Sonic and the Black Knight

Original Platform: Wii
Original release: 10th March 2009
Available to buy: No

The second Sonic storybook game after Sonic and the Secret Rings. This one is an adaptation of the legends of King Arthur, with Merlina the Wizard summing Sonic into her world to help defeat an evil King Arthur.

The biggest issue people had with Secret Rings has been fixed in this game. The game uses both the Wii Remote and nunchuck, with the analogue stick controlling movement. Sonic is still on a “track”, so will automatically make turns, but your movement is still important.

The other big change is that Sonic wields a sword, shaking the Wii Remote to attack. You can plough through most enemies while retaining speed if you time things right, so it’s still a fast-paced game.

The levels are all set in a medieval world, but are still really nice to look at. Other than one section involving a collapsing bridge, I really enjoyed them. There are also additional missions which take place either on parts of the main level or levels unique to the mission.

One thing I did find odd about the game is that it has a fake credits. There’s a fight that could potentially be a final boss, then the credits roll. Unlike other games with fake credits (like Kid Icarus Uprising), there’s no interruption. The game even boots you to the main menu afterwards, but there is still a decent chunk of the game afterwards, including unlocking the ability to play as Knight versions of Shadow, Knuckles and Blaze. It really wouldn’t surprise me if someone had no idea that part of the game exsted.

Sonic and the Black Knight is a lot of fun and, other than a few annoying moments, is a very enjoyable experience. It also has an outstanding soundtrack, with Knight of the Wind being one of the best songs in the franchise.