Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Mobile Review for iOS & Android

Although it may seem false to some, 2024 was so full of good games that great titles went unnoticed during the awards season and even among gamers. For example, there is the case of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, whose sales were not what Ubisoft expected but which, even so, is one of the best games the developer has ever made. Fortunately, Metroidvania will have a second chance to win over the public, this time on mobile devices.

However, bringing an experience that requires precision and good performance to Android and iOS sounds like a dangerous task, with a high probability of going wrong. Therefore, is asking, “Is Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown worth it on mobile?” valid? We played it for several hours in its new version, and here are our impressions.

You should know that the following text does not contain an opinion of the game per se. We analyzed the console version and explained why it represents an excellent return to the franchise. Here, we will focus on two key aspects: performance and gameplay comfort, both with touch and physical controls.

How is the game performing on mobile phones?

We tested the game on an iPhone 15, with all the advantages and disadvantages that it implies, such as the 60 Hz screen. Still, Ubisoft paid special attention to ensuring that even Apple devices, usually noted for their gaming power-deliver a solid experience. The Lost Crown ran at a stable 60 fps in most of our sessions.

However, we must clarify that the prologue presented constant frame drops, which were annoying. Fortunately, once the first act started, performance stabilized almost entirely, with only occasional jerks during specific animations.

The mobile version is cut down graphically compared to the console versions, but thanks to the game’s art style, this doesn’t affect the experience. Even on consoles like PS5 or Xbox Series, The Lost Crown did not rely on complex visual effects, so adjustments on iOS and Android are not a concern if the goal is to maintain a stable frame rate.

On-screen, the animations, attacks, powers and scenarios look good. It’s a game that seamlessly adapts to the visual standards of mobile gaming. In addition, the text of the dialogues fits perfectly with the screen size, with customization options such as subtitles and background to improve reading.

The biggest sin of the game is in its controls :

This is where we find the most significant weakness: the touch controls. Ubisoft tried to replicate the console experience, but being a Metroidvania, precision in attacks and jumps is essential, and the virtual controls are simply not up to the task. The buttons are awkward, and the joystick doesn’t find an ideal place on the screen.

While you can customize the position of the buttons, the joystick—whether floating or fixed—gets in the way in key sections of the game. It will get in the way of the action or platforming, turning your finger into one more obstacle to overcome. We tried every possible way, and the result was always the same: playing this title with virtual controls is almost impossible.

Even the game is aware of this flaw, so from the first moment you start, it recommends playing with an external controller (and headphones). And yes, we enjoy The Lost Crown when we heed this recommendation. The default button mapping is the same as on consoles, but you can adjust it to your liking.

The game received successful testing using both generic controller and Xbox controller interfaces. Sargon’s agile movements performed without delay during the play session. This experience reveals perfect quality which matches everything console-based gameplay has on offer.

Before we get into the final verdict, players must use physical controllers to play since touch controls are not supported by the game design. The most significant aspect of this mobile version is that Ubisoft included equivalent content from its other platforms in the mobile release. There is no concern about finding a shortened or diluted version of the game because it provides a complete experience that made it one of the best titles of 2024.

Conclusion: A medium-budget game continues to steal the spotlight.

The Lost Crown variant of Prince of Persia provides an exceptional gaming experience through genre integration yet carries some unconventional development flaws and weaknesses.

The game contains several unique design decisions which include localization problems and expanded events for game duration extension. This game holds value to viewers who enjoy platformers or 2D games.