Summary
- Time-control turns mistakes into tools—rewind to retry, experiment, and ease frustrating moments.
- Time control powers puzzles, combat, racing, and story, shaping tension between fate and freedom.
- Rewind systems reduce punishment and encourage experimentation, from Sands of Time to Forza.
Time is one of those wild, uncontrollable things, both in reality and even in video games. Health bars can be restored, missions can be retried, but a mistake made in the moment tends to linger forever. Some games, though, break this sacred rule by letting players bend and rewind time itself.
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Whether it's through puzzle mechanics, as an interesting narrative tool, or simply as a means to avoid crashing into a guardrail, the ability to rewind time creates a fascinating tension between fate and freedom, and these games utilize it best.
Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
A Dagger That Cheats Death
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Released
- October 28, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, PC, Mobile
Even though this game came out more than twenty years ago, few games since have captured the fantasy of rewinding time as elegantly as The Sands of Time does. With the Dagger of Time in hand, the Prince never has to give up on a mistimed jump or a nasty fall. Instead, players can just rewind a fatal mistake and create a rhythm where parkour feels challenging but never unfair.
It's also central to the whole story. The ability to control time is both a blessing and a burden, and the Prince carries this heavy weight that drives the plot forward. The game perfectly balances acrobatic platforming, slick sword fighting, and puzzle-solving while carefully weaving in the fluidity of letting players rewind mistakes.
Braid
Indie Time Travel With Strings Attached
Braid
- Released
- August 6, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
Braid is a game that's just as much about the philosophies of time as it is about rewinding it. Every single world has its own unique twist, from objects that just won't reverse to enemies that only move when you do. What starts as a charming little platformer quickly morphs into a lesson on consequence, obsession, and control.
And there’s no catch. Rewinding is unlimited, making failure totally inconsequential. The game, instead of punishing the player for mistakes, begs for experimentation. By the end, the narrative and mechanics collide in a way that just stays with players long after the credits have rolled. It perfectly mixes the concept of rewinding time into both its gameplay and storytelling.
Quantum Break
A TV Show You Can Play
Quantum Break
- Released
- April 5, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
Before they hit it big with Control, Remedy went all-in on time-bending combat and live-action drama with Quantum Break. Jack Joyce's powers let players freeze enemies in their tracks, reverse firefights, or just sprint through reality where everything is slowed down. Every battle features time itself as the weapon.
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The game also tries a crazy TV-esque narrative. Between chapters, players literally watch live-action episodes where their choices influence events and outcomes. Although it was a bit divisive at launch, Quantum Break really stands out as an ambitious attempt to make time manipulation more than just a gimmick.
Forza Horizon 5
Driving Back The Clock
Forza Horizon 5
- Released
- November 9, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone // In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Playground Games
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
While the Forza Horizon series is mostly all about high-speed thrills, the rewind feature is a quiet MVP. In Forza Horizon 5, a disastrous crash doesn’t mean restarting the whole race. Just a quick rewind lets players retry that corner, preserving their momentum while also not sacrificing immersion.
What makes the system special is how it eases players into racing without making things frustrating. Casuals can still tackle intense challenges without facing constant frustration, while perfectionist drifters can fine-tune every attack angle. In a genre obsessed with shaving milliseconds wherever possible, being able to control the hands of time is priceless.
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
A Cat With A Clock
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
- Released
- October 7, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- Artoon
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Platform(s)
- Xbox (Original)
Long before Ratchet & Clank were getting involved in timeline-hopping shenanigans, Microsoft had already experimented with a time-traveling platformer. In Blinx: The Time Sweeper, players control a janitor cat with a vacuum that controls time itself. Rewinding, fast-forwarding, and recording actions gave the game an unusual and refreshing twist on standard platforming.
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The ambition was huge for 2002, even if the execution was uneven at times. Some puzzles required rewinding environmental hazards, while others demanded carefully recording one's movements. Blinx: The Time Sweeper wasn’t flawless, but it sure was bold, carving a really unique spot in early Xbox history.
Life Is Strange
Undoing The Past
Life is Strange
- Released
- January 30, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Dontnod Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Taking the rewind mechanic out of combat and putting it directly into conversations, choices, and relationships, Life Is Strange uses the ability more for narrative than gameplay. Max Caulfield’s time-traveling powers turn every small interaction into a moment of weight. A wrong answer in dialogue isn’t a loosened arrow. Players can try again, this time with more context.
The system highlights how choices and their consequences are never as simple as they seem. Players can go back to fix a mistake, only to end up changing something else far more significant. Combined with an intimate story of friendship, grief, and identity, the rewind ability becomes way more than just a trick. It’s the emotional center of the entire journey.
Timelie
A Puzzle In Reverse
Timelie
- Released
- May 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Urnique Studio
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Strategy, Indie
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Timelie puts time manipulation into a blender with cooperative puzzle-solving. The result has players guide a girl and her cat through stealth sequences where every move can be rewound and adjusted across a timeline resembling video-editing software. It’s a game about precision, planning, and foresight.
The mechanic allows for infinite amounts of trial and error without penalty. Each level is a little film reel where players can scrub back and forth until they find the perfect sequence. Pairing the forgivingness of a rewind ability with the tension of controlling two characters at once, Timelie shows a unique take on puzzle design.
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