Prince of Persia Games in Order

The “Prince of Persia” franchise is a series of video games that has been around for many years. It has many games, and knowing which one to start with can be hard. This guide will help you choose the game first, whether you’re new to the series or a seasoned player.

The franchise has a rich history spanning decades and multiple entries. The first game was released in 1989; many sequels and spin-offs have existed since then. The games are known for their action-packed gameplay, intricate storylines, and stunning visuals. The series has evolved, with each new game introducing new mechanics and features. Whether you’re a fan of the original or the newer games, there’s something for everyone in the “Prince of Persia” franchise.

If you’re new to the series, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. The guide will equip you with the knowledge to conquer the sands of time in the ideal order. It will help you choose the right game to begin your journey based on your preferences and skill level. Whether you’re looking for a challenging experience or a more relaxed, the guide has got you covered. So, prepare to set on an epic journey with the Prince of Persia games in order of release date and chronological order.

Prince of Persia Release Order vs. Chronological Order

There are two primary approaches to understanding the “Prince of Persia” series timeline:

• Prince of Persia Release Order: We will start by following the order in which the games were released, starting with the classic 1989 side-scroller and progressing through the Ubisoft-developed Sands of Time trilogy and beyond. This approach allows you to experience the evolution of the gameplay and narrative firsthand.
• Prince of Persia Chronological Order: This aligns the games with the in-universe timeline, offering a more cohesive story experience. However, it involves jumping between different eras and gameplay styles, which might feel disjointed compared to the release order.

Which Order is Right for You?

Playing the Prince of Persia games in order of release date or chronological order both have their benefits:

• Prince of Persia Release Order: Ideal if you appreciate seeing the graphics and gameplay mechanics of the franchise grow and want to grasp each game’s impact on its successors.
• Prince of Persia Chronological Order: It is best to prioritize experiencing the continuous narrative arc and understanding the Prince’s development through time.

All Prince of Persia Games in Release Order

Here are all the Prince of Persia Games in order of release dates:

• Prince of Persia (1989)
• Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame (1993)
• Prince of Persia 3D Arabian Nights (1999)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
• Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (2004)
• Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (2005)
• Battles of Prince of Persia (2005)
• Prince of Persia Classic (2007)
• Prince of Persia (2008)
• Prince of Persia: The Fallen King (2008)
• Prince of Persia: Epilogue (2009)
• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (2010)
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake (TBA)

All Prince of Persia Games in Chronological Order (Sands of Time Timeline)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)

Here’s the timeline of events in The Sands of Time:

• Prince and King Shahraman travel with an army to Azad.
• Prince’s father attacks Maharajah’s kingdom on Vizier’s promise of treasure.
• Prince acquires Dagger of Time from the treasure vault.
• Dagger controls time and frees Sands of Time from Hourglass.
• Vizier uses Sands to transform everyone except for those with Artifacts of Time.
• Prince and Farah learn to fight Sand Creatures and navigate the palace with Sand’s powers.
• Prince discovers visions of future betrayal by Farah.
• Prince and Farah pursue Sands and Hourglass to the Tower of Dawn.
• Prince reveals suspicions of Farah’s motives.
• Vizier attacks, Prince nearly loses Dagger, and they fall into the tomb.
• Farah reveals the secret word “Kakolookiyam” and disappears.
• Prince finds a secret passage, and Farah, bathing, loses his Dagger and sword.
• He awakens alone, realizing Farah betrayed him and took artifacts.
• Prince chases Farah to the Tower of Dawn; she falls off a ledge.
• He saves her life, but she lets go and plummets to her death.
• Prince mourns, confronts, and kills Vizier using Grand Rewind and Dagger.
• Time rewinds to the attack on Maharajah’s palace, erasing their relationship with Farah.
• Prince possesses Dagger in the past and warns Farah of Vizier’s plot before the attack.
• He defeats Vizier and offers Dagger to Farah; she kisses him, and he rewinds time.
• He leaves, using “Kakolookiyam” as his name, revealing knowledge only she possesses.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (2010)

Here’s the timeline of events in The Forgotten Sands:

• Prince arrives in Razia’s domain, feeling a strange familiarity.
• Malik’s kingdom was attacked by the Sand Army, seeking Solomon’s power.
• Malik uses a seal to release Solomon’s Army, protecting both brothers from sand transformation.
• Prince receives power from Razia to help reunite the seal from Malik.
• Malik was corrupted by Sand Army power, seeking control instead of stopping them.
• Prince fails to reunite the seal halves, realizing Malik’s susceptibility.
• The prince is forced to fight Malik to retake half of the seal.
• Ratash, the Sand Army leader, attacks Prince, mistaking him for King Solomon.
• Ratash seemingly kills Malik; his seal half shatters, and power corrupts him further.
• Razia reveals that Ratash possessed Malik’s body, not killed him.
• Prince seeks Djinn Sword to defeat Ratash.
• Prince pursues Malik/Ratash, who destroys parts of the Sand Army for power.
• Malik fully transforms into Ratash, and the Prince loses in battle.
• Razia joins Prince in retrieving the Djinn Sword in abandoned Djinn city.
• Her power weakens as Ratash’s grows, leading them to Djinn Sword.
• Prince kills Ratash using the Djinn Sword infused with Razia’s essence.
• Malik dies from injuries, entrusting leadership to the Prince.
• Prince returns the Djinn Sword and then leaves for Babylon to inform his father of Malik’s death.

