Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Is Fully Playable Free on Switch Until September 30

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is offering Nintendo players an unusually generous chance to see everything it has to offer. The complete game is currently available as a limited-time downloadable trial for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, rather than a small vertical slice or a time-limited opening section.

The offer began at 10 AM PT on September 24 and remains active until 11:59 PM PT on Wednesday, September 30. There is an important requirement: access is limited to players with an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. Those who qualify can download the game and play through its entire campaign during the trial window.

It is a substantial opportunity for players who skipped the acclaimed action-platformer at launch, especially because The Lost Crown is built around exploration, upgrades, difficult combat encounters, and an expansive interconnected map. A short demo can communicate its movement and visual style, but it cannot fully represent the gradual growth of its protagonist, Sargon, or the satisfaction of returning to previously unreachable corners of Mount Qaf with newly acquired abilities. This trial can.

A Full Game Trial, Not Just an Opening Demo

Ubisoft Montpellier's take on Prince of Persia takes the series into a 2D Metroidvania-style format. Sargon is a member of the Immortals, an elite group of Persian warriors, and his journey leads him through the mysterious Mount Qaf after a royal kidnapping sets the story in motion. The structure emphasizes mobility, environmental puzzles, boss battles, optional discoveries, and an ever-growing collection of powers that reshape how players navigate the world.

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Calling this release a demo may undersell it. Players are not simply being given the first mission or a curated sample of the combat system. Nintendo Switch Online members can access the entire adventure while the promotion is live. The catch is that the access period ends on September 30, meaning anyone hoping to reach the credits without purchasing the game will need to make good use of the available days.

That deadline also makes the offer well suited to players who want to test the game before committing to a purchase. The Lost Crown is a densely packed adventure with a meaningful amount of optional content, so newcomers can use the trial either as a focused run at the main path or as a chance to explore at their own pace and decide whether they want to own it permanently.

Save Data Carries Into a Purchase

The limited nature of the trial does not mean time spent playing will be lost. Save data from the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 trial can be carried over if a player later buys the full game. That is especially useful in a progression-focused game where collected upgrades, discovered fast-travel points, completed side objectives, and map progress can represent many hours of play.

For players who begin the trial near the end of its availability window, that transfer support removes much of the pressure associated with a temporary game offer. They can explore the opening hours, learn the game's demanding rhythm of parries, dodges, aerial movement, and special powers, then continue from the same save file if they choose to purchase it after September 30.

The Switch version is also a natural fit for a game whose sessions can be as short or as long as a player wants. A quick handheld session may be enough for one challenging encounter, a new puzzle room, or a sweep through an unexplored region. Longer play sessions, meanwhile, can be spent pursuing story objectives or clearing the extensive map. Nintendo Switch 2 owners are included in the trial as well.

Platinum Points Are Available During the Event

There is an additional reward attached to the trial. Nintendo Switch Online members can earn 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points by completing a mission in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown during the promotional period. Players can find the exact mission requirements through the Missions & Rewards section of the Nintendo Switch Online portal or through the Nintendo Switch home screen.

That incentive is separate from the game access itself, but it gives subscribers another reason to download the trial even if they only plan to spend a little time with it. As with the full-game offer, players should check the relevant mission details and complete the requirement before the September 30 cutoff rather than assuming it will remain available afterward.

The combination of full access, persistent saves, and Platinum Points makes this more compelling than a conventional demo. It gives players a practical path to sample the game's opening, pursue a reward, and preserve their file for later. It also gives dedicated action-platformer fans enough time to dig deep into the systems that have made The Lost Crown stand out from more traditional Prince of Persia entries.

A Different Direction for Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown arrived as a fresh interpretation of a long-running franchise more commonly associated in recent years with 3D action-adventure games such as The Sands of Time. Rather than revisiting that formula directly, Ubisoft Montpellier built a fast 2D action game that draws on Metroidvania conventions while retaining key Prince of Persia strengths: fluid traversal, traps, acrobatic movement, and environments that reward careful observation.

Sargon's mobility is central to the experience. The game steadily adds options that change both combat and exploration, encouraging players to revisit earlier locations and consider routes from a new angle. That structure can make the world feel much larger than its side-scrolling presentation initially suggests. It is a game that benefits from a useful map, an organized checklist, and a willingness to investigate suspicious walls, locked passages, and areas that appear just out of reach.

The game was widely praised on release, with particular appreciation for its responsive controls, inventive boss encounters, and approach to the franchise's legacy. Its 2D perspective was seen as more than a stylistic downgrade from the better-known 3D installments; it provided a focused framework for solving some of the frustrations that had affected portions of the series' earlier 3D era.

Anyone starting the Switch trial should expect a game that can be challenging, particularly when it comes to boss fights and precision platforming. The Lost Crown provides a variety of systems that reward practice, including defensive timing, attack strings, special attacks, and customizable elements that can help shape a preferred combat style. Exploration is equally important, and players who become stuck on the critical path may find that a missed power or overlooked route is the key to moving forward.

Acclaim Did Not Secure a Straightforward Future

The trial arrives against a more complicated backdrop for the game and the series. Despite its strong critical reception, The Lost Crown reportedly did not reach Ubisoft's sales expectations. The team behind the game was subsequently disbanded, and a sequel was reportedly shelved as developers moved to other projects, including the still-in-development Beyond Good and Evil 2.

That outcome has made The Lost Crown's future feel uncertain, even as the game itself has continued to receive support. It has gained new modes, updates, story DLC, and a mobile version. Those additions give existing fans more ways to engage with the game and provide newcomers with a more complete package than the launch release alone.

A successful limited trial does not automatically change long-term plans for a franchise. Still, broad access can introduce a critically admired game to players who may have overlooked it amid a crowded release schedule. The Lost Crown has also been featured in major sales, and offers such as this Nintendo Switch Online trial create another avenue for word of mouth to build around a game that many players may not have encountered yet.

Prince of Persia Fans Still Have Other Paths Forward

While the immediate prospect of another Lost Crown is reportedly bleak, Prince of Persia has not disappeared. The Rogue Prince of Persia has received several updates this year, including new elements, tools, weapon affixes, and quality-of-life improvements. Its roguelite approach makes it a very different kind of experience, but it gives fans another modern entry to follow.

At the same time, the anticipated remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has unfortunately been canceled. That leaves The Lost Crown in an especially notable position: it is one of the most fully realized recent expressions of the franchise, and its Switch trial presents a rare no-additional-cost way for eligible subscribers to learn why it earned so much praise.

For Nintendo Switch Online members, the immediate decision is straightforward. Download the trial before it ends, check the Missions & Rewards requirements for the 100 Platinum Points, and make sure to preserve any save data if the journey through Mount Qaf proves worth continuing. The window closes at 11:59 PM PT on September 30, and once it does, the complete-game access portion of this offer will be over.