Tuesday 12 September 2006
Everyone's favourite time-controlling Iranian royal is making his way back to PSP this Christmas in the shape of Prince of Persia Rival Swords.

As with his previous PSP outing he's retreading his steps through the most recent current-gen game - this time The Two Thrones - with a few new levels thrown in for good measure.

Rival Swords features a new multiplayer mode, letting you race against a friend as either Prince or Dark Prince, triggering traps in their level with switches in yours. There are also new single-player bonuses, such as chariot combat levels, available straight from the main menu for a quick blast of fun.

Of course, fans hoping for an all-new, created-for-PSP game may well be disappointed at the game's Two Thrones core. Although PoP Revelations on PSP delivered the whole Warrior Within PS2 game and more, it was the victim of its own ambition with frequent pauses for loading, a jittery frame-rate and rooms too dark for PSP's screen.

But if the Prince's previous handheld problems can be overcome, PSP owners should be in for some riveting rooftop-leaping, time-bending fun.