Battles of Prince of Persia (2005)

Here’s the timeline of events in Battles of Prince of Persia:

• Prince seeks to prove himself after his brother’s kingdom and Darius’ death in Dahaka.
• The Dahaka relentlessly pursues him, haunting his every step.
• Learning of the Box of a Thousand Restraints in India, he convinces his father for a military invasion.
• Prince defies his father’s orders and ventures to Aresura, encountering a mysterious woman.
• He finds the Box, releases the imprisoned Daevas, and realizes the Vizier’s involvement.
• His father captured him for unleashing the Daevas and causing his mother’s death.
• His story about Azad is met with disbelief, but his father confirms his knowledge of the Box and Daevas.
• Father recounts the history of the Daevas and Vizier’s betrayal in battling them.
• Kalim’s death leads Prince to team up with the Daeva, Sindra, to capture their leader, Saurva.
• Knowing the Dahaka will not stop chasing him, the Prince chooses not to return to Babylon.
• He leaves to forge his path, accepting the consequences of his actions.

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (2004)

Here’s the timeline of events in Warrior Within:

• After the Daevas battle, Prince, haunted by Dahaka, seeks a solution using the Medallion of Time.
• He travels to Time Island, is attacked by Shadee & her sand army, and reaches Kaileena.
• Helps Kaileena (unaware she’s Empress of Time) receive a cursed sword.
• He encounters a mysterious creature, later revealed as his future self.
• Learns Kaileena wants to kill him due to foreseen death at his hands.
• Defeats Kaileena, inadvertently creating Sands of Time from her remains.
• Seeks Mask of the Wraith based on Maharajah’s story.
• Wears mask, transforms into future self, realizes doomed timeline.
• Alter past, Dahaka kills their past self, leaving only the present Prince.
• Drags Kaileena to present to kill her and reseal Sands, ending Dahaka’s pursuit.
• He Defeats Dahaka with a water sword and escapes with Kaileena to Babylon.

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (2005)

Here’s the timeline of events in The Two Thrones:

• Prince returns to Babylon with Kaileena.
• Scythians are besieging Babylon City, and the Prince is separated from Kaileena.
• Kaileena is kidnapped, and Prince follows the trail through the ruined city.
• Prince learns the past has changed, and Vizier is still alive.
• Vizier gained the Dagger of Time and immortality, becoming “Zurvan”.
• Kaileena dies, Sands of Time released, infecting Babylon.
• Prince’s left arm, infected, manifests as a Dark Prince persona.
• Dark Prince tempts him with a vengeance, vying for control.
• Prince reluctantly teams up with Farah, regaining her trust.
• Prince’s obsession with revenge drives Farah away.
• Trapped in well, Prince faces his past and rejects Dark Prince.
• He defeats Zurvan and frees Babylon from Sand’s hold.
• Kaileena departs, entrusting Dagger of Time to Prince.
• Dark Prince emerges, desiring power and Babylon.
• Prince battles Dark Prince within his mind, rejecting past mistakes.
• Escapes the mental realm, reconciles with Farah, and begins a new chapter.

Prince of Persia in Chronological Order of Original Trilogy (Canon)

Here are the games considered part of the original Prince of Persia trilogy:

Prince of Persia (1989)

Here are some key points about Prince of Persia (1989):

• Various sources such as Arabian Nights, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Robin Hood inspired the game.
• The animation technique used in the game is called rotoscoping, which involves tracing over live-action footage frame by frame. In this case, Jordan Mechner’s brother served as the model.
• The game was a huge success and led to Jordan Mechner taking a detour from film school to focus on game development.

Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame (1993)

Here are some key points about Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame (1993):

• Prince of Persia 2 is a platform game released by Broderbund in 1993 for MS-DOS and later ported to Macintosh, Super NES, and FM Towns. It is the second installment in the Prince of Persia series and a direct sequel to 1989’s Prince of Persia.
• The game was led by Eheler & Dickman, and Jordan Mechner was consulted.
• Prince of Persia 2 was a critical and commercial success, but Brøderbund faced financial issues 1.
• The Learning Company acquired Brøderbund and later merged with Mattel.
• Jordan Mechner’s The Last Express failed, leading to his withdrawal.

Prince of Persia 3D Arabian Nights (1999)

Here are some key points about Prince of Persia 3D Arabian Nights (1999):

• Red Orb Entertainment developed Prince of Persia 3D Arabian Nights.
• Jordan Mechner served as writer and co-designer for the game.
• Unfortunately, the game was released prematurely, resulting in critical and commercial disappointment.
• The Learning Company sold its entertainment division to Ubisoft, including Prince of Persia.

