Mina the Hollower vs Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Two 8-bit and 2.5D action-adventures ask whether you want front-loaded burrow-and-whip punishment or a 15-hour parry-and-juggle metroidvania.
Updated 8d ago
Mina's burrow-and-whip combat dethrones its Game Boy inspirations — essential for retro action fans.
The best Ubisoft release in years — Lost Crown nails 2.5D metroidvania flow with Hollow-Knight comparisons, but Ubisoft canceled the sequel after sales disappointed.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 9.
| Measure | Mina the Hollower | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown |
|---|---|---|
| Value Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown wins on value | ||
| Price now | $19.99 Steam | $7.20 −76% · Ubisoft Store |
| All-time low | $17.99 | $8.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.09/hr $19.99 · 18 h main story | $0.43/hr $7.20 · 17 h main story |
| Off its low | +11% low was Aug 2026 | At its low low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 18 h | 17 h |
| Health Too close to call | ||
| Steam reviews | 88% 9k reviews | 84% 7k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 82% 296 votes · vs 88% lifetime · souring | 85% 151 votes · vs 84% lifetime |
| Peak players | 641 Aug 2026 · ↓ 59% MoM | 375 Aug 2026 · ↓ 42% MoM |
| All-time peak | 8,760 Jun 2026 · now at 7% | 1,446 Aug 2024 · now at 26% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 2 months ago | 25 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 6 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Mina the Hollower
The burrow-and-whip combat loop is the hook that genre veterans keep returning to.
The initial difficulty spike is the biggest friction point for new players.
from our July 2026 verdict
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The fluid platforming and responsive combat make this one of the best Metroidvanias, with a rewarding difficulty curve.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Mina the Hollower if
- You want Yacht Club's next Shovel Knight follow-up and already trust their action design.
- You're fine with a game that refuses to explain its mechanics in the first hours.
- You like Game Boy Color pixel art with 60fps smoothing and front-loaded punishment.
Pick Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown if
- You loved Hollow Knight or Metroid Dread and want a 15-hour 2.5D platformer.
- You want combat-puzzle hybrids where Time Powers fuel both platforming and fighting.
- You'd rather play a finished 2024 release than an actively patched new one.
Bottom line
Pick Mina the Hollower if you want Yacht Club's tighter, actively patched 88%-rated burrow-and-whip throwback; pick Lost Crown if you want a complete 15-hour parry-and-juggle metroidvania and don't need a sequel.