Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is available as a full-game limited trial for Nintendo Switch Online members on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The offer began September 24 at 10 AM PT and ends September 30 at 11:59 PM PT.

The unusually generous part is that this is not merely an opening-area demo. Eligible members can download and play the complete game during the trial window. There is one major condition: a Nintendo Switch Online membership is required. Players without that membership cannot use this particular offer as described.

It is a notable chance to sample a Prince of Persia entry that took a different route from the series’ better-known 3D adventures. Developed by Ubisoft Montpellier, The Lost Crown is a 2D, Metroidvania-style action game. That label generally describes a game built around a connected world, where new movement abilities or tools open routes that were previously inaccessible. In practical terms, it means exploration, returning to earlier areas, platforming and combat progression are central to the experience rather than incidental detours.

What the Switch trial includes

The trial offers access to the entire game rather than imposing a stated content cutoff. However, access only lasts through the September 30 deadline. Anyone planning to use the offer should download it and begin playing before the closing time, rather than treating it as a permanent addition to their Switch library.

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A useful feature for players considering a later purchase is save-data carryover. Progress made during the trial can be transferred if the full game is bought afterward. That removes the usual demo problem of replaying several hours simply to reach the point where the trial ended. For a game structured around exploration and incremental upgrades, continuity matters: abilities earned and map progress made during the free period can remain meaningful beyond it.

Nintendo Switch Online members can also earn 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points by completing a mission in the game during the trial. Details for the mission are available in the Missions & Rewards area of the Nintendo Switch Online portal or from the Switch home screen.

Platinum Points are part of Nintendo’s My Nintendo rewards program, so they are separate from the game itself and separate from an in-game currency. The key practical distinction is that players will need to check the mission’s requirements and complete them within the trial period. Simply downloading the game may not necessarily be enough, based on the information available.

Why this trial is worth noticing

Full-game trials make more sense for a title like The Lost Crown than a short vertical slice would. A conventional demo can show movement, combat and visuals, but it may not reveal whether the larger loop of discovering paths, gaining abilities and revisiting blocked spaces works for an individual player. A time-limited complete-game download gives players room to decide that for themselves.

It also lets returning Prince of Persia fans judge the series’ 2D direction without having to assume it will play like the 3D entries. The game has been praised for carrying forward qualities associated with the franchise while using its side-view perspective to avoid some problems linked to the older 3D games. That is an important framing point: the perspective shift is not simply cosmetic. It changes the kinds of navigation challenges and combat readability the game can prioritize.

For newcomers, the trial may be especially useful as a low-risk entry point. “Metroidvania” can sound like a genre promise or warning depending on a player’s preferences. Some players enjoy methodically probing a map and returning later with a new skill; others prefer a more linear route. Because the entire game is playable during the offer, members can evaluate the actual structure instead of relying on the label alone.

How to approach the offer efficiently

Players who are interested but short on time should keep the deadline in mind. The full game may be available, but a limited trial is still a limited trial. A sensible approach is to first establish whether the game’s movement, fighting and exploration rhythm click, then decide whether to use the remaining window to push further or buy the game later with progress intact.

  • Confirm that the Switch user account has an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.
  • Download Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown before the trial closes at 11:59 PM PT on September 30.
  • Check Missions & Rewards through the Nintendo Switch Online portal or the Switch home screen for the Platinum Points task.
  • Complete the listed mission during the eligible period to claim the 100 Platinum Points.
  • Keep the save data if planning to purchase later, since the trial progress can carry over.

That final point is particularly helpful for an exploration-focused game. Rather than making a purchase decision from a detached demo save, players can continue directly from their own completed objectives, discovered routes and unlocked progress.

A celebrated game with an uncertain future

The opportunity arrives against a more complicated backdrop for the game and its developers. The Lost Crown received critical acclaim, including an 8/10 review score that highlighted its successful move to a 2D format. Yet the game reportedly did not meet sales expectations. Ubisoft later disbanded the team behind it, and reported plans for a sequel were shelved as developers moved to other work.

That does not mean the game was abandoned immediately after release. It has since received new modes, updates, story DLC and a mobile version. Still, the outlook for a direct follow-up remains poor based on the currently available information.

That tension is one reason the Switch trial stands out. It gives a wider Nintendo audience a straightforward way to see what the game does well, at a point when there is no clear indication that a sequel is coming. A strong response to a limited offer cannot by itself establish a sequel’s prospects, and it would be speculation to treat the trial as proof of a change in Ubisoft’s plans. But it can put a well-regarded game in front of people who may have missed it during its original sales run.

Prince of Persia as a broader brand is not entirely quiet. The Rogue Prince of Persia has received updates this year, adding elements, tools, weapon affixes and quality-of-life improvements. Meanwhile, the planned Sands of Time remake has been cancelled. The result is a franchise with active pieces but no firm sequel path for The Lost Crown, despite the acclaim around its particular interpretation of the series.

The important deadline

For Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, the decision is uncomplicated: the full game can be tried without an additional game purchase through September 30, and buying later does not require starting over. For everyone else, the membership requirement is the catch attached to what is otherwise a substantial offer.

Players who want a quick reminder of the trial’s scope and dates can also see the full Switch trial details. The deadline remains September 30 at 11:59 PM PT, so prospective players should not confuse a full-game trial with permanent access.