: P ressing the left thumbstick opposite the direction the Prince is facing and simultaneously tapping A causes the Prince to perform a backflip. It's neat to watch, but it also makes hopping from one ledge to another quicker and safer. You're less likely to overshoot the landing and fall to your death.
• Use the walls: If you're sprinting toward a wall, and the ledge you want to jump to is up and facing the wall, then jump as you reach the wall. The Prince will automatically run up the wall and leap back towards the desired ledge. It's a nifty trick that saves precious seconds.

A gorgeous facelift for a classic game.

Standing Jump
Sometimes, it's best to take shorter, controlled jumps when confronted with a treacherous series of narrow platforms. Instead of running and jumping, line yourself up near the edge of your current platform, press forward and tap A. As soon as you jump, stop pressing forward with the left thumbstick, or the poor Prince will rush to his death upon landing.

Hollow Ceiling and Floors
If you find yourself confused about where to head next, chances are there's a gap somewhere in the ceiling or floor that leads on to the next objective. All that's required for a gap in the ceiling is to leap up and see what's above you, but floor gaps can lead to deadly falls, so don't just drop on down. Align yourself with your back facing the gap, and press down to grab onto the ledge and scout out what's beneath you.

Trigger Hold
Just grabbing the ledge doesn't mean you're automatically safe. Hold down the Right Trigger when hanging from a ledge to take a firm grasp.

Reflexive Attack
Combat in Prince of Persia Classic is a tricky business that rewards timing and punishes button mashing. After besting the initial batch of enemies in the first couple of levels, frantically pressing X will only earn you swift death. Instead, wait for the enemy to attack, and then parry with A. After parrying, be wary of an immediate counterattack.

Hope they timed that jump right.

Press the attack only when you're sure the enemy is holding back, and take only a couple of swipes at a time. Patience is the key during any combat encounter. In fact, the easiest way to advance is simply to avoid combat entirely if you can. Keep an eye out for alternate paths to avoid confrontation.

Don't Sweat Death
While you're given only one hour to save the Princess and thwart Jaffar's evil plans, your progress is time-stamped at the beginning of every new level and checkpoint. Essentially, this means that if you die before finishing a level or reaching a checkpoint, the time resets back to where you started.

You can use this to your advantage by scouting out the level, memorizing the traps, puzzles, and challenges and then choosing to die on purpose to restart and rush through the level as quickly as possible. If you accidentally stumble upon a checkpoint while taking your time, you can die and choose to restart back at the beginning.

Follow the Pixie
A glittering purple pixie accompanies the Prince throughout his journey, and it's not just there for show. The pixie points the way to your next objective. Pay particular attention to where the pixie flies off to at the beginning of the level. This will prevent you from taking wrong turns and ill-advised detours.

Secrets Galore
While the pixie shows you the obvious path to the next major checkpoint, it doesn't reveal all the various secret pathways and rooms filled with treasures and shortcuts. Explore these avenues to find much needed health replenishment potions, and life potions to extend your available life. If you get flummoxed or come to a dead end, you can at least backtrack and choose the path you know is true.

Now, Prince, it's up to you. It's time to take on Jaffar and save the Princess!

Article by Ryan Treit