About Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia is a cinematic platform game designed and implemented by Jordan Mechner. Broderbund developed and published it for the Apple II, where it first came out in North America on October 3, 1989, followed by Japan in July 1990 and Europe in September 1990. The MS-DOS version, which is the one DOS.Zone runs, followed in 1990. Francis Mechner wrote the music and Tom Rettig handled the sound.
The story is set in medieval Persia. You control an unnamed hero who must make his way through a series of dungeons, defeat the evil Grand Vizier Jaffar and save an imprisoned princess. The rule that shapes everything is the clock: you have 60 minutes to rescue her, and that limit is what turns each trip through the dungeons into a race. It is a single-player game, and versions also reached the Amiga and the Mac.
How it runs in your browser
Click Play and DOS.Zone’s Prince of Persia page opens in a new tab. The site’s js-dos, an open-source DOSBox build for browsers, emulates a DOS PC and starts the original 1990 MS-DOS release. The files come from DOS.Zone, so you don’t download an installer, bring a copy of the game or sign up for anything, and the site has no ads. Players there rate it 5 out of 5 from 246 reviews, and the description on the listing says the game is free to play without registration.
The host’s notes don’t say whether saving works in the browser. With a 60-minute limit built into the game, it’s worth setting aside a full hour when you want a serious attempt at the ending.
Controls and devices
Prince of Persia was made for a keyboard, and that’s what you’ll want here. The key layout isn’t listed in the host’s notes, so check DOS.Zone’s page before you start. DOS.Zone offers virtual on-screen controls on phones, and its description says you can play this game on mobile that way, but a keyboard on a desktop or laptop is the better fit. If you do try a phone, get used to the on-screen controls in the opening area before you commit to a full hour. Chromebooks aren’t confirmed.
Who it’s for
It suits players who want the first Prince of Persia in its 1990 DOS form rather than a later game in the series, and anyone who likes a platformer with a firm deadline. The rules are simple to state: one hero, one princess and one hour. For more DOS platforming on DOS.Zone, try Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion, and for a 3D adventure from later in the decade, Tomb Raider from 1996 also runs in a browser.
Is Prince of Persia Free, Safe and Official?
Can I play the original Prince of Persia online for free?
Yes. DOS.Zone runs the 1990 MS-DOS version free in a browser tab, with no registration and nothing to download.
How long do you have to finish Prince of Persia?
The game gives you 60 minutes to rescue the princess. That time limit is the core rule of the original Prince of Persia.
Can I play Prince of Persia on my phone?
DOS.Zone says you can, using its virtual on-screen controls. The game was built for a keyboard, though, so a computer is the better fit.
