Prince of Persia for Roku
October 31, 2025 ยท View on GitHub
A port of the classic game Prince of Persia (1989) to Roku streaming devices and TVs.
About the Project
I started this project, in February of 2016, as a programming exercise while I was learning more about Roku BrightScript 2D gaming API.
This port was made using the (unfinished) HTML5 version developed by @ultrabolido as a starting point, and the original Apple II Assembly code by Jordan Mechner as a reference for the functionalities. I also got a lot of help from the Prince of Persia Modding Community, where I could get tools, assets and all my questions answered on the Forum, thanks guys!
With the high resolution of the current Full HD TV's I had the idea to implement a new feature for the game, never before seen on Prince of Persia ports, the multi-room mode, this way instead of only being able to see the current room you are playing at, now you can see 4 (2x2 mode) or even 9 (3x3 mode) rooms at the same time. This feature I created gives (literally) a new perspective to the game.
There are two selectable options of sprites, the classic MS-DOS (1990) and Macintosh (1992) versions, all levels and cut scenes are already implemented. In addition to that, it also supports Mods with custom levels, graphics and sounds. Some examples, converted from the Community DOS Mods, are available in the game.
Project Recognition
In 2020, the original game developer, Jordan Mechner, released the Hardcover of his book The Making of Prince of Persia, and in the Legacy section of the book he published a full page about this project.
How to Play
- You can play the game in your browser, with the Roku Simulator that I also developed: Try it Now.
- In order to to play in a Roku, you need to side load the app on your device, following these steps:
- Download the latest zip package from the releases page.
- Install the app using the developer mode, according to the Roku documentation.
Recommended devices
The game is playable on all current Roku devices and TVs, but the best performance is with more powerful devices like the Roku Ultra. The Wifi remote control is recommended for a better experience.
Changelog
See the CHANGELOG.md file for more details.
Development Evolution Videos
Below links to some preview videos I published on YouTube during the development:
Other Projects
You should also take a look at my other retro-game remake projects:
Legal Notes
Disclaimer: The source code in this repository shall not be used commercially or sold in any form, nobody is allowed to publish it (with or without modifications) in the Roku Channel Store or any other app store, the objective of this project is educational. Any usage/publication of this code must be explicitly authorized by the author.
Copyright (C) 2016-2025 Marcelo Lv Cabral
Twitter: @lvcabral