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Originally released for the Apple II in 1989, Prince of Persia was the first platform-style game to replace the halting, jerky animation of game characters with fluid, lifelike moves. Instead of using just a few frames to depict a character walking or running, Prince of Persia employed dozens — when the game’s eponymous prince drew his sword or fenced with an enemy, for instance, the animation was smooth and continuous.
This of course required a much finer appreciation of gameplay timing, knowing precisely when in the animation cycle to leap from one ledge to another, when to turn mid-sprint to run the other way while solving timed puzzles involving crumbling platforms or falling doors, and when to strike or parry when sword-fighting with guards.
All the while, a one-hour clock ran down, requiring honed reflexes to escape the dungeons in time, reach the sultan’s palace and defeat the game’s antagonist, a wizard named Jaffar.