Despite ups and downs, the Prince of Persia franchise paved the way for platforming innovation.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024)

The Lost Crown exists in its continuity, separate from previous Prince of Persia games.

• Jordan Mechner, the creator of the Prince of Persia series, endorsed the game as the “Prince of Persia game I’ve been wishing for”.
• Sargon, a gifted young Persian warrior and member of an elite group called The Immortals, explores Mount Qaf, a cursed and hostile place, to rescue the kidnapped Prince of Persia, Ghassan.
• The game begins on a battlefield with Persia defending itself from the Kushans.
• The Immortals turn the tide of battle, and the player takes control of Sargon as he fights alongside them.
• Sargon is awarded a blue sash by the Persian queen Thomyris for his efforts and meets Prince Ghassan.
• The kingdom is attacked, seemingly from the inside, and Prince Ghassan is kidnapped.
• Sargon rushes after him to discover that Anahita, his mentor, is taking Prince Ghassan and that she is far more powerful than he first believed.
• Sargon and the Immortals pursue Anahita and Ghassan to the mystical Mount Qaf, the former home of the god of time.
• Those who go to the mountain do not return, but the loyal Immortals enter to save their prince without question.
• As Sargon makes his way through the mountain, he comes across a young girl named Fariba, who claims to have been at Mount Qaf for years.
• She gives him the Eye of the Wanderer and a map that is more than it first appears.
• Sargon runs into his fellow Immortals, but something is off.
• For Sargon, events appear to have been moving in real-time, but some members say they have been exploring for days.
• He finds an exhausted soldier who claims to have been at Mount Qaf for years.
• Sargon finds a body that resembles himself, along with Menolias’ bow, but then runs into Menolias himself later, carrying the same bow.
• Sargon eventually finds Anahita and Prince Ghassan and follows them, but not before encountering Kaheva, a deity who offers to upgrade Sargon’s equipment.
• The gameplay of The Lost Crown is a mix of flashy combat and high-speed platforming.
• A single button is used for sword attacks, but some moves, such as dashing enemies or sliding into them, can complement this.
• Sargon also has a counter and a devastating special attack that is important to manage, especially during boss fights.
• Sargon can bounce between walls and sprint through an area.
• He also has access to health potions that refill at checkpoints.
• Using the map, players can leverage a mechanic called memory Shards.
• At any moment, the player can press down on the d-pad to take a picture of their surroundings, automatically marking the map with a photo.
• Players can save their progress at Wak-Wak trees.
• The game’s characters are voiced; options include English and Farsi.
• There are also difficulty options and Guided and Exploration modes.
• The former offers more map guidance, while the latter gives the player fewer hints.

Prince of Persia Reboot Chronology

The reboot series includes games like Prince of Persia (2008), Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, and Prince of Persia: Epilogue (DLC).

• The game was released in 2008 and rebooted the 1989 classic.
• Acrobatic platforming origins inspired the game design.
• The game received mixed reviews, with some praising the nostalgic vibe but critiquing repetitive elements.
• The game spawned a Nintendo DS sequel called “The Fallen King”.
• The game is set in an ancient Persian city-state steeped in Zoroastrianism.
• The temple in the game houses the imprisoned god Ahriman, who yearns for release.
• Ahura guardians, empowered by Ormazd, keep Ahriman and his Corrupted minions at bay.
• Millennia of vigilance, they weakened the Ahura, opening the door for Ahriman’s return.
• The player is thrust into the heart of the impending apocalypse and must master agility and acrobatics to navigate treacherous environments.
• The player must confront corrupted creatures and overcome environmental puzzles.
• The climactic clash against Ahriman is the final challenge to preventing his escape and sealing his fate.
• The game references mythical figures like Ahriman and Ormazd, adding mythological depth.
• The exploration of Zoroastrianism offers a refreshing cultural backdrop.
• The game is visually stunning and reminiscent of classic Persian imagery.
• Overall, the game was a revival with flaws, yet it marked a return to familiar territory for fans.

The Prince of Persia games are all considered classics that have been popular for many years. They take you on a journey through ancient times and different timelines, where you can see the Prince’s character grow from a brash warrior to a reluctant savior. You can play the games as they were released or in chronological order. The Prince’s legacy of acrobatic feats and epic battles will always be remembered in gaming history.

The Prince of Persia games are not just about flashy acrobatics and time-bending mechanics. They also explore deeper themes of regret, destiny, and the cost of power. As you continue the Prince’s journey, you will be prompted to consider his life and choices. With the chance of new altered timelines, can his future be truly conquered, or do the time chains forever bind him? The Prince of Persia offers entertainment and a chance for self-discovery and reflection. Choose wisely, and may your journey be filled with thrilling escapes and unforgettable encounters.

That was all about our guide on all Prince of Persia games in order of release date & chronological order. If you are already a fan of the series, check out our list of all the voice actors for the characters in the latest Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.