The gameplay of Princess Crown revolves around several key mechanics. These include visiting cities, taking on quests, gathering information, challenging bosses, and participating in battles. The game has a linear narrative. Princess Crown is played with a perceptual side-scrolling view; therefore, the likelihood of getting lost on a map is minimal.
The exploration in the game is reminiscent of Zelda II or Castlevania II. Exploration can be done via poisons and paths. The poisons are filled with non-playable characters that have the necessary information to advance the game.
Encounters involve a combination of combat elements and role-playing elements. The combat system is simple yet challenging. The mechanics used include an attack command, observation, evasion, elements, and recovery. As a side-scrolling RPG, it primarily focuses on space, timing, reading, knowledge, and evasion. What makes this game special is the power gauge that depletes with various actions. If it runs out, the character will be out of breath, which is necessary for defending, escaping, and attacking.
The use of articles plays an important role in Princess Crown. This includes armor, recovery, magic, and throwable items.
Princess Crown begins with a girl and her grandmother. The girl collects a book, and her grandmother starts reading the story of Princess Gradriel De Valendia, who is thirteen years old. As the player travels through the Kingdom of Valendia, wanting to solve many of her problems with her own hands, she takes on the role of Princess Gradriel. However, Gradriel finds more problems than she could have imagined.
After completing Princess Gradriel’s story, more books become available that allow players to take on the roles of three characters Gradriel encounters on her journey. Edward Glowstar is a noble gentleman on a quest for revenge for his father and becomes a valuable ally for the princess. Proserpina is a mischievous witch that players must face several times throughout Gradriel’s story. Portgus Chrisford is a friendly pirate that Gradriel first encounters when another pirate misbehaves using the name Portgus. These three books are much shorter than the first.
