Arabian Nights

About

Arabian Nights is a 3D action-adventure game that mixes arcade combat with exploration and problem solving. You play Ali, a hero tasked with rescuing the Sultan’s five daughters before their 21st birthday. Combat options include four magic spells, 30+ hand-to-hand moves, a scimitar, and throwing knives. Movement is similarly varied, climb ladders, jump, sprint, or ride a magic carpet through levels like palaces, crypts, and marketplaces. The game’s seven episodes each have standalone stories, blending combat, platforming, and dialogue choices with a focus on physical interactivity. The game’s standout is its tactile, physics-based interactions. Reading scrolls, pushing objects, and using inventory items add depth beyond typical brawlers. With over 60 NPCs and environments that shift from lively towns to shadowy tombs, it offers a chaotic but fast-paced experience. Though its 2001 release placed it alongside Prince of Persia 3D, its blend of combat styles and environmental puzzles carved out a niche. Players who appreciate fluid, no-frills action in a Middle Eastern fantasy setting might still find it a brisk, if dated, challenge.

Storyline

Arabian Nights is similar to Prince of Persia 3D, combining action with adventure elements in 3D. Each of its 7 Episodes is in "serial" format with a distinct beginning and conclusion. You play Ali who must find and rescue the Sultan's five beautiful daughters (quintuplets), who have disappeared on the eve of their 21st birthday. As Ali, you'll meet a variety of foes and can choose how to fight them - either by casting one of 4 magic spells, using over 30 hand-to-hand maneuvers with your feet and hands, slashing them with your scimitar, or throwing knives and other weapons. In addition, you can walk, run, sprint, jump, climb ladders and ropes, walk a tightrope, read parchments and inscriptions, fly on a magic carpet, push and pull objects, play the flute, as well as pick up and use inventory objects. Interact with over 60 non-player characters in various locations including towns and neighborhoods, the Palace, a burial ground, crypts, and gardens.