Prince of Persia

CONTENTS

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.

To turn around	- Tap the joypad to the left or right.
To run	- Push the joypad in the direction you want to go (left or right). - Release the joypad to stop.
To take careful steps	- Hold down button 1 and push the joypad in the direction you    want to go. - You can use careful steps to move right up to the edge of a pit    or a suspicious-looking floor section.
To jump forward	- When you are standing still, push button B and move the joypad    in the direction you want to jump. - You can jump further with a running start. - For a jump over a chasm, back up at least two strides from the edge.    Move the joypad to start running and button B to jump.
To climb up onto a ledge	- Stand facing the ledge and push the joypad straight up. - If necessary, use careful steps to position yourself below the ledge.
To climb down from a ledge	- Step up to the edge, turn around, then push the joypad down. - To hang from the edge, press button A and hold it down. - To let yourself drop, release button A. - Any time you jump or fall within reach of a ledge, you can grab    onto it by pressing a button.    Remember - when you release the button, you let go of the ledge!
To duck	- Push the joypad straight down. Release it to stand up.
To pick something up	- Crouch down near it by pushing the joypad straight down.

When you come face to face with an armed opponent, release the joypad. You will automatically draw your sword - if you have one - and go on guard. In this stance, the controls are somewhat different.

To strike	- Press button A.
To advance	- Push the joypad in the direction you're facing   (towards your opponent).
To retreat	- Push the joypad away from your opponent.
To block your opponent's strike	- Push button B just as your opponent is striking.    It may take some practice to get the timing right.   Watch your opponent carefully, and wait for him to strike.
To stop fighting:	- Push the joypad down.   Once you have put away your sword, you are free to run,   jump and climb as usual. Be careful, though - when you are   off guard, a single sword blow can kill you.

The row of triangles in the top left corner of the screen indicates your current strength. Every time you get hurt, you lose one unit of strength. When the last of your strength disappears, you die.

When you start the game, you can choose 1, 2 or 3 units of strength. (Later on, you may be able to increase your strength beyond this limit.)

Things that cost you one unit of strength include a blow by a guard's sword, two-storey falls, and having a section of the floor collapse on your head. Other, more serious accidents can kill you outright.

An opponent's strength is indicated by a row of triangles in the top right corner of the screen. To kill an opponent, you need to take away all his strength units.

When you reach the end of a level, you will be given a password. To restart at this level in future follow the on-screen prompts and enter the password when requested.

Although this is your first time inside the Sultan's palace, you do have some general information that may help you.

The Princess is imprisoned in the high tower of the palace. To reach her, you must find your way out of the dungeons, through the palace's main building, and up to the top of the tower.

Generally speaking, the guards on dungeon duty tend to be the dregs of the Sultan's corps. The more capable ones are usually assigned to the palace's main building. The very best of them - the deadliest swordsmen are in the Sultan's employ - are kept for the elite honour guard in the tower, where they are responsible for the personal safety of the Princess and of the Grand Vizier.

Since your arrival in the city, you have heard some strange rumours. It is whispered that the Grand Vizier Jaffar is a magician, a master of the black arts of enchantment, that his powers are more than mortal. Knowing, as you do, that much of what passes for magic is mere trickery and superstition, you are reluctant to take these stories too seriously. Nevertheless, they don't do much for your peace of mind.

To get the maximum distance from a standing jump across a chasm, use careful steps to move right up to the edge of the pit before you jump.

If you jump a chasm but fall short, you may still be able to grab on to the opposite ledge by pressing button A. Remember, when you let go of the button, you let go of the ledge.

Every time you block an opponent's sword strike, the force of the blow pushes you back slightly. If you adopt a defensive strategy, you will find yourself steadily losing ground. Try following up a successful block with a strike.

Learn to recognise different kinds of potions by sight.

You can cross a bed of spikes safely by taking careful steps.

A two-storey drop will hurt you. A three-storey drop will kill you.

You never know what you'll find in a dungeon. Don't be afraid to explore, and to experiment. After all, you've got nothing to lose except your life, the Princess, and the entire kingdom.