Mechner
...trolled a young prince (of Persia) who was attempting to save his lover before an evil Vizier killed her. What made the game unique was its time limit. The Prince could not tarry here and dally there while gradually making his way to the captive princess. No, he had only had sixty minutes, sixty minutes to evade traps, figure out puzzles, duel enemies, and save his gal. I played the game, and not surprisingly, I excelled. Perhaps, contrary to popular belief, the game was simply not that difficult. More likely though, the game came naturally to me. Like swimming to a fish, it was second nature. Unfortunately, in both the game AND real life, Time was against me. Despite my preternatural abilities, I was forced to return the game before I finished it. But hear me now, and hear me well. I had that game won, make no mistake about it. In the pantheon of forgone conclusions, that game's defeat comes second only to the presidential defeat of Michael Dukakis. In fact, if memory serves, Mr. Mechner himself even called me, much like a beaten politician, to offer me congratulations. I accepted them graciously. Shockingly, though, my victory was not recognized by my closest friends. Perhaps they were projecting their bitterness over being unable to beat an earlier Mechner game, Karateka. Or, more likely, they were simply consumed by jealousy. Whatever the case, Mr. Nicholas Darrow and Ms. Gabriel Cheifetz have always taunted me with my unfinished business. And while ...