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Prince of Persia

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Prince of Persia is a famous franchise of action-adventure video games.

Prince of Persia Logo
Prince of Persia Logo

These games follow various incarnations of a hero known as the Prince. The settings are inspired by ancient and medieval Persia. The series is highly valued for its storytelling and character movement. It has grown from a single game into a massive collection of media. This includes video games, a graphic novel, a film, and even Lego toys. Many people see it as a landmark in gaming history.

Creating the movement for the Prince required unique technical methods. In 1989, creator Jordan Mechner used a technique called rotoscoping. This process involves tracing over real-life motion to create smooth animation. Mechner used his own brother as the live model for the Prince. This gave the character a sense of realistic weight and agility. Later, developers moved into 3D computer graphics. In 1999, Prince of Persia 3D became the first entry to use these three-dimensional visuals. This changed how players experienced the physical space of the game worlds.

The franchise can be divided into several distinct eras or series. The original trilogy includes the 1989 debut and its 1993 sequel, The Shadow and the Flame. After a period of transition, Ubisoft rebooted the series in 2003 with The Sands of Time. This era introduced a new style of gameplay and tone. It includes Warrior Within, The Two Thrones, and The Forgotten Sands. Another significant era is the 2008 reboot, which returned to the level design of the original 1989 game. More recently, the series has expanded into new genres, such as the 2.5D platformer The Lost Crown.

History shows how the franchise has moved through many different hands. Jordan Mechner created the first game following his success with Karateka. The first two games were published by Broderbund. Later, the company was purchased by The Learning Company, which was then acquired by Mattel Interactive. In 2001, Ubisoft bought the rights to the franchise. Ubisoft has since been the primary developer for most modern entries. The series also draws inspiration from literature, such as the novel Alamut by Vladimir Bartol. It also looks to classic films like Raiders of the Lost Ark for inspiration.

The scale of the franchise is quite large. The original Prince of Persia has been ported to more than 20 different platforms. This makes it one of the most ported games in history. The Sands of Time trilogy was even collected into a high-definition remastered set. This collection was released on PlayStation 2 in 2006 and on PlayStation 3 in 2010. The Sands of Time film, released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2010, earned $336 million at the box office. These numbers show how much interest the world has in these stories.

There are many different types of games within the brand. Some are main entries, while others are spin-offs or remakes. For example, Battles of Prince of Persia is a turn-based strategy game. There are also mobile games developed by Gameloft, such as Prince of Persia: Escape. Some of these mobile versions include new moves like backflips and wall jumps. Even newer titles like The Rogue Prince of Persia use art styles inspired by Franco-Belgian comics. This variety allows the franchise to reach many different kinds of players.

Prince of Persia has also influenced the wider world of entertainment. The gameplay and design helped pave the way for other major series. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed is considered to be the spiritual successor to Prince of Persia. This means the ideas and feel of the Prince games helped shape the new series. The franchise has also crossed into literature with a graphic novel released in 2008. This novel features two different Princes living in the 9th and 13th centuries. The series continues to evolve through new technology and new ways of telling stories.

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File:Prince of Persia Logo.png
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