Thank you Michael Ancel - A 1UP classic from July 20, 2006

This summer I've been plugging away at one of my all-time favorite titles (that didn't make the top-20 list). Michael Ancel's original Prince of Persia.

The game is filled with many cliffhanger moments and spectacular jump sequences. Mario can get away with flubbing a jump every now and then, in this game one misstep can cost you five minutes of progress. That can get very tiring very fast.

Prince of Persia is an adventure game in the loosest sense of the word. It is also a puzzle game. Not in the sense that you pick locks and figure out magical boxes. The puzzles are the labyrinths, some paths lead to certain doom, others to reward.

The only thing you can do is keep headed forward. Hope that in the next screen there is a way out and not a trap. It's the first game that I know of where you could take a leap of faith. Nope, you had to take a leap of faith in order to progress.

Step on a gate release, turn around and run full tilt for three and a half screens and at the very last possible moment leap off of a falling tile, over a chasm and a pit of spikes and catch a ledge on the other side of the room. Hurry now and climb the ledge before the gate closes on you!

That magic, wonder and simplicity of the first game was gone in the remakes. The Prince had become a jaded hero with attitude. You know, the stuff that was really popular in the late 90's? The original Prince was like Indiana Jones... timeless.

I'm thankful for Michael Ancel's original game. It taught me to be brave in the face of adversity. Always be willing to take that leap of faith.

The closest thing to capturing the spirit of the original Prince of Persia has to be Fumito Ueda's Shadow of the Colossus.

My friends have started playing it. Because of them I decided to give the game another go around, this time on hard mode. Possibly the time attack on hard mode once it's all said and done. The rewards are worth the sacrifice, I know that's what the Prince of Persia would do in the same situation. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!