If you were around in 2010, you probably remember the marketing blitz for the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. Ubisoft was pushing it hard as the grand return to the Sands of Time universe. Most people picked it up on Xbox 360 or PS3, played through the story of the Prince and his brother Malik, and called it a day.
They missed the best part.
Honestly, it's one of the weirdest quirks in gaming history. While the "main" consoles got one game, the Nintendo Wii got a completely different experience. Same title. Totally different everything else. If you haven't played the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Wii version, you basically missed an entire standalone entry in the franchise. It’s not a port. It’s not a "shrunk down" version. It’s a ground-up reimagining that, in many ways, actually outshines its high-definition cousins.
Why the Wii version is a completely different beast
Let’s clear this up immediately because it confuses everyone. Usually, when a game comes out on multiple consoles, the Wii version is just the "ugly" one with motion controls tacked on.
Not this time.
Ubisoft Quebec was handed the keys to the kingdom and told to make something specifically for Nintendo’s hardware. While Ubisoft Montreal was busy with the HD version’s "Army of Solomon" plot, the Quebec team built a story about a genie named Zahra and a cursed kingdom called Izdahar.
You aren't fighting sand monsters in a desert palace here. You’re navigating a decaying, jungle-choked ruin possessed by a sentient, malicious plant called the Haoma. The Prince himself feels different, too. He’s got that sarcastic, treasure-hunter energy from the 2008 reboot but exists within the Sands of Time continuity. It’s a weird, beautiful middle ground.
The technical specs are also a shocker. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions capped at 30 frames per second to handle all those hundreds of enemies on screen, the Wii version targets a crisp 60 FPS. It’s smooth. It’s fast. It feels like the old-school PlayStation 2 trilogy in terms of movement but with a level of polish the Wii rarely saw.
The creation powers: Not just "Sands of Time" 2.0
Most Prince of Persia games are about fixing mistakes. You fall, you rewind. You die, you rewind.
The Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands on Wii tosses that out. Well, mostly. Instead of the Dagger of Time, you have Zahra. She gives you "Life Orbs" which act as a safety net—basically a second chance that triggers instantly when you mess up—but the real magic is in the "Creation Powers."
This is where the Wii Remote actually justifies its existence. You use the pointer to literally draw platforms into the world.
- Sand Spires: You point at the ground and "lift" a pillar of sand to reach high ledges.
- Spirit Hooks: You point at a wall and click to create a golden ring you can swing from or hang onto.
- Magical Spheres: This is the late-game MVP. You can create a bubble of air in mid-jump to just... stop. You hang there in space, look around, and plan your next move.
Early on, the game limits these to specific "plates" on the walls. It feels like a standard puzzle game. But then, about halfway through, the training wheels come off. You can place these hooks and spires almost anywhere. It changes the game from a linear platformer into a "find your own way" sandbox.
You’re not just following a path the developers made; you’re drawing the path yourself while you're in mid-air. It’s dizzying. It’s rewarding. And honestly? It’s more innovative than anything the HD versions tried to do with their elemental water-freezing mechanics.
The "Waggle" problem and the 60 FPS dream
I’m not going to lie to you: the combat is the weak link.
Ubisoft Quebec went full "Wii era" with the fighting. You swing the remote to slash the sword. You shake the Nunchuk to punch. It’s fine for twenty minutes, but after three hours, your wrist is going to feel it.
The enemies are a bit generic, too. They’re mostly plant-demon things that don’t have much personality. They lumber toward you, you waggle the controller until they disappear, and you move back to the platforming.
But you aren't playing this for the combat. You’re playing for the flow.
There is a specific rhythm to a 60 FPS Prince of Persia game that just feels right. Wall-running into a jump, spawning a sand spire beneath your feet, jumping again to create a hook, and then swinging into a balcony—it’s pure kinetic energy.
A hidden co-op mode?
Surprisingly, the game has a co-op feature. It’s very much in the vein of Super Mario Galaxy. A second player can pick up a Wii Remote and point at the screen to help out.
They can stun enemies, trigger traps, or help aim the Creation Powers. It’s not "Player 2 as a second Prince," but it’s a great way to play with someone who isn't great at platformers but wants to participate in the puzzles. It makes the game feel less like a lonely trek through a graveyard and more like a shared adventure.
The Izdahar atmosphere
Izdahar is a stunning setting for a Wii game. The art direction leans heavily into vibrant greens and glowing golds. It doesn't try to look "realistic" because the Wii couldn't do that well. Instead, it looks like a storybook.
The music, composed by Tom Salta, is incredible. It’s ambient, moody, and perfectly captures that "lost civilization" vibe. There are moments where the music just drops out, leaving you with the sound of wind and sand—which some people thought was a glitch—but it actually builds this oppressive, lonely atmosphere that fits the Prince’s journey perfectly.
Why you should care in 2026
We’re in an era of remakes and remasters. But the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for Wii is stuck.
It’s trapped on original hardware. Because it relies so heavily on the Wii Remote’s pointer for the core platforming mechanics, it’s a nightmare to port to modern consoles. You can’t just map "point and click to create a hook" to a standard Xbox controller without it feeling clunky and slow.
This makes it a genuine "hidden gem."
If you have an old Wii or a Wii U gathering dust in the attic, this is the reason to hook it back up. It’s a 10-to-12-hour adventure that reminds you why we liked motion controls in the first place—before they became a gimmick for fitness games and shovelware.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re looking to experience this specific version of the Prince's journey, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Track down the physical disc: Prices for the Wii version are usually lower than the HD versions because people assume it's the inferior "port." It’s widely available on second-hand sites.
- Play on a Wii U if possible: While the game doesn't get a resolution bump, playing via HDMI on a Wii U keeps the colors a bit cleaner than the old composite cables on the original Wii.
- Focus on the Heroic Challenges: The game has an in-game achievement system. Completing these unlocks some of the best extras, including the original 1989 Prince of Persia (Mac version), which is a fantastic historical bonus.
- Don't rush the upgrades: The game uses "Djinn Souls" (golden spheres) to upgrade your health and powers. Take the time to explore the side paths in Izdahar; the level design is dense and hides a lot of these souls in places you’d never think to look.
The Sands of Time series is legendary, but this weird, experimental side-story is the closest the franchise ever got to letting the player "design" their own parkour. It’s a creative peak for a series that often felt like it was playing it too safe. Don't let the "Wii" label fool you—this is top-tier Prince of Persia.