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Nintendo Switch Online members can try Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown through Sept. 30, while IGN's tracking tools are free during the same window.
Nintendo Switch Online members can access a trial of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown from September 24 through September 30, 2026. IGN reported the availability on September 25, describing the trial as a chance for members to play the metroidvania platformer during Nintendo’s September game promotion.
The same period also opens IGN’s progress-tracking tools at no cost. According to IGN, players can use unlimited checkmarks and map markers on its interactive map and guides for The Lost Crown from September 24 through September 30. IGN also reports a 70% discount for the game on the Nintendo eShop during the trial, while the Steam discount is scheduled to continue until October 1.
The confirmed Nintendo platform context is straightforward: the trial is available to Nintendo Switch Online members, and the access window ends on September 30, 2026. IGN is the source for the timing and membership requirement. The supplied report does not identify a separate Nintendo Switch edition, a download size, an installation requirement, or a specific Nintendo Switch Online membership tier.
That distinction matters for anyone deciding whether to use the opportunity. The report establishes access for Nintendo Switch Online members, but it does not spell out whether every membership plan qualifies beyond its broad wording. IGN says the game is available to all Nintendo Switch Online members, so players should use that as the current description while checking the Nintendo eShop listing for any account-specific prompt or eligibility notice.
IGN also reports a purchase option on the Nintendo eShop at 70% off during the trial window. The source does not provide the resulting price, the currency, or a separate end time for the eShop offer beyond the September 24 to September 30 period. It also does not say whether saved progress from the trial carries into a purchase. Those details remain unconfirmed in the supplied report.
The promotion should not be read as confirmation that Nintendo developed The Lost Crown. The source confirms Nintendo’s role in making the game available as a Switch Online trial, but it does not identify the developer or publisher of the game. This article therefore makes no claim about Nintendo’s development role.
IGN says its interactive map and guides normally support progress tracking through checkmarks and map markers, and that both functions are free without the usual restriction during this specific window. The stated free period matches the Nintendo trial: September 24 through September 30, 2026. IGN presents the offer as a way to try features associated with IGN Plus while playing The Lost Crown.
IGN describes its walkthrough as being designed with 100% completion in mind. The publisher says the material includes detailed screenshots for difficult platforming sections, map screenshots that highlight missable content, and checkmarks for collectibles. These are features described by IGN, not results independently tested by OnlineGamesVIP.
The publisher also says its interactive map contains hundreds of marked locations, including collectibles, upgrades, quests, and other points of interest. IGN does not provide a total count in the supplied article, and it does not list every category represented on the map. Players should therefore treat “hundreds” as the publisher’s description rather than a separately verified number.
IGN’s main practical point is the connection between its map and walkthrough. According to the publisher, checking off a collectible on the interactive map automatically syncs that status with the IGN checklists. The source says this allows players to move between the map and written guides without manually recreating their progress. The supplied report does not confirm whether that synchronization requires an account, works across devices, or remains available after September 30.
The timing makes the tools most useful for players who want to decide quickly whether the game is worth buying after trying it. The trial lasts one week, and IGN’s free tracking period is the same length. Analysis: players who plan to sample the game rather than pursue completion may not need a full checklist, while anyone already interested in collecting upgrades, quests, and other marked objectives has a clear reason to test the map early.
A checklist can also help separate two decisions that are easy to combine. The first is whether The Lost Crown suits the player during the Nintendo trial. The second is whether IGN’s map and progress tools fit the player’s preferred way to explore. IGN’s description supports testing both at once, but it does not establish that the tools will make every objective easier or eliminate all backtracking. Those are player-facing possibilities, not confirmed outcomes.
Analysis: the shared end date creates a practical deadline. A player who starts near the end of the window has less time to evaluate the game and the checklist features before both free offers end. That does not mean a complete playthrough is possible or expected within the trial. The source gives no estimate of the game’s length, the amount of content available during the trial, or the time needed for completion.
For players who prefer written instructions, IGN specifically highlights its walkthrough and screenshots. For players who prefer a visual overview, IGN points to the interactive map. The source presents these as connected options rather than separate products with unrelated progress data. Analysis: switching between them may be useful when a player knows the general location of an objective but needs a more detailed explanation for a particular section. Whether that workflow feels better than playing without a guide remains a personal choice.
The discount is another point to watch, but its value cannot be calculated from the supplied information because the original price and final price are not given. IGN reports 70% off on the Nintendo eShop during the trial and 70% off on Steam until October 1. The report does not confirm whether the two store offers have identical terms, whether either version shares progress, or whether the eShop promotion continues beyond September 30.
The supplied catalog contains one relevant listing: Prince of Persia. The catalog does not provide a subtitle, platform, release information, or a description, so this link should be treated as the available game entry rather than additional evidence about the Switch trial. The publisher source identifies the trial title as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
Players looking for the trial should rely on the Nintendo eShop listing and their Nintendo Switch Online account for the access prompt. IGN confirms the membership-based window, but the supplied article does not include a step-by-step redemption process. It also does not say whether the trial is streamed or downloaded, so this article does not make a claim about how access is delivered.
What remains unknown and worth watching
Several practical details are not answered by IGN’s report. The source does not state whether trial progress is saved locally, whether it transfers to a purchased copy, or whether access ends at a particular hour on September 30. It also does not provide the exact Nintendo eShop price after the discount. Players should check the storefront before purchasing if any of those details affect their decision.
The report does not identify the Nintendo Switch Online plan requirements in more detail, and it does not describe any limitations on the trial’s content. It confirms availability to Nintendo Switch Online members, but it does not say whether the trial includes the complete game, excludes specific modes, or imposes a playtime cap. Those points should remain open rather than being inferred from the promotion.
IGN also does not confirm how long access to its checkmarks and map markers lasts after September 30. The publisher clearly limits the free offer to September 24 through September 30, but the supplied text does not explain what happens to progress data or previously marked locations afterward. Players using the tools should watch for an account notice or updated terms before assuming that their checklist status will remain available under the same conditions.
Finally, the source does not report performance, resolution, frame rate, technical issues, sales figures, or player response for the Nintendo version. No such claims can be made from this announcement. The confirmed news is narrower: Nintendo Switch Online members have a time-limited way to access The Lost Crown, IGN is making its related tracking features free for the same period, and the publisher reports matching store discounts with different end dates.
For now, the clearest plan is to check eligibility, note the September 30 deadline, and decide whether to use IGN’s map or walkthrough while the free tracking window is active. Any decision about purchasing should wait for the price and transfer details shown by the relevant storefront, since those specifics are not included in IGN’s report.