Prince of Persia review - Sega Master System

Although it looks like just another platform game, Prince of Persia takes a fresh angle on this popular formula. Instead of the usual arcade-style running and jumping about, the gameplay is fairly sedate and, for want of a better description, far more realistic than anything I've played before. You have to think about where you're jumping to, whether to haul yourself up a level or cautiously drop down a floor. The realism is further enhanced by the outstanding animation. The movement of the main character is truly brilliant and is easily the most realistic I've seen on a console game - this is a game you really have to see to appreciate. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was the combat - it's all a bit weak and the parrying and thrusting could have been made far more realistic. But really that's a minor niggle, and it doesn't stop this being an essential purchase for platform/arcade adventure fans.

I used to be a real Prince of Persia fan. I had the PC version and many hours were spent playing it (when I should have been writing the mag!). This Master System version is truly excellent. It manages to combine all of the superb graphics and the stylish gameplay of the original computer versions, making for a game that's very enjoyable to play and extremely tough to beat. It's a bit difficult to play at first. The controls seem unresponsive and tricky, but once you've sussed out how to use them properly, you'll be stunned by the sheer amount of things you can do in the game. My one moan is that sword-fighting is not quite as responsive as the computer version. This makes parrying your opponent's thrusts very difficult. But apart from that niggle, I can report that Prince of Persia is an excellent conversion and it's the best thing I've played on the Master System this month. Go for it!