After being released last year as an Arcade game on Xbox 360, Prince of Persia Classic finally comes to the PS3 on the Playstation Network. Prince of Persia Classic is a remake of the original 1989 PC game that many say jump-started the platforming genre. Nineteen years later, Ubisoft gives us this new version that features updated character designs, great animations, upgraded visuals, and lighting effects which combine together to transform the classic into a spanking new game. You have exactly one hour to get through the puzzles, traps, and enemies the game throws at you in order to save the love of your life!

The Sultan of Persia is out of the country on war and political business which only leaves his country in charge from the malicious vizier, Jaffar. But of course, Jaffar isn’t content on only leading Persia until the Sultan comes back. If he can get the Sultan’s daughter, the Princess, to marry him, he can jack the throne away from the Prince. The Princess wants nothing to do with the evil-doer, so Jaffar gives her an ultimatum to decide in an hour: Hitch with him or suffer an excruciating death. You play as the Prince of Persia, an orphan, living off the streets. You have to break out of prison to save the Princess and kill Jaffar before he does a hostile takeover on the country and your woman.

Prince of Persia Classic isn’t your basic side-scrolling platforming game. The game is a strenuous journey up through the castle causing you to literally run across platforms including falling tiles, and dodging spike traps or chopping blades. Most of the traps are recognizable, but very easy to mess up since you’re on a time limit and you have to move swiftly. These aren’t the only part of your worries though, the Sultan has plenty of Persian goons at his disposal who will chop you up with their swords without hesitation. The combat is pretty simple with attacking and blocking, but it’s all about timing which you might struggle with. It’s challenging, yet rewarding when you defeat an enemy. The platforming and puzzle solving aspect of the game is very well designed. The controls work great and it makes the 2D side-scroller feel like you’re controlling a 3D game when you pull off back flips or climb up onto a ledge with the analog stick.

Prince of Persia Classic has been recreated graphically to be on par with last generation’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. For a Playstation Network title, that’s a pretty high level of quality. The levels are almost identical to the 1989 version in layout, but are completely upgraded in the graphics department. The later levels, out of the dungeon, are gorgeous backdrops. The animations are very fluid and smooth; which is funny because they are probably better than some games that are out now for the Playstation 3.

The sound is part of Prince of Persia’s flaws. The score only plays on the menu, and is non-existent when playing the game. The ambient and combat sounds seem generic, but have an okay quality. No voice-acting in the cut scenes is a turn-off but what do you expect from a network game?

Fans of the original won’t be disappointed in Prince of Persia Classic. The gameplay is very fun avoiding traps and running through the castle leaping across platforms while skillfully pausing briefly to have a deadly duel with Persian guards. The only thing this game is missing is replay value. The replay value kills this game because it is only an hour long and there’s not that much incentive to replay it. You can try and get a higher score by replaying it, but it’s still the same game. There’s no variety, and you’ll probably get tired of it after a few playthroughs. If it was cheaper, it’d definitely be a must buy. Maybe you may want to get this in order to get your platforming skills in shape for when the new, all 3D Prince of Persia comes out for the PS3 next month.

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