to help with navigation. These are a "spirit hook" which can be attached to walls and act as a temporary grip point; a whirlwind pillar to lift the Prince off the ground, and a sphere which allows the Prince to hover in mid-air and can him protect from traps. While early on these environmental elements are limited by position and must be remotely activated, later the Prince gains the ability to place hooks and pillars on any suitable surface and activate the sphere in mid-air. Combat has the Prince attacking with his sword or fists and uses the system's motion controls; swinging the Wii Remote triggers sword attacks, while punching with the Nunchuck triggers a fist attack. Both controllers can also be shaken simultaneously to trigger a spin attack. Blocking is mapped to one of the controller buttons. There are a variety of enemy types ranging in strength and attack style. Occasionally, certain enemies in groups will have a blue aura surrounding them, meaning they are the "leader" of the group. If the player kills this leader, the other enemies will flee, and the player wins the fight. Enemies in combat can also be frozen by the player for a brief period of time. During boss battles, the player must pass a series of quick time events to finish phases of battle. Defeating enemies and breaking special chests around the environment grant experience points which unlock move upgrades and additional moves for the Prince. The game features co-op multiplayer, with the second player taking on the role of the genie Zahra. Rather than taking direct part in gameplay, the second player can create platforming elements, and use their powers to slow down enemies and environmental hazards. Completing certain objectives within levels, such as fulfilling time trial requirements, unlocks special rewards similar to achievements. There are also gameplay-focused unlockables such as a survival mode against waves of enemies, challenge versions of platforming sections, and time trials. Plot All versions of The Forgotten Sands focus on the adventures of the Prince, a son of the Persian king Sharaman. Chronologically, they are mostly set in between Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and its sequel Warrior Within, and are intended to fill the seven-year gap between the two games and show how the Prince's outlook on the world changed. The Wii version is set at an unspecified point within that time period.