Created by Jordan Mechner back in 1989, Prince of Persia stands as one of the most ported games of all time. Made famous not only by its amazingly smooth animation but also its incredibly frustrating gameplay, Prince of Persia is one of those games that requires immense patience, plenty of precision, and the stomach to see your poor avatar slived, stabbed and otherwise killed in terrible terrible ways. Initially, the immensely smooth main character is what made the game so popular, and a great tool.

Through a technique called rotoscoping – that is, a live actor is filmed by a camera doing a variety of movements, and then an artist traces those images on a computer – the hero of Prince of Persia had remarkably fluid animation, He didn't just jump up – he'd squat, leap into the sky and grab a hold of a ledge, swaying in the air before he pulled himself up and over.

The Grand Visir Jaffar seizes control of the throne while the Sultan is away. At the same time, a young prince from a far away land falls in love with the Princess, causing him to become Jaffar's enemy. Jaffar kidnaps the prince throwing him into the darkest part of the dungeon. The Princess now has one hour to make a choice: marry the evil Jaffar or die. Take the role of the young prince as he tries to escape from the dungeon. Each of the 12 game levels is a puzzle, and you have exactly 60 minutes to get through all of the levels. You are the only one who can save her, but you've been arrested and thrown in the dank dungeons far below the palace where the princess nervously waits in a room at the top of a tower. You escape the guards' clutches, but you have a long way to go to rescue your true love and depose the cruel tyrant who rules his land with an iron fist. To get there, you'll have to leap across bottomless chasms, avoid spikes which shoot up from the floor, and battle nasty swordsmen.

There are guards throughout the dungeon who are trying to stop you, but you can pick up a sword and use it to dispatch the guards.

Break out of the dungeon and save the woman you love in Prince of Persia.

Prince of Persia features:

• Take control of young prince
• 60-minute time limit
• 12 levels
• Fight with a sword
• Face a variety of enemies

Partially due to the Prince's movements, the controls are just a little bit awkward. Pressing left or right will make the Prince sprint in that direction, while pressing up will jump. There's an additional button which will let you tiptioe (useful for getting close to edges) and to grab onto ledges.The game's not all about jumping over platforms – a fair amount of it revolves around sword fighting. After you snag your sword in the first level, you'll face a plethora of guards. These encounters are extraordinarily difficult at first, but you'll get the hang of them eventually. You can either attack or parry with your sword, but your opponent can do the same. Sword fighting requires splendidly fast reflexes and a keen eye to determine when to defend and strike. Even at the beginning of the game, the guards are pretty vicious. Initially you can only take three hits, but with a bit of exploration, you can find potions that lengthen your life meter.

In a time of darkness, while the Sultan is off fighting a foreign war, his Grand Vizier Jaffar has seized the reins of power. Throughout the land, people groan under the yoke of tyranny, and dream of better days.

You are the only obstacle between Jaffar and the throne. An adventurer from a foreign land, innocent of palace intrigues, you have won the heart of the Sultan's lovely young daughter. And in so doing, you have unwittingly made a powerful enemy.

On Jaffar's orders, you are arrested, stripped of your sword and possessions, and thrown into the Sultan's dungeons. As for the princess, Jaffar gives her a choice, and an hour to decide. Marry him – or die.

Locked in her room high in the palace tower, the Princess rests all her hopes on you. For when the last sands drain from the hourglass, her choice can bring only a throne for the Grand Vizier… a new reign of terror for his long-suffering subjects… and death for the brave young youth who might have been… Prince of Persia.

Played in real time, Prince of Persia gives you exactly one hour of game time to master its secrets and reach your objective. Using animation modeled after the movements of real people, creator Jordan Mechner has crafted an intriguing game which not only looks wonderful, it has the feel of an old adventure film, with you in the title role. Are you up to the challenge?