New York Comic-Con: Sonic and the Black Knight Hands-On

By RicardoT, GameSpotPosted Feb 8, 2009 6:18 am PT

Sonic and the Black Knight is playable in Sega's booth at New York Comic-con. The game is the second in Sega's storybook series starring the speedy hedgehog. This time out the spiky hero's adventure is inspired by tales of King Arthur. There was just one level of the game playable at...

Sonic and the Black Knight is playable in Sega's booth at New York Comic-con. The game is the second in Sega's storybook series starring the speedy hedgehog. This time out the spiky hero's adventure is inspired by tales of King Arthur. There was just one level of the game playable at the kiosk in the booth, taken from the start of the adventure. The action was pretty remedial and eased us through the basics of gameplay. If you played Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii you should be right at home with this game. The action is still essentially on a rail that moves you through levels. You have a bit of control over where you move but you're still going down a fairly set path. This time out the game replaces Sonic's rings with golden fairies that serve the same basic role, keeping you from death. The demo also showed off blue fairies that basically replace the spring boards in levels. The other key change to the action is the addition of a sword that Sonic will be carrying and use to attack enemies. The sword is Sonic's new attack but doesn't work quite like his homing double jump attack. For this game you'll use the remote to slash the sword at enemies. The different control mechanics also call for a slightly different control scheme than Secret Rings, which only required you to hold the Wii remote sideways and tilt to move. You'll use the remote and nunchuck in a more standard control configuration this time. The end result so far seems to be pretty decent, once you get over the rail segments. The tutorial level got us up to speed on blocking, using a powerful attack triggered by the B button and gesturing with the Wii remote. The demo wrapped up with Sonic facing off against a big dragon and hacking the conspicuously bright blue horn on its nose off.

So far the game feels a lot like Secret Rings, with a few tweaks, so if you were into the game you should be fine with Black Knight. There's a nice sense of speed although, right now, the game doesn't look quite as good as Secret Rings. The color palette is on the flat side, partially due to the outdoor tutorial setting, and doesn't really pop. The controls are mostly solid although we expect gesturing to attack is going to get old pretty quick and we'd like jumping to feel tighter. Hopefully Sonic Team is going to polish things up in time for the game's March release. Have a look at some video to get a feel for what to expect.

87 Comments

  • Smoolander

    Posted Mar 11, 2009 4:41 am PT

    A whole 86 comments on a Sonic game. Sorry Sega, but Sonic the Hedgehog should be euthanised instead of just beating this very dead horse. New concepts Sega instead of just rehashing, and rehashing, and rehashing old ones.

  • xtec

    Posted Mar 2, 2009 7:40 am PT

    well thommorow is the big day so we can find out if its a flop or its awsum (PRAY 2 GOD IT IS CUZ IM GETTING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

  • JuJu000

    Posted Mar 1, 2009 9:32 am PT

    This game is destined to fail, its like the previous sonic games. If i don't buy this i don't think i'll be missing much.

  • RandomWarrior69

    Posted Feb 27, 2009 8:00 pm PT

    Sonic + Sword = Great Game? Not sure but I'll definatly buy this one.

  • ediver_1

    Posted Feb 25, 2009 4:15 pm PT

    Looks pretty cool. Big improvement from past versions

  • CChannel

    Posted Feb 24, 2009 9:33 pm PT

    im gunna love this game, swords are always awesome but swords and sonic is total awesomeness!

  • zestolime

    Posted Feb 24, 2009 1:12 pm PT

    as long as its better then sonic and the secret rings for wii i like it

  • whatshouldmyuse

    Posted Feb 24, 2009 4:07 am PT

    Sonic needs somthing new... it was always homing attacks but now he has a sword. this could be intresting to see sonic use a sword.
    just something new like i said above.

  • Seik666

    Posted Feb 23, 2009 5:33 pm PT

    To darkwolfyboy: Did you really played Sonic 06??? I can admit some levels are good, but there are alot of glitches and alot...LOTS of loading screens! making your way through each level by the city is pure awfulness because you have to do gimmicky missions where there are TONS of loadings. I know what I'm talking about I actually have the game. And yes I'm a sonic fan, I love all sonic games exept sonic 06...and sonic shuffle! XD

    Btw this one looks great, but seems too related (by gameplay) to sonic and the secret ring. I'd love one old school like sonic adventure 1-2...These were so perfect, or like mmmack90 is saying: a 2,5 D remake of sonic 2 would make me as excited as captain excitement going to excitement island where happy and excited people lives...my point is made! XD

  • Cool_Ninja55

    Posted Feb 23, 2009 3:20 pm PT

    sorry it got messed up

  • Cool_Ninja55

    Posted Feb 23, 2009 3:20 pm PT

    /\__/\ ( ' . ' ) (")_(") CAT

  • vprasath

    Posted Feb 22, 2009 9:59 am PT

    It's nice that Sega is experimenting things with Sonic. Using the same old formula would get boring.

    But Sega is experimenting for a VERY long time now and fans are dying for the old formula. All they need to do is merge the new concept and the old concept together. It didn't work in Sonic Unleashed (it was like mixing oil and water together).

    The idea about dumping the daytime stages with increased length from Sonic Unleashed in a DL disc does sound cool, but there won't be much of a variety here and there.

    For those of you who call yourself a Sonic fan, if you think this game sucks and you look for the bad parts, then 3 words for you: SHAME ON YOU

    Look for the strengths for the game, not the weaknesses. I actually enjoyed Shadow The Hedgehog since there are multiple ways to play. I'm probably a true Sonic fan.

    I''m truely getting this game, unless if the on rails controls are back (which I think were removed).

    However, in all honesty, Sonic looks like he's running a bit slower than in Sonic Unleashed (unless if he does that boost). Either it's that, or I've been boosting too much in Sonic Unleashed. The fairy thing is also unusual in a way. Hopefully Sonic Team and Sega will polish the game to make it look a lot better (as in the displays and graphics).

    To be honest, I wonder why Sega is throwing these types of games. Is it to find what people like and what people don't like and then throw in all the good aspects in 1 game?

    Dimps should kick Sega and Sonic Team out and take over. He's the true genius in Sonic games. Sonic Unleashed (Wii version) was successful because he was involved in it and the Sonic Rush games were like hits. He should make Sonic games because he knows what he's doing and how to please fans. Hopefully he's involved in this game.

  • _LiquidFlame_

    Posted Feb 21, 2009 7:48 am PT

    I am really disappointed.

  • mmmack90

    Posted Feb 20, 2009 10:35 pm PT

    #1. I dont understand how all you clowns can rate a game B4 u get your hands on it.
    #2. OK, we would all love 4 sonic 2 just run ridiculously fast in a 2.5d throwback yes we all hav 2 admit it. #3. At first I thought Secret Rings was just ok until I kept playin it and I understood the concept of the game...(gameplay, story, etc.)
    #4. You cant rate what a new game is going 2 be like because of its predecessors, thats really stupid.
    #5. Sonic And The Secret Rings and Sonic And The Black Knight are spin-offs...they're not the normal Sonic versus Eggman type game, so of course theres gonna be gimmicks...U cant say "I'm not gonna like Sonic and the Black Knight because I dont like Sonic Unleashed" Thats like sayin "I dont like 300 because I dont like Gladiator" completely different concepts.
    #6. Grasp the concept of what SEGA is doing, he's in a story book based on the Authurian Legend, Just like He's was in the Arabian Nights, he had a magic ring, NOW! he has a sword, now the only reason I am accepting the fact that Sonic has a sword in his hand is because he's inside of the Arthurian storybook "spin- off" and he is required to have special items, just like in Secret Rings.
    #6. You have 2 understand that this is a spinn-off
    #7. If they would have pulled something like this off in the normal Sonic versus Eggman main game then I would've been very upset, it would have been offensive 2 me.
    #8. Example "Shadow The Hedgehog" was a terrible terrible game because of poor level designs and the fact that he had a gun (Now hold it!!!) the only difference between Shadow posessing a weapon and Black Knight is the theme of the 2 games. Though it was a spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog was based off the main game, touching on where he came from and who he was, He did'nt require a weapon, which is why it was unacceptable 4 him 2 carry a gun, just like it's unacceptable 4 sonic 2 inappropriately turn into a werewolf.
    #9. My point is don't judge a game B4 u even played it. And try to understand concepts before u say "Oh my god this game is gonna b dumb cause Sonic has a sword in his hand." #10. And quit riding Sonic so hard, yaw wasnt trippin wen Mario went into space...

  • Drapsag18

    Posted Feb 20, 2009 3:24 am PT

    is a game like this really needed? all they need to do is make another sonic unleashed (day time levels only) power ups like in sonic 2 to get through the stage faster and a boss at the end of the stage that's it done, no weapons or monster sonics or whatever

  • pokelink17

    Posted Feb 19, 2009 8:07 am PT

    i hated the first one looks like this one is going to be bad as well. And the story is good but the controls get very annoying!

  • GreenXMega

    Posted Feb 18, 2009 8:18 pm PT

    No really, darkwolfyboy, the game was bad.

  • darkwolfyboy

    Posted Feb 18, 2009 5:56 pm PT

    The problem was Sonic 06. It wasnt really a bad game, but the nerds said it was. So Sega went Parnoid and said Sonic needed to be fixed. Now you get all these gimmicks( But the sword is AWESOME!). So blame fanboys. Blame the fanyboys of the world and haaving bad Sonic games, and not knowing a good Sonic game when its in their f***ing faces.

  • MarluxiaNobody

    Posted Feb 18, 2009 2:36 pm PT

    u kno wut wld b hot? if dey made a sonic 2d action adventure game wit sonic using da moves from brawl.

  • Ragnaroxas5

    Posted Feb 18, 2009 2:06 pm PT

    Sonic really is just over, isn't it? *sigh* I'm gonna go play my Sonic Genesis games, ya know, from when Sonic was cool?

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