Time Rewind Mechanic

Lore & Background

Within the narrative, the Prince obtains the Dagger of Time during his father's attack on an ancient city, instigated by a traitorous Vizier. The Dagger is connected to the Sands of Time, which are released when the Vizier tricks the Prince into opening the hourglass in Azad. The Prince's ability to rewind time is one of the magical abilities tied to the Dagger and the Sands he collects from enemies and the environment. The most basic and defensive power is Rewind, allowing the Prince to reverse time by up to ten seconds. This power is fueled by Sand collected from defeated enemies and Sand Clouds scattered around the palace. The Prince starts with a small amount of Sand available, and its capacity can be increased by collecting more Sand. The Dagger also develops special power "tanks" that unlock more offensive Sand Powers, such as slowing time, freezing a single enemy, or freezing time completely so the Prince can attack at great speed.

In Their Own Story

The Prince teeters on a crumbling ledge above a pit of spikes. He slips, gravity taking hold as his fingers lose purchase. Pain flashes in his mind before impact. Suddenly, the air shimmers. The sand swirls upward from the ground below. His body lifts back into the air, unbroken. He lands safely on the stone, breathing hard, knowing he has seconds to spare. Later, in combat, the Prince is overwhelmed by sand monsters. He activates the Rewind ability, and the battle reverses. Enemies move backward, their attacks undone. The Prince finds himself in a better position, ready to strike again. The Dagger glows with the Sands he has collected, its power a constant reminder of the Vizier's treachery and the Prince's responsibility to undo the damage he caused.

Reader's Guide

The Time Rewind Mechanic debuted in Ubisoft Montreal's 2003 reboot, The Sands of Time. The concept of rewinding time was one of four guiding concepts the team began with after the initial story draft was scrapped as too complex. This idea grew into the Dagger, the Sands, and the various powers related to them. The Rewind ability is the most basic and defensive power, allowing the Prince to reverse time by up to ten seconds. It can reverse fatal game-ending mistakes such as missteps in platforming, getting overwhelmed by enemies, or losing Farah. In combat, once the Dagger develops special power "tanks," the Prince can also use three more offensive Sand Powers: slowing time immediately around him, freezing time for a single enemy, or freezing time completely so he can attack enemies at great speed while they are unable to move. Each use of power uses up one Sand Tank, and when empty, all powers become inaccessible until more Sand is collected. The Prince collects Sand from enemies and Sand Clouds scattered around the palace. Large columns of Sand within the Palace grant visions of future areas and act as save points. The Game Boy Advance version also features the Rewind ability, which is used to save the Prince's life and is involved in solving some puzzles and fighting bosses.

Did You Know?

• The Rewind ability can reverse time by up to ten seconds to reverse fatal game-ending mistakes such as missteps in platforming, getting overwhelmed by enemies or losing Farah.
• The concept of rewinding time was one of four guiding concepts the team began with after the initial story draft was scrapped as too complex.
• The Rewind ability is also present in the Game Boy Advance version, where it is used to save the Prince's life and is involved in solving some puzzles and fighting bosses.
• The Prince's health and power meter are represented in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
• Collecting Sands increases the Prince's power, and drinking from hidden magic fountains increases the Prince's maximum